About The Role
* The Sales Manager is responsible for profitably growing the Sweet Specialities portfolio in Benelux. The reports to the VP Sales Lead - Global Sweet Specialities
* The brief is both to profitably grow with existing customers and to acquire new customers across all market segments, deploying a suitable Route-to- Market (direct or indirect).
* The key metrics are the delivery of volume, penetration of existing chocolate/cocoa customer base, financial business objectives (e.g. margin) and customer satisfaction (NPS).
* Focus, resilience, change management, project management, influence management (internally and externally), hunting spirit and creativity are the main engines that fuel growth
* It is a great opportunity to be part of the team that underpins one of Barry Callebaut strategic growth initiatives
Key Responsibilities Include
Cross-functional commercial leadership
* As customers are usually focused mostly on their chocolate/compound or cocoa purchases, growing their Sweet Specialties portfolio implies working with and through other Barry Callebaut commercial teams and indirect channel (distribution) to deliver End-to-End solutions (E2E)
* Therefore, the role is about engaging colleagues across functions, project managing, in complex situations and ownership.
* To deliver value to customers and be part of the customer account team, it is important to become a deep expert in the overall Sweet Specialty portfolio, products and applications as well as be familiar with chocolate specialties
* The role also supports operational customer-related topics to ensure high-quality and timely answers to customer needs
New customer acquisition
* Develop and align a Specialties profitable growth strategy for your scope/territory through a formalized customer and competitor market mapping (clarity on volumes, who buys what from whom, price points etc..)
* Based on the agreed strategy, identify, engage and win new customers, both via direct and indirect Route To Market
* Deeper penetration in relevant segments
Grow share and new applications at existing customers (cross- and upselling)
* Grow share of wallet with existing customers
* In line with aligned strategy, manage and execute contract/business negotiations in cooperation with account team for existing supply and new projects
* Manage existing Route-To-Market for Specialties
Meet internal governance needs with high efficiency and effectiveness
* Forecasting
* as a tool to drive growth and streamline customer information sharing
About You
* At least 6-8 years of proven track record and commercial experience a B2B environment with value in use / technical offering
* You come from the industry and can demonstrate profitable growth in the chocolate or sweet specialties market with the right network and intimacy in the relevant customer segments
* Strong Segment insight (market, consumer, customer, retail) and B2C experience (e.g. Chain accounts) is a plus
* Proven track record in growing profitably different types of customers (from Artisans to Distributors, Key Accounts and FMCG multinationals) both in direct and indirect route to market settings
* Key Account Management: you find energy in engaging different types of customer stakeholders, from production worker to sourcing manager to CEO, to build win-win customer relationships
* Strong knowledge of Specialties portfolio and applications
* Master in Economics/Business/Food Engineering or equivalent
* English (full proficiency), Dutch & French (native language / ability to handle complex negotiations).
* Outstanding commercial skills, value & solution selling, negotiation
* Strong project and change management skills
* You are familiar with and use it effectively to drive profitable growth and customer intimacy.
* You are motivated to travel >60% of your time across your territory and related BC sites
At Barry Callebaut, we are committed to Diversity & Inclusion. United by our strong values, we thrive on the diversity of who we are, where we come from, what we've experienced and how we think. We are committed to nurturing an inclusive environment where people can truly be themselves, grow to their full potential and feel they belong.
#oneBC - Diverse People, Sustainable Growth.