Sales Executive

**Background to the Company**

Lindt & Sprüngli (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd started operations in May 2011 and forms part of the Lindt & Sprüngli group of companies. With more than 120 employees, the Company is based in Cape Town with regional presence in Johannesburg, Durban and Port Elizabeth. It has a network of own retail stores of currently 16.

As global leader in the premium chocolate sector, Lindt & Sprüngli looks back on a long-standing tradition of almost 175 years which takes its origins in Zurich, Switzerland. Today, quality chocolate products by Lindt & Sprüngli are made at 12 own production sites in Europe and the USA. They are distributed by 28 subsidiary companies and branch offices, in more than 500 own stores and cafés, and via a comprehensive network of more than 100 independent distributors around the globe. With over 14,000 employees, the Lindt & Sprüngli Group reported sales worth CHF 4.59 billion in 2021

Key Responsibilities
- Achieve monthly, quarterly & yearly Sales budgets
- Ensuring that expense budgets as set are not exceeded
- Ensure that all expected call rate of ±8 calls per day is maintained
- Ensuring that all pre-call preparations are done and proper planning for each call
- Planning includes weekly, cyclical, and yearly planning
- Weekly call cycle
- Call plan to include a Rand value target for each customer (Previous shortfalls to be included in targets)

**All calls to have the following activities planned**:

- Placing of all orders
- Stock counts are updated and correct
- Listed items - customer compliance
- Merchandising
- Shelf health
- Price Indicator labels current and correct
- Shelf trays are clean and in good shape
- Stock pressure
- Stock rotation (no expired stock found, action taken with near dated stock)
- Correct Layout
- In store display maintained
- Point of sale material management
- Promotional material is available and meets Quality standards
- Build relationship with Store manager, Regional manager and all relevant staff that has influence on orders and shelf space
- Negotiating of free displays and increase shelf space

**Promotional Review**
- On every call during the promotional period progress must be discussed with the manager/owner of the store
- Make use of COGNOS and IRI data provided to discuss performance

**Negotiated promotional elements must include**:

- Increased shelf space
- Moving to eye level if not already on eye level
- Gondola end display or on Shelf display
- Reduction in the Retail Selling price
- Increase in stock holding
- Sales out of the customer must be monitored
- Reports to be completed via handheld device while calling on customers
- Monthly reports by area performance, reasons for success and failures
- Action plans for underperforming stores
- Make use of the handheld device to collate and keep accurate data on calls completed and customers information
- Working closely with our Merchandising partners
- Being responsible for the supervision, ongoing training of merchandisers in store
- Being in contact with the RSM daily
- Reporting of non-compliance to L&S Regional Sales Manager
- Make use of COGNOS and IRI data provided in negotiations

**Requirements**:

- Project management skills
- Ideas and solutions driven
- Confident, assertive self-starter with a drive for results and highly motivated
- Entrepreneurial spirit with good communication and negotiation skills
- Structured organizational skills
- Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines
- Ability to work in collaboration with agencies and customers
- Understanding of consumers, competitors, and market dynamics
- Strong presentation skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills (written and verbal)
- Extremely detail-oriented
- Excellent planning and computer skills
- Ability to work independently and within a team to communicate with team members and management on a daily basis
- Ability to be a team player in a dynamic, fast-paced environment

**Qualifications/experience**
- A minimum of two years' relevant experience
- Experience working in the following accounts:

- Woolworths
- Pick n Pay
- Checkers
- Spar
- Dischem
- Clicks
- Makro
- Relevant diploma/ degree would be advantageous