Job Title: Category Manager / Product Manager (Sales & Marketing)
Department: Professional, Sales & Marketing – Commercial cleaning systems for Hotels, laboratories & Hospitals

Qualifications & Essential requirements:
Own vehicle & SA Driver’s License
Well spoken, well presented
Good customer relationship management experience
Fluency in English (written & spoken) – Additional languages are beneficial.
Industrial commercial training with a certified further education in the field of marketing.
Tertiary qualification
Valid passport
Experience is required in a sales or marketing function.
Good technical product understanding and know-how (Commercial appliances IE: Laundry machines, commercial dishwashers, cleaning & disinfectant products) – Experience with commercial cleaning products / equipment for Hotels, Labs & Hospitals is essential
Friendly outgoing personality.
Easy communication, also with people from different cultures.
Must be prepared to travel. Overseas travel may also be required.
Must be able to work to strict budget, timing and planning schedules.
Must be an independent worker and use initiative
Must be able to run with a project from start to end

Duties:
Range planning:
Introduce new models – paying careful attention to all current product memorandums ex. Germany, taking careful consideration of introductory timing and required completion dates.
Update product brochures and pricelists.
Train business partners on product and service.
Client visits to business partners and end consumers.
Liaise with service department with regards service requirements and spare parts support.

Communication, training and sales support:
Training of agents and assistance with client visits, leading to a direct increase in business partner sales.
Informing the company Staff and Agents (plus Agents’ Staff) regularly of appliance updates and changes. Whether this be pricing and or range changes or new appliance developments.

Management of stock and stock levels:
Monitor the ordering and production schedules including stock holding and control.
Stay in constant communication with the Professional Sales Department and customers regarding stock availability and arrivals.

Identifying the right products from the assortment, from Professional International:
Suitably in line with the market niches opportunities and distribution as identified by the Professional sales & marketing management. Selecting the correct model in terms of pricing, features and benefits & service support, for the SADC Market.

Pricing:
Setting the price to market requirements with careful consideration of both the company gross profit requirements and the Agents or retailers commission and discount requirements.

Promotional Activity:
Key to the success of category management is to find the right balance between promotional activities, budgeted spend (costs) and the required sales units, turnover and gross product for the categories concerned. The promotional activity planned needs managements approval and has to be results driven and must be measurable.

Budgeting:
Setting the annual budget for the managed categories in terms of the above requirements in relation to the previous years (s) performance. Taking into consideration range changes, promotional activities and increasing distribution.

FURTHER GROWTH - The Company actively encourages employee growth within the group.

RESPONSIBILITY - Your responsibilities will increase with experience as you eventually take over your categories as complete business units within the Professional marketing and sales frame work

Annual CTC is between 300k – 350k per annum and commission. CTC includes provident fund and medical aid.

Please send an updated CV with all copies of qualifications and use the reference: Category Manager