National Sales Manager Food Service and Wholesale

At I&J, part of AVI, we combine close to 115 years of excellence with a forward-thinking approach to the fishing industry. As a leader in premium seafood, including Cape Hake and farmed Cape Abalone, we are committed to sustainability, innovation, and empowering local communities. Our latest innovation, Air-Fri’kn Amazing, brings bold flavours and crispy perfection to your air fryer, showcasing our passion for quality and customer-centric excellence.

Why Join I&J?

• Industry Leader: Work with a renowned brand known for premium Cape Hake and farmed Abalone.
• Sustainability Focused: Contribute to responsible fishing practices with MSC accreditation.
• Community Impact: Be part of a company that empowers and invests in local communities.

An exciting opportunity exists for a National Sales Manager Food Service and Wholesale at I&J. As the successful incumbent you will lead, manage, and grow the Food Service and Wholesale channel across South Africa and selected African markets. The role is accountable for developing and executing strategic sales plans, managing a team of Key Account Managers, and ensuring customer partnerships, stock and pricing optimisation, and compliance across domestic and export markets. The position ensures profitable growth, long-term sustainability, and operational excellence in line with I&J’s commercial objectives. 

Reporting Structure:

• Reports to: Head of Sales
• Direct reports: 3

Key Areas of Impact:
Strategic Channel Leadership

• Develop and implement the National Food Service & Wholesale strategy aligned to I&J’s domestic sales objectives.
• Lead and manage Key Account Managers (KAMs) across customer groups, ensuring clear targets and strategic alignment.
• Drive customer segmentation, strategic planning, and execution to expand channel presence and share.
• Provide leadership in negotiations of trading terms and strategic partnerships with major wholesalers and food service groups

Sales and Profitability Delivery

• Own the channel Profit and Loss (P&L), ensuring achievement of revenue, volume, margin, and profitability targets.
• Monitor and manage pricing, deals, and Key Value Items (KVI) lines to maximise profitability.
• Ensure accurate stock allocation, forecasting, and pipeline management, working with cross-functional teams to meet demand and minimise risk.
• Oversee trade debtor performance, ensuring timely collections and adherence to credit policies. Coordinate sales demand forecasts for production planning to ensure optimal stock availability across customers and various regional depots.

Customer and Category Development

• Build strong customer relationships across wholesalers, food service groups and export partners.
• Lead category growth initiatives, leveraging customer insights to shape assortment, pack formats, and pricing strategies.
• Support and guide KAM’s in customer visits, joint business planning and promotional execution.
• Ensure long-term planning and short-term action plans are effectively delivered against financial and strategic goals.

Supply Chain, Exports and Execution Excellence

• Collaborate with supply chain teams to ensure service excellence, OTIF delivery and efficient DC-to-DC flows.
• Oversee export operations, including compliance with documentation – health certificates, seals, customs requirements, cross-border logistics, and minimum order volumes.
• Anticipate and mitigate risks in export planning, ensuring customer service and monthly sales objectives are achieved.
• Streamline processes with internal departments to improve efficiency and responsiveness.

Leadership and Development

• Recruit, coach, train, and develop the Key Account Managers and support, driving high performance and accountability.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, set KPIs, and provide ongoing feedback.
• Foster a collaborative team culture, ensuring alignment between individual objectives and business goals.
• Build succession capability and develop future leadership within the Food Service sales team.

What It Takes to Succeed:
Experience that set you up for success:                       

• 5 years’ FMCG sales experience, including experience Key Account or Channel Management
• Proven experience in Food Service and Wholesale channels
• Exposure to export operations and cross-border logistics

Qualifications & Certifications that will contribute to your success:

• Grade 12 / Matric
• Bachelor’s Degree or National Diploma in Commerce, Sales, or Business Management                         

Additional Requirements:

• Strong in numerical analysis and problem solving
• Business Administration and Customer Relationship Management experience
• Sales Planning and Forecasting
• Strong communication skills
• Own reliable vehicle

Take the Next Step with I&J

Join us to shape the future of South African seafood while making a meaningful impact on communities and the environment and be part of a team committed to excellence and making a positive impact.