Client Strategist/Account Manager

Johannesburg – Gauteng ~ Stellenbosch – Western Cape

ENVIRONMENT:
Our client operates as a development firm with offices in both Stellenbosch and Johannesburg, focusing on the creation of innovative agricultural technologies. The Client Strategist position will involve assisting the Client Strategy team in the process of onboarding both new and current clients. The Client Strategist will hold a pivotal role in preserving and expanding their client base, necessitating a skill set that combines relationship management and business development expertise. The successful candidate will be tasked with nurturing existing client relationships, ensuring client satisfaction, and identifying opportunities for expanding their client portfolio. Furthermore, this role will collaborate with the operations team to continuously enhance the client experience. The formal qualifications for this role include a BCom degree or a background in Agri Economics, and a driver’s license (as some travel will be involved). Additionally, intermediate to advanced data skills are preferred.
 
DUTIES:
Business development:
  • Developing their client base in specific geographic area where the Employee is situated (Change based on employee and area (ranging across different commodities) based on internal agreement and strategy
  • Ensuring new clients are engaged and committed in the implementation process Identifying new growth opportunities and integrations where they can add value to their customers
  • Interact and work with the Client Strategy Team to create an internal client strategy roadmap and client management system that is scalable
Client Engagement and management:
  • Manage and drive different communication forums for your clients to ensure the best feedback and interaction
  • Ensure all the clients under your management is comfortable and confident on the system by providing the necessary training and support
  • Ensuring orders are up to date from a grower’s perspective: Order management and timely order loading
  • Assisting with the maintenance of training material and user manuals
  • Coordinating day-to-day business operations with growers and collating their feedback
  • Maintain growers document databases (NDA, Signed rates agreement)
  • Maintaining the internal CRM dashboard to ensure up to date information is available for the broader business (currently using Monday.com)
  • Establishing a client management strategy that fits with the specific client’s needs which includes (but is not limited) to regular visits, open communication channels and daily system support
  • This role involves regular travel to clients as part of the client management strategy
  • Aim to establish their company as a daily operational tool for their clients
  • Assist clients with “Good Practices” to ensure their processes and data benefits them and fits into their system profile
  • Maintaining a client priority metrics based on internal guidelines creating and updating training material
 
Managing your client’s onboarding process which includes the following:
Growers:
  • Installation of the company’s on-premises application by being liaison between the client and engineering team
  • Populating the onboarding sheet through the relevant data processed from the client’s database and ensuring the information needed for smooth operations are accurate and up to date
Exporters:
  • Ensure that all the necessary permissions and cold store letters are signed and up to date for the exporters connected to your managed growers
System Development:
  • Client experience/satisfaction: Feedback to Developers on client requirements or product inefficiencies
  • Manage clients’ expectations of development deadlines
  • Collate client feedback for discussion of feasible development and giving relevant feedback to clients
  • Give guidance about client’s needs and ensure software development goals are aligned with that
 
REQUIREMENTS:
Formal Qualifications
  • BCom, Agri Economics
  • Driver’s license (This role will include some travelling)
 
Knowledge, Competencies and Skills
  • Intermediate to advanced level of data skills
  • Proven ability to be part of a team and collaborate across departments
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Must be able to build strong internal client relationships
 
Job Related Experience
  • 2 – 3 years’ experience in a logistics provider, perishable commodity agent / retailer or commercial farming company in a planning, operational, logistics or solutions role.
  • Experience in managing client / supplier relationships
  • Experience in analysing operational processes and/or logistics operations
 
ATTRIBUTES:
  • Excellent problem solving and organizational ability
  • Strong numerical and analytical skills
  • Demonstrated ability to communicate and influence credibly and effectively at all levels
  • Proven verbal and written communications skills in English
  • Excellent attention to detail

+ 27 (0) 21 741 0400