Are you a seasoned professional with a proven track record in building strong supply and demand networks within a specific sector or category? Do you thrive on creating strategic partnerships and driving business growth through effective market connections? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you as a Business Development Associate within the Supply Chain and Distribution sector based in the Johannesburg Area.

Responsibilities Include:

• Conduct thorough market research to identify trends, opportunities, and potential risks within the soft commodities sector, with a specific focus on agricultural products.
• Leverage existing networks and establish new relationships within the soft commodities industry to expand the company's client base.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for collaboration and partnership with key stakeholders, including producers, commodity brokers, traders, and exporters.
• Lead negotiations with aggregators and commodity brokers to secure favorable terms and agreements.
• Act as link between the commercial, operations and product teams.
• Review, input and support sales contracts to ensure they align with customer and deal expectations and deliverables.
• Interact with clients and respond to important inquiries about the company’s products or services.
• Collaborate closely with internal teams, including trading, operations, finance, and legal, to ensure seamless execution of deals and exceptional client service.
• Participate in collaborative business meetings to update key stakeholders and support reporting processes to SA and HQ management teams.
• Prepare regular reports on sales performance, market trends, and opportunities for improvement.
• Act as the main point of contact for clients, addressing inquiries and providing exceptional customer service.
• Generate new business opportunities and manage the entire sales cycle from prospecting to closing deals.
• Identify and target potential clients, industries, and market segments.
• Conduct presentations and product demonstrations to showcase the value proposition of our PaaS offerings.

Requirements

• Strong supply and demand networks and contacts within the target sector/category.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, Agriculture, or related field advanced degree preferred.
• Proven experience in in B2B Sales, International trade, soft commodities trading, with a focus on physical commodity trading within the agricultural sector (7 years minimum).
• Extensive network within the soft commodities industry, including relationships with producers, traders, and other key stakeholders.

Closing Date: 19 April 2024

Should you not receive any feedback regarding your application within two weeks of the closing date, please consider your application unsuccessful.