Key Account Manager & Merchandiser

---

Department:​​ Key Account Management & Merchandising      
Position Title:​​ Key Account Manager & Merchandiser
Reports to: Managing Director, August Berg

About August Berg:
 
AUGUST BERG was founded by Danish entrepreneur and retail specialist Anders Peter Juel Sauerberg and designed by renowned Danish designer Magnus Joergenson. ​

AUGUST BERG mission is to give “the gift of time” through timefulness (internal values) by living a conscious life with passion, purpose and confidence and through education (external values) by providing a better future for children in Asia and Africa.
 
To give “the gift of time” reflects our ethos and makes us different than other watch & jewellery brands. It is uniquely AUGUST BERG and it speaks to what makes our brand so special.
 
Our Mission is a vital part of our brand and our community. We believe that all children in the world should have access to quality education and decent jobs when they graduate. AUGUST BERG has, therefore, partnered with Human Practice Foundation to provide education to children in Asia and Africa. For every watch sold, August Berg will give a child in Asia and Africa 6-months of quality education, and for every 20,000 watches sold, we will build a new school. The first school we are building is Akadeli Primary school on Mount Kenya.
 
About the Job:
 The Key Account Manager & Merchandiser is responsible for:
 
 Key Account Management:

• Building and maintain a strong relationship with the partners and customers (distributors, retailers, corp customers, ecommerce partners, marketplaces, etc).
• The lead point of contact for all key client matters, purchases, buying budget and anticipate the partner’s and customer’s needs, work within the company to ensure deadlines for the partners and customers are met, and help them succeed. Further, bring in new business from existing partners/customers and develop new relationships with new potential partners/customers.
• Responsible for opening and onboarding new accounts and cooperating with other departments to ensure sell-through results.

 
Merchandiser:

• Consolidate orders from all partners and customers and coordinate with all suppliers for merchandise, posm and packaging.
• In depth analysis of sales data and market trends as well as review of consumer buying patterns.
• Provide the right merchandise, at the right place, at the right time, in the right quantities, and at the right price.

Key Account Management Responsibilities:

• Developing a solid and trusting relationship between major key clients and company
• Resolving key client issues and complaints
• Developing a complete understanding of key account needs
• Anticipating key account changes and improvements
• Managing communications between key clients and internal teams
• Managing account team assigned to each client
• Strategic planning to improve client results
• Negotiating contracts with the client and establishing a timeline of performance
• Establishing and overseeing internal budgets with the company and external budgets with the client
• Working with design, sales team, creative, advertising, logistics, managers, marketing, and team members from other departments dedicated to the same client account to ensure the highest quality of materials are being produced and all client needs met
• Collaborating with the sales team to maximize profit by up-selling or cross-selling
• Planning and presenting reports on account progress, goals, and quarterly initiatives to share with team members, stakeholders, and possible use in future case studies or company training
• Meeting all client needs and deliverables according to proposed timelines
• Analyzing client data to provide customer relationship management
• Expanding relationships and bringing in new clients

Merchandising Responsibilities:

• Implement buying strategy at global level for all product and sales related items
• Own and execute the merchandise strategy
• Partner with CEO/MD to develop and execute financial plans / OTB plans while maintaining healthy inventory levels that support the needs of the business
• Develop seasonal line plans based data, trends, financial KPIs, and customer knowledge
• Work closely with creative and marketing on key initiatives and product/brand strategies
• Work collaboratively with CEO/MD to ensure direction aligns with overall brand vision
• Oversee product direction with regards to trends, newness, and opportunities
• Navigate the global logistics climate to deliver goods on-time
• Manage vendor relationships with integrity while protecting our goals and quality standards
• Source and onboard new vendors that align with our quality, agility, and sustainability & social responsibility standards
• Lead our chase strategies at a style level, and work with our vendor base to achieve our targets
• Reduce lead-times through sourcing strategies, vendor allocation, creative problem solving
• Ensure margin targets are always met
• Align and maintain global and local RRP master Price Lists for all customers and channels, including tracking VAT/TAX/Import duties/etc.
• Lead key cross functional meetings to keep key stakeholders informed

 
Key attributes:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business administration, sales, or relevant field; Master’s degree preferred
• Four to five years’ previous work experience in sales, management, key account management, or relevant experience
• Proven results of delivering client solutions and meeting sales goals
• Able to multitask, prioritize, and manage time efficiently
• Goal-oriented, organized team player
• Encouraging to team and staff; able to mentor and lead
• Self-motivated and self-directed
• Excellent interpersonal relationship skills
• In-depth understanding of company key clients and their position in the industry
• Eager to expand the company with new sales, clients, and territories
• Able to analyze data and sales statistics and translate results into better solutions
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; must be a listener, a presenter, and a people-person
• Strong negotiation skills, with ability follow-through on client contracts
• Solid business acumen, with advanced numeric and analytical skills: strong skills in Excel or other reporting platforms required
• A forward thinker with an open mind
• Thrives on implementing or improving processes, and flexible within an ambiguous, ever-changing work environment Willingness to learn and ability to take on new challenges; problem-solver
• You must be comfortable working in a fast-paced and competitive environment where sales data is a direct measurement of your success. You also need strong teamwork skills and a good understanding of market trends to be successful in this career.