National Key Accounts Manager - Hospitals

Job Title: National Key Accounts Manager
Department: Commercial Business Unit
Reports to: Head of Business Unit
Jointly Reports to: General Manager

1.    JOB PURPOSE
To lead and grow strategic partnerships with key hospital and healthcare institutions across Kenya—including Tier A, Tier B, and other public, mission owned and private sector stakeholders—by establishing a best-in-class Key Accounts framework. The role focuses on optimizing listing of products, distribution, enhancing customer satisfaction, protecting profit margins, driving strategic growth, and building a high-performing key accounts commercial team.

3.    KEY DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES

Route to Market & Distribution Optimization    
•    Design and optimize route-to-market strategies to enhance direct distribution efficiency and coverage.
•    Evaluate and improve distribution infrastructure and parameters to ensure product availability in key institutions.

Strategic Key Account Management    
•    Develop and manage long-term relationships with Tier A and B hospitals across the country.
•    Lead contract negotiations and renewals to ensure favourable terms aligned with business goals.
•    Conduct quarterly business reviews with key clients to strengthen partnerships.
•    Implementation and follow up implementation of planogram
•    Validate planogram with KAE

Commercial Strategy & Business Planning
•    Actively contribute to the annual strategic business planning and quarterly commercial reviews.
•    Conduct yearly market and competitive landscape assessments to align strategic direction.
•    Benchmark performance and commercial activities against industry best practices
•    Annual budget planning (sales target, advertising and promotional budgets)
•    Prepare budget by brand (economics trend, new products, campaign, price adjustment)
•    Monitor, review and report on all marketing activities
•    Determine and manage the A&P Budget
•    Report on ROI and KPI
•    Ensure that the marketing objectives are achieved, measured and reported
•    Develop and implement strategies to protect and enhance gross profit margins.
•    Drive achievement of financial KPIs and targets as outlined in the commercial financial grid.
•    Support budgeting processes and ensure robust profitability tracking and reporting.

Suppliers Management    
•    Meet regularly with Suppliers to build effective relationships and promote our client products as the leading partner
•    Respect suppliers’ regulations regarding storage, logistics, distribution, sales activities and pricing structures
•    Prepare and ensure suppliers’ business reviews are prepared in a timely manner  
•    Liaise with suppliers for NPD, set targets or strategic plans concerning brands
•    Prepare the monthly reports and attend to all queries in a timely manner
•    Prepare supplier's visit (business review, trade visit & administration)
•    Main contact of suppliers
•    Build strong relationship with suppliers

Customer Relationship Management    
•    Drive customer satisfaction by ensuring high service levels and timely delivery to institutions.
•    Define, track, and improve the Net Promoter Score (NPS) as a core customer satisfaction metric.
•    Implement service excellence and customer-first principles throughout the team.
•    Handle customer complaints effectively in a timely manner

Sales Forecasting    
•    Apply marketing excellence techniques and build winning marketing/brand plans.
•    Ensure accurate and deep understanding of customer needs, competitor positioning, and market trends.
•    Drive appropriate pricing strategies and optimize product mix for target institutions.
•    Maintain a strong presence in the field and embody hands-on leadership.
•    Update sales forecast and liaise with Supply Chain to efficiently manage and monitor stocks
•    Follow up of proper ordering and smooth flow of stocks and optimum stock levels
•    Align with calendar of activities
•    Review monthly sales forecast taking into account latest trends
•    Assess SFA and adjust forecast if need be

Promo Planning    
•    Planning of promo: pre-workings and analysis
•    Work with sales team to create and tract promotional activities
•    Ensure proper implementation of promotional and trade activities
•    Follow up with sales on demand plan
•    Ensure deadlines are respected for submission of TPR and follow-up on implementation
•    Responsible for the elaboration of the trade promotions in consultation with KAE

Stock Management    
•    Analyse stock report and prepare action plan for depletion by brand, skus and customer
•    Lead short expiry depletion plan
•    Analyse and validate impact for depletion (sales under cost, unit cost, finance by suppliers etc)
•    Execute for depletion and follow up with sales team
•    Share plan for execution by sales team after cross checking physical availability in warehouse

Market Monitoring    
•    Conduct market research to determine market requirements for existing and future products
•    Analyse the market, product performance and launching of new products
•    Data analysis and interpretation
•    Research products to identify new opportunities
•    Continuous observation and monitoring of competition and their activities
•    Keep track of and evaluate the marketing activity of competitors
•    Undertake market research to remain competitive in the consumer market
•    Collect, analyse and make use of information of the different media channels
•    Ensure market surveys and field research are carried out for new products
•    Closely monitor and analyse and competitive activities

NPD    
•    Conduct Market Analysis
•    Product trials and tasting
•    Prepare costing and sales forecast
•    Authorisation from Authorities
•    Define distribution channel
•    Prepare Price List for listing
•    Prepare listing documents: presentation and sales arguments
•    Identify and propose new areas of development

Reporting    
•    Preparation of figures and presentation
•    Ensure timely sales and marketing reporting to suppliers and the Management

Service Excellence    
•    Participate in the implementation of Service Excellence initiatives/ projects of the department.
•    Ensure that team members are fully engaged and committed to Service Excellence and that excellent service level are maintained at all times
•    Assess Service level on a continuous basis and address any matter impeding excellent service level
•    Handle and/or follow up on queries and complaints promptly and ensure that appropriate corrective actions are taken in a timely manner
•    Implement Service Excellence KPIs, monitor and continuously improve service level of the department

Human Capital    
•    Support the setup and structure of a new Key Accounts commercial team.
•    Lead, coach, and develop a high-performance team with a strong culture of engagement and empowerment.
•    Implement people processes, including performance management, succession planning, and talent development.
•    Provide product knowledge training to internal and external stakeholders
•    Ensure positive and effective communication with subordinates and staff through the governance framework
•    Ensure that Human Capital initiatives including but not limited to Leadership, Succession Plan and ‘Great Place to Work’ are properly and successfully deployed within the department
•    Identify competency gaps, manage learning and development plans and provide opportunities to team members to learn and grow
•    Identify areas of improvement with respect to discipline, code of conduct, team members’ engagement and address & resolve conflicts & issues
•    Ensure that all health and safety provisions and measures are properly adhered and complied with at all times
•    Ensure that the department comply with established policies and procedures, company’s standard practices as well as legal provisions as per prevailing legislation

4.    Qualifications, Skills and other prerequisites
Qualifications    
•    Degree in Sales & Marketing or any other equivalent
•    MBA is an added advantage

Experience    
•    At least 8 years’ experience in all aspects of developing and managing marketing and sales strategies
•    Must have proven track record managing key institutional accounts in the pharmaceutical or healthcare distribution industry.

Technical Knowledge & Skills    
•    Strategic thinker & result oriented
•    Excellent analytical and leadership skills
•    Strong team player working with cross functional teams
•    Excellent communication, negotiation, influencing and interpersonal skills
•    Flexibility and adaptability
•    Marketing skills
•    Organisation and planning
•    Strategic thinking and decision making
•    Problem solving
•    Data analysis