Starke Ayres: Sales Representative (Retail)

Starke Ayres is the foremost African specialist and global supplier of premium vegetable, flower and lawn seed varieties – both for commercial and home garden planting. The following position has become available for a Sales Representative, based in Cape Town. The purpose of this role is to achieve maximum sales profitability, growth, and market penetration within an assigned geographical area, by effectively selling Starke Ayres’s approved range of products within the framework of Company policy. Personally, contacts and secures new business opportunities.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develops joint-business-plans for key customers, customer sales plans for the balance of customers
• Implements and monitors such strategy on a weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual basis.
• Consistently achieves monthly, quarterly, and annual sales targets.
• Maximizes opportunities for closing a sale and drives market penetration, through sound commercial discussion and negotiation.
• Identifies priority products for his/her area, phased annually, seasonally, and monthly.
• Ensures that orders are executed correctly and timeously.
• Contacts customers regularly as per the call cycle, as well as pre-empting and addressing any potential problems swiftly and efficiently.
• Provides necessary advice and information which will ensure that the products are utilized to their maximum potential.
• Identifies and/or develops promotion/advertising opportunities in his/her sales area, ensuring a suitable return on investment is achieved.
• Participates actively in the planning and conducting of exhibitions, show-displays and in-store promotions, managing all expense to within the agreed budget.
• Plans, coordinates, distributes/shares promotion and advertising material such as product profiles, brochures, leaflets, bulletins, posters, display boards and product samples.
• Ensures shelf space and displays in outlets are of the highest standard (negotiate RSP’s, correct PI labels, maximise facings, stock rotation, expired stock removal, etc).
• Sourcing prime spots and erecting stands during key selling seasons.
• Implements all promotions negotiated with head office
• Completes orders clearly and legibly, and with all details as prescribed.
• Supplies and updates stock forecasting budgets as and when required.
• Regularly submits feedback, expense claims and any other reports as may be required.

REQUIREMENTS:

• Diploma in Marketing (NQF level 6) (essential)
• Bcom Marketing Degree (NQF level 7) (preferential)
• 3 years’ experience as a sales representative, preferably in the agricultural industry
• Need to be willing to work 2 weeks a month away from home
• Should be fluent in Afrikaans and English
• Should be willing to work over weekends