Key Accounts Manager

at  Pernod Ricard

The purpose of this role is to develop and implement a strategic business plan for the allocated On Trade Key Account customers, delivering against Pernod Ricard South Africa’s objectives in the domestic spirits market.

KEY COMPETENCIES AND EXPERIENCE

Minimum Educational Requirements and Work Experience:

• Bachelor of Commerce Degree or similar Tertiary equivalent
• At least 6 years’ experience within a commercial environment 2 of which must have been in a management capacity or at least 8 years relevant sales experience.
• Experience within the On Trade environment is essential.
• Experience in the Hospitality environment.
• Driver’s License

Behavioural competencies:
Strategic Planning, Commercial Awareness, Problem Solving, Influencing Skills, Teamwork, Building and Maintaining Collaborative Working Relationships, Adaptability
Job Posting End Date:
2025-02-03
Target Hire Date:
2024-12-01
Target End Date

Ability to co-develop and monitor the touchpoint plan to bring to life the consumer & brand experience, in line with the brand & portfolio strategy:

• Co-develop and implement touchpoint plans that enhance the consumer experience across the On Trade journey, from awareness to purchase.
• Prioritize resource allocation for premium activations, ensuring a seamless and memorable consumer experience.
• Set clear KPIs, to evaluate the performance of brand and portfolio strategies and improve touchpoints plan accordingl

• Support the Head of On Trade in delivering Pernod Ricard South Africa’s business goals and market share in the On Trade channel.
• Implement the On Trade Key Account strategy, including resource allocation for client investment management (e.g., promotions, brand activations).
• Develop tools and initiatives to achieve business objectives (e.g., On Trade customer agreements, customer joint business plans, On Trade marketing plan, venue segmentation).
• Support the Head of On Trade during key business periods (e.g., budget planning, channel/customer planning, promotional cycles & customer reviews).
• Uphold Pernod Ricard’s vision and values in interactions with internal teams and external stakeholders.
  Commercial Strategy & Planning

Ability to implement and get alignment behind a commercial plan, considering the short and long-term view:

• Define and implement a commercial plan for our On Trade Key Account customers, identifying growth opportunities and aligning with Pernod Ricard’s strategic objectives.
• Set clear KPIs to monitor and evaluate commercial performance at channel, customer, and brand levels.
• Focus on driving premium brand visibility and consumer engagement within our Key Account On Trade venues.

Market & Business Intelligence

Ability to get a deep understanding of the market – competitors, channels, categories & customers – to transform it into business opportunities:

• Obtain a deep understanding of the On Trade market dynamics, including competitor activities, venue trends, and consumer preferences.
• Utilize digital tools and data analytics to identify business opportunities and potential risks.
• Monitor the competitive landscape and adapt strategies to capitalize on new trends or changes within the On Trade channel.
• Identify and define business opportunities and key drivers of growth.
• Identify risks and opportunities of market changes (competitor moves, new channel development, changes in legal and regulations).

Negotiation

Ability to manage customer’s needs and requests through appropriate negotiation cycle and techniques, to achieve global business objectives:

• Understand complex customer’s business stakes, environment, needs and challenges in the negotiation process.
• Use negotiation resources and techniques to reduce gap between customer’s demand and business objectives, in line with the commercial strategy.
• Identify win-win states and common interest grounds to establish customer partnerships.
• Anticipate customer’s behaviours, changes, risks / opportunities, or conflicts and adapt the negotiation cycle (process, style) accordingly.

Project Management & Activation Management

Ability to plan and organize diverse tasks in a transversal project, managing and maximizing performance of project teams (internal & external), to achieve objectives in time:

• Plan and execute On Trade activation projects, including scope, objectives, and resource management.
• Collaborate with internal teams (e.g., marketing, brand managers) and external partners (e.g., event organizers, venue owners) to deliver impactful brand experiences.
• Evaluate the success of activations through KPIs and feedback, adjusting strategies as needed to optimize future initiatives.

Influencing & Partnering

Ability to establish and develop trusting and impactful relationships with internal and external stakeholders:

• Demonstrate influencing skills, internally and externally.
• Develop an efficient network through strong interpersonal skills and a good understanding of organizational and individual issues.
• Create partnerships through the development of successful long-term relationships, that will positively impact the business
• Listen actively.
• Present clear and compelling ideas, and transmit impactful messages, making the most of presentation tools and technologies.
• Develop a robust network of relationships within the hospitality industry to enhance the visibility and success of Pernod Ricard’s brand portfolio.

Drive for Business Results

Ability to recommend, implement and evaluate effectiveness of business activities (Commercial and Marketing) to optimize business performance and ensure excellence in execution:

• Demonstrate an overall understanding of business environment and company’s vision.
• Focus on priorities, meet deadlines and objectives to drive business results.
• Define and monitor the most appropriate set of KPIs.
• Propose evolutions in business priorities, resource allocation and organizational structure.

Experience Planning

Ability to co-develop and monitor the touchpoint plan to bring to life the consumer & brand experience, in line with the brand & portfolio strategy:

• Co-develop and implement touchpoint plans that enhance the consumer experience across the On Trade journey, from awareness to purchase.
• Prioritize resource allocation for premium activations, ensuring a seamless and memorable consumer experience.
• Set clear KPIs, to evaluate the performance of brand and portfolio strategies and improve touchpoints plan accordingly

Financial & Price Management

Ability to navigate all aspects of pricing, understand how pricing affects our business performance and develop pricing tactics in day-to-day activities:

• Implement and manage effective pricing strategies within the On Trade channel, balancing consumer value perception and commercial objectives.
• Monitor customer P&L, ensuring profitability while aligning with the overall business strategy.
• Collaborate with the brand team to optimize financial performance and resource allocation.

Insights into Action

Ability to get a deep understanding of the consumer behaviour from observation, to transform insights into actions & business opportunities:

• Know and use the key sources (qualitative and quantitative research, panel, and initiatives, traditional and digital – social networks, blogs, analytics…) of consumer information, and methodologies to get a deep understanding of the behaviours
• Leverage trends – category, channel & consumer understanding into insights and opportunities.
• Size and prioritize insights to recommend actions and unlock growth.

Digital Acumen

Ability to navigate into a digital environment, understand how to succeed in a digital world, use technologies and new digital tactics in the day-to-day activities.

• Be familiar with web, mobile and social media.
• Understand digital environment, on-line channels, and their specific business characteristics and levers, in order to help to reach, interact and delight consumers.
• Leverage digital tools and technologies to enhance consumer engagement within On Trade venues (e.g., mobile promotions, social media integration).
• Stay abreast of digital trends and innovations that can be applied to drive visibility and sales within On Trade accounts.

Brand & Portfolio Strategy

Understand and influence the ambition and the strategic objectives & concepts to differentiate the brand & portfolio from the competition and to develop PR business:

• Understand the brand ambition, anticipating mid- to long-term changes within the environment, business opportunities and risks.
• Leverage market, consumer insights, consumer journey and route-to-market opportunities, to define priority targets, develop effective strategies and activations;
• Set KPIs, to monitor, manage and adjust On Trade Key Accounts strategy

Creativity

Ability to emerge new business opportunities through generation, inspiration and exploration of new and relevant ideas, services, solutions and designs with both internal and external partners.

• Think out of the box, show curiosity, push boundaries, have an explorative mindset to generate ideas, and solve problems.
• Champion creative ideas, and bring them to life (e. g. solutions, services, digital initiatives, alternative channels) to create differentiation and new revenue sources, and to be continuously one step ahead.
• Implement and foster a creative culture through new approaches and mindset.