Area Manager Northwestern Europe - (France & Switzerland) - M/F

A leading global player in the field of yeast and fermentation, Lesaffre designs, produces and provides innovative solutions for bread-making, taste and food pleasure, well-being and health and biotechnology.

A family-owned group, founded in the North of France in 1853, now multi-local and multicultural, Lesaffre is committed to doing business with confidence to better feed and protect the planet.

Close to its customers and partners, Lesaffre employs 11,000 people in more than 50 countries.

Lesaffre has a turnover of 3 billion euros.

Phileo, a subsidiary of Lesaffre, is considered a major player in the nutrition, health and animal welfare market.

To meet the needs of our global partners, from family farms to major players in the feed industry, we look for optimal and sustainable solutions to improve animal health, welfare and performance.

To help farmers reduce their use of antibiotics, we develop tailor-made solutions to optimize microbiota and immunity, formulated according to proven scientific data and clinical trials. We provide a full range of proprietary probiotics tailored to the life cycle of different species, from pets to farm animals, fish or insects.

As Area Manager Northwestern Europe (France and Switzerland), you will directly report to the Western and North Europe Sub Region manager, part of EMEAI Region (Europe Middle East Africa India).

RESPONSIBILITIES

• In line with Sub-Region price positioning, submit commercial strategy on the area to the manager and is responsible for its implementation in the Area.
• Generate new sales and clients by identifying and prospecting industrial clients or distributors, potential users of the Phileo range of products
• Develop and provide training, management, technical and sales support to the customer, with the help of support function (Marketing, Category manager, Technical Leaders, Compliance, Quality)
• Coordinate the implementation of commercial trials and handle customer technical enquiries and organize intervention to provide technical assistance to customers when necessary.
• Provide sales forecasting on a monthly basis.
• Identify market needs and report portfolio gap through area market analysis
• Propose communication plan (event, tradeshows, …) and marketing plan for key brands for the area and relevant sales forecast for approval during regular review
•  Supervise the competition in the market: collect data from the local competition (information, samples, price, etc.) and share it with Phileo management.
• Ensure reporting (accounts, visits, price list, opportunities…) into Phileo CRM system.
• Coordinate administrative records for the products sold within the area, in conjunction with the Phileo teams.
• Lead and accompany the sales team and guarantee a good social climate : participate in recruitment, ensure the integration, conduct the annual review, set objectives and sales targets, recommend team members for promotions, salary proposal and eventual sanctions.

Education/experience required

• Master’s degree or Engineer Diploma or equivalent experience.
• Minimum 8 years experiences in commercial/sales activity, include sales team management.
• Strong background & knowledge in animal nutrition and health, knowledge of the local target market and their players.
• Ability to leverage sales negotiation techniques (regarding prices, quantities, reductions, promotions) and negotiate with suppliers for specific assignments, decode purchasers’ negotiation techniques and contracts terms.
• Solid experience in sales & negotiation role.
• Fluent French and English, any other language is a plus.

Soft skills required

• Listen and communicate with efficiency. act autonomously and take proactive and responsive initiatives.
• Entrepreneurship and a creative, customer-oriented solution provider.
• Excellent team building skills.
• Strong and diplomatic communicant. Open minded, Ability to analyse and synthetize.
• Result driven. Sense of profitability
• Ability to build relationships with the customer and an opportunity seeker with/for the customer.

• Scope of responsibility: Northwestern Europe (France and Switzerland), part of Western and North Europe Sub-Region and EMEAI Region (Europe, Middle East, Africa and India).
• Frequent business travel:  60 % of the time.
• The position is open to people with disabilities.