Junior Sales Operations Manager

At Snackworks, we are the people behind some of South Africa's most beloved brands. Willards chips, Big Korn Bites, Cheese Curls, the Bakers range — the kind of names that don't need an introduction, because they've been around longer than most of us. As part of National Brands Limited, with sites in Rosslyn, Isando, and Westmead, we're a business with real scale, real history, and a genuine appetite for what comes next.

We are seeking a Junior Sales Operations Manager to drive success at Snackworks Office in Epping, Cape Town. This role will be responsible for managing and growing regional customer relationships through regular engagement, data-driven sales reviews, and execution of pricing and promotional strategies aligned with national objectives.

Reporting Structure:

• Reports to: Regional Sales Manager
  

Key Areas of Impact:

Customer:

• Build, develop and maintain customer relationships with all relevant/ allocated regional customers
• Schedule meetings with and visit allocated customers every two weeks
• Prepare and present sales reviews, and relevant customer data, and discuss measures to rectify negative performance
• Manage customer pricing in line with mandates and National Customer Managers’ strategy
• Ensure that pricing is loaded in the system / app
• Manage customer promotional activity in line with mandates and National Customer Managers’ strategy and guidelines
• Successfully launch new innovation, stock to be on shelf in customer within 6 weeks of opening orders
• Complete contact reports and communicate with all relevant stakeholders (customer and Subsidiary)
• Attend Customer Manager and RSM customer meetings on a regular basis to get to know the other customers in the region and develop key accounts skills

Operations:

• Schedule trade visits once a week, using a monthly planner, in order to ensure that the majority of customers in the region are visited in a year
  • Complete comprehensive trade visits, with contact reports, on a weekly basis
  • Prepare for a trade visit, pull relevant customer data by store (Shoprite webbis, Pick n Pay site covers etc.)
  • Complete trade visits as per standard operating procedure
  • Put immediate measures in place to rectify the issues at store level (out of stocks, pricing etc.)
  • Compile a trade contact report with feedback and actions, and communicate with all relevant stakeholders (customer and Subsidiary)
  • Follow up, feedback, and hold the relevant stakeholders accountable

Category Management / Customer Data:

• Comprehend and utilize key 3rd party/ customer systems to drive business in the region
• Understand and master Nielsen and pull sales out data on a monthly basis in order to explain the market dynamics and actions required in the region
• Understand and master Ask’d data, and pull this on a monthly basis so as to identify the opportunities for the Subsidiary in the market
• Understand and utilize Silo, in preparation for customer appointments
• Understand, master, and utilize all relevant customer systems on a daily basis to drive the NBL business:
  • Shoprite B2B System
  • Pick n Pay Portal
  • Makro Dispos

Spar DC Controller Responsibilities:

• Manage relevant Spar DC orders daily
  • Pull new orders from the Spar system, and add to order tracker and load builder
  • Update load builder with new and discontinued products
  • Liaise with NBL Planning team as to the number of pallets on the load builder for specific new/open orders, and send top up requests to Spar Buyers
  • If Spar places top-up orders for a load that exceeds 72 pallets, liaise with the Spar buyer to reduce orders where applicable
  • Manage orders in line with price increase trackers
  • Check and action lines with incorrect prices, and have discounts loaded by Sales Admin where applicable
  • Ensure delivery bookings are made and all parties are aligned
  • Liaise with Planning team to understand out of stocks on outstanding orders, and communicate this to the Spar Buyers
• Manage relevant Spar DC stock on hand weekly
  • Request, receive, rework, analyse and share the relevant Spar stock on hand report with the Customer Manager, Regional Sales Manager, Sales Operations Manager and AVI Field Marketing team
• Manage “stamp and sign” orders weekly
  • Seasonal drives (Festive)
  • Innovation
  • Strategic drives (short-dated stock)

What It Takes to Succeed:

Experience that set you up for success:

• Minimum 3 years’ FMCG sales experience
• Experience managing wholesale, distributor, or franchise customers
• Proven ability to execute at store level and manage customer relationships

Qualifications & Certifications that will contribute to your success:

• Matric (Grade 12) is essential
• Diploma/Degree in Sales, Marketing, Business or Retail Management

Knowledge:

• Strong Excel and data analysis capability
• Proficiency in PowerPoint and reporting
• Experience with retail/customer systems (advantageous)