Specifier Consultant

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Date: Mar 8, 2023

Location: Johannesburg, ZA

Company: AkzoNobel

We’ve been pioneering a world of possibilities to bring surfaces to life for well over 200 years. As experts in making coatings, there’s a good chance you’re only ever a few meters away from one of our products. Our world class portfolio of brands – including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and have set our sights on becoming the global industry leader. It’s what you’d expect from the most sustainable paints company, which has been inventing the future for more than two centuries.

Job Purpose

Responsible and accountable for delivering profitable sales of AkzoNobel products by maintaining unrivalled customer relationships. To secure, generate and monitor tight specifications for professional specifiers thus contributing towards overall GIV and Margin target of Trade Sales. The role includes selling the benefits of our brands, colour, services and technical support.

Key Accountabilities

 

  • To Deliver Competitive Growth by developing sustainable business relationships.                                                                
  • To Grow Value Share by creating market awareness on Dulux products and services; increasing number of technical specifications written; continuous tracking of projects; lead follow ups and ensuring project conversion rate is maintained.
  • Improve Operational Efficiency by focusing on no market share customers          
  • Conduct Building Surveys and Inspections.
  • Provide colour guidance and assistance.
  • Support to Sales Team and other functional departments

Key Activities

 

Build solid relationships: 

  • Develop excellent relationships with key specifiers across all target sectors, representing AkzoNobel in a professional manner. 
  • Understand and assess customer’s needs, business objectives, strategies and build compelling customer value propositions representing our portfolio.
  • Source new business through a process of specification up to point of sale.
  • Leverage networking associations.
  • Identify and evaluate strong competitor clients and new business opportunities in line with company strategy, to gain share and grow sales. 
  • Deliver CPD and other training for clients.

 

Specifications:

  • Ability to assess a variety of substrates through technical expertise and create suitable specifications that will meet customer expectations and drive profitable sales for AkzoNobel.
  • Focus on projects as per defined project criteria. 
  • Monthly Reporting against agreed standards which includes market trends and competitor activity.

 

Project Tracking:

  • Effective project tracking and reporting on project pipelines / leads, tracking projects during and post painting phase.
  • Aggressively drive and follow up on leads generated by lead provider companies.
  • Regular meetings with lead provider companies.
  • Sales administration - maintaining updated Call Reports, Customer Contact Sheets and Customer Files; ensuring all detail is accurately captured.
  • Take ownership of queries and complaints to ensure resolution on behalf of the customer within agreed deadlines.
     

Experience and Role Requirements

 

  • Education: Minimum Grade 12 / Level 4 qualification. Ideally a Bachelor’s Degree with minimum 3 years sales experience within the FMCG/ Coatings/ Architectural environment.
  • Ability to develop excellent customer relationships.
  • Ability to use market/customer insights to drive a market leading position.
  • Strong influencing and interpersonal skills.
  • Paint/coatings knowledge.
  • Excellent Computer skills.
  • Self-motivated.

At AkzoNobel we are highly committed to ensuring an inclusive and respectful workplace where all employees can be their best self. We strive to embrace diversity in a context of tolerance. Our talent acquisition process plays an integral part in this journey, as setting the foundations for a diverse environment. For this reason we train and educate on the implications of our Unconscious Bias in order for our TA and hiring managers to be mindful of them and take corrective actions when applicable. In our organization, all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age or disability.

Requisition ID: 26152