Sales Consultant

If you know that great sales are equal parts relationship and strategy, that a well-planned route is a thing of beauty, and that the best deals leave both the customer and the brand better off — you may have just found your next move.

The Role (or your chance to grow the Montego footprint, store by store)

As our Sales Consultant, you’ll own a geographical patch and make it your own — promoting sales, growing the customer base and supporting customers so they can hit their budgets and grow alongside us. You’ll spot the opportunities others miss, turn area insight into a sharp business plan, and make sure the right products are in the right space at the right time.

Part strategist, part relationship-builder, part road warrior — you’ll be out among your customers, from Supers and Vets to large retailers, championing our brands and making Montego the easiest partner they work with.

What you’ll be doing (besides being brilliant)

Sales, Campaigns & Promotions

• Analyse your area — customers, SKUs, sales and brand performance — and turn it into a plan
• Identify new market opportunities to grow sales and enlarge the Montego footprint, focusing strategically on Super Class and Large customers
• Draft an annual business plan aligned to the marketing strategy, planning the resources and activities to deliver it (merchandisers, channel branding, in-store activity and more)
• Spot deal and profitability opportunities, and position priority brands as space becomes available
• Consult with clients to unlock sales growth and optimise floor space and product positioning
• Suggest deals, arrange deal stock with the depot, and monitor promotional stock availability
• Support national campaigns and promotions, and recommend to the Regional Sales Manager and Key Account Managers how to optimise results
• Plan and support in-store promotions, making sure merchandisers are ready to deliver them
• Help clients move stock nearing expiry, and put plans in place for fast- and slow-moving lines
• Advise customers on their order list and keep them informed on new lines, promotions and price increases
• Identify and plan pet shows as opportunities to build strategic partnerships

Customer Relations & Service Delivery

• Build and maintain positive client relationships through ongoing engagement and quality service
• Support Key Account Managers in building relations with Group Area Managers and buyers
• Help customers achieve their business plans and aspirations
• Plan and apply merchandising principles, techniques and store layouts to lift visual appeal and rate of sale — guiding merchandisers along the way
• Use the social budget, where appropriate, to strengthen client relationships
• Plan and prepare for store and customer visits in line with call-rate requirements, and call prospective clients to grow the brand
• Follow up on customer queries with workable solutions, and handle stock and quality queries with clear feedback
• Monitor adherence to the returns policy and provide training on new product lines

Administration

• Complete new customer questionnaires so client facilities meet take-on requirements, and actively onboard new customers such as Supers and Vets
• Complete customer and field surveys and assist with retailer application forms
• Plan telesales days monthly and log calls and updates on Repsly within agreed timeframes
• Complete the social budget recon with supporting documentation in place
• Attend to customer and internal emails, and access sales information via PowerBI
• Arrange vehicle repairs, keep the vehicle in good working condition and complete the relevant forms
• Submit sales figures to clients (e.g. breakdown per SKU), input into the annual report, and send weekly and monthly progress reports to the Regional Sales Manager

What you’ll need to bring

• Grade 12 (NQF Level 4)
• A Diploma in Sales (NQF Level 5) — advantageous
• A valid Code B driver’s licence
• 3–4 years of sales and/or merchandising experience
• Proficiency in MS Office, and familiarity with Repsly and Business Intelligence (BI) reports
• Good product knowledge and a firm grasp of merchandising standards, stock levels and ordering procedures
• Real knowledge of your geographical area and the sales opportunities in it

Skills that make things happen

• Planning — including logistics and route planning
• Confident negotiation and communication
• Strong interpersonal instincts
• Problem-solving and time management
• A knack for training and bringing others along

And the behaviours that make it stick

• Results-driven with genuine client focus

• A real sense of urgency

• Proactive by nature

• Comfortable on the road and thinking on your feet

• A note on the fine print: this role involves extensive travel, regular weekend work and being available when customers need you. From time to time you may be asked to take on tasks beyond the day-to-day as operational needs require, occasionally without delay and outside normal hours. We’ll always keep it fair.

About Montego

Montego Pet Nutrition, a family business established in 2000 in the Karoo region of South Africa, is a well-loved and innovative pet care brand committed to establishing Africa as an important player in the global pet industry. For 26 years, our genuine love of pets has been at the heart of our business and supports our promise of “Better Every Day”. Today, pet owners in more than 39 countries across multiple continents trust us to produce world-class products with the health and wellbeing of pets in mind.