Retail Key Account Manager

As a leading global animal health company, Elanco delivers innovative products and services to improve the health of pets and farm animals around the world because we believe making animals' lives better, makes life better. Since 1954, we have provided solutions that support veterinarians, farmers and pet owners to advance our vision of Food and Companionship Enriching Life. Elanco's promise to employees: Together, we foster an inclusive culture where everyone can make a difference, encouraging ownership, growth and well-being.

What will you be doing?

The Key Account Manager is responsible for the development of sales and promotional strategies that align with category and brand strategies and the implementation of these strategies within nominated retail and veterinary corporate customers and buying groups, online accounts, and wholesalers in Australia. 

Success in this role involves:

• The development and maintenance of commercial relationships amongst high value, key accounts and across multiple internal functional teams whilst achieving forecast sales and profit targets.

• Support strategies developed at a national business unit level that promote growth within the Companion Animal Business Unit nominated key customers.

• Drive growth in the accounts tracking both sell-in and sell out ( where scan data exists.) Developing unique promotional programs, aligned to the Marketing and sales calendar that drive sales and market share.

• Manage Gross to Net effectively.

• Invest in well thought through promotional plans that are margin accretive.

• Work with the accounts (as defined) to develop strong JBP’s.

As a Channel Manager, you may do the following:

• Manage the relationship with Elanco channel partners to maximise net-sales potential.

• Manage a portfolio of accounts including corporate veterinary groups, on-line pet specialty customers, and corporate pet retail customers.

• Provide accurate sales and accrual forecasts for supply and budgetary purposes.

• Liaise with channel partners to build and develop strong commercial relationships.

• Assist with the preparation of contractual agreements and responsible for commercial and trading terms negotiations.

• Create, implement and monitor Joint Business Plan agreements with key channel partners.

• Create and implement category strategies and plans with specific key accounts, leveraging brand strategies and field team call cycles to drive net sales.

• Work with your Key Account Management peers, Head of Sales, Regional Sales Managers, Field salesforce and Marketing team to devise detailed and tailored account strategies that maximise revenue opportunities in the short and long term.

• Work with the sales team and regional managers to implement key account initiatives.

• Prepare presentations and proposals to channel partners using the Elanco portfolio.

• Ensure the partnership is consistent with Elanco’s channel partner guidelines at all times.

• Promote Elanco events, campaigns, sponsorship opportunities with channel partners maximising revenue potential.

• Provide detailed reports outlining sales results for channel partners presented at monthly commercial review meetings and quarterly regional and national conferences.

• Evaluate and document channel partnerships, ensuring all activity is recorded accurately.

• Ensure that the communication between corporate head office initiatives and field staff is executed in a timely manner.

• Identify and target potential new customers to drive revenue growth.

• Act as the key interface between the customer and all relevant divisions.

• Manage and advise on invoices, credits and collections ensuring that all claims, allowances, complaints and adjustments are satisfactorily resolved.

• Build, manage, utilise systems of control, to manage the investment tracking and monthly accruals of trade spend within budget.

• Utilise sales & market data to build & implement effective customer sales strategies that drive mutual profitable sales results within key accounts

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree and/or relevant experience (science and/or Business / Marketing qualifications preferred).
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in a Key Account/ National Account Management role, preferably in Animal Health or FMCG Sectors.
• Have strong planning and negotiation skills.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to develop strategies and tactics and measure ROI post implementation. Capability to influence both internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong commercial skill set that can be used to identify potential business opportunities and issues.
• Understand the importance of Customer Service and promote best practice to establish Elanco as a credible/preferred supplier.
• Understand the importance of long-term relationships to National Accounts and implement best practice KAM at all levels to establish Elanco as a credible partner.
• Already have, or be clearly capable of demonstrating the ability to obtain a good level of technical product and disease/parasite knowledge.
• Computer literate (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Prefer candidate that is based in Sydney (report to office 2 days a week).
• Remote worker based in other parts of Australia can be considered.