Key Account Manager (Flavors)

Join the ride, the food & beverage business is expanding, and so are we! 

This is a fantastic opportunity to become part of our fast moving, creative and innovative team as we now are looking for our next Key Account Manager Flavours 

You will be responsible for managing and growing New and Existing important Regional and Local Flavour accounts, whilst ‘buddying’ with our Ingredients account managers to maximise the opportunity to sell all our product lines. 

In addition, you will be an important member of the Northern Europe Team. You will have responsibility to manage selling to these accounts effectively to ensure growing business together with them. You will work in close collaboration with our excellent teams in Taste Creation & Design, Marketing, Sensory, Supply Chain and Operations throughout Europe. You are excited to find new ways of doing things and enjoy the power of working in teams. In this role you report into the Category Sales Leader Bakery, Bars & Confectionery North Europe. You will have a unique opportunity to broaden your network with the extensive IFF global and local teams across many functions. 

Managing Existing Business 

• Manage and develop excellent customer relationships 

• Achieve profitable sales growth together with the customer 

• Optimize supply chain by providing accurate sales forecasts and streamlining order patterns for customers and IFF 

• Cooperate with Operations to manage order-related customer enquiries, ensuring that the customer is always given the information they require when needed 

• Responsible for a healthy pricing strategy and contract negotiations  

• Work closely with IFF global procurement in order to share latest insights on raw-materials with customer 

• Accountable for all communications with the customer and constantly keep the IFF Customer Service and Operations departments updated to ensure timely delivery of orders and all documents related to legal and quality issues and specifications 

• Overall you ensure that IFF is recognized as the key partner to our customers with the objective of growing our joint business long-term 

Developing New Business  

• Follow and understand the market movements and translate them into new business opportunities 

• Initiate and implement customer activities such as creative workshops, trend & inspiration sessions; inspire with innovation & technology experiences 

• Create and develop joint value creation for customer and IFF 

• Build and overall manage the relationships between the different functions at the customer and with IFF. 

• Responsible for achieving agreed growth targets  through winning new business 

• Building core teams which include the Commercial, Technical and Marketing functions and individuals to support your accounts 

• Responsible for managing new opportunities and projects, and their accurate and detailed entry into the IFF project systems for optimal business progress and project outcome  

• Manage the relationship within IFF with Creation, Design and other teams, and monitor project progress. 

• Responsible for your total project pipeline to accelerate our growth 

• Together with the experts in your teams develop account business development plans for your accounts 

Required skills 

• Preferably Bachelor degree in Economics, Business Administration or food technology, or similar 

• Strategic thinker and precise execution 

• Excellent communications and negotiation skills 

• Open personality with a flexible approach 

• Passionate, persistent but above all a good listener 

• Translate customer needs into value adding solutions  

• Result driven with ability to keep both short-term and long-term goals in mind  

• Ability to create strong relationships with customers 

• Well organized 

• Excellent Computer Skills (MS Office) and ability to manage internal business tools 

Required experience 

• Minimum of 3-5 years’ experience in a Business-to-Business Sales Management function, preferably within the food ingredients industry 

• Relevant work experience in the area of taste design, flavors and food industry 

Additional information 

• The position is home-based, whilst working on a hybrid basis from IFF Haverhill 

• Up to approx. 50% travel required, mostly within the UK, but also across IFF’s North Europe Sub-Region. Occasional travel elsewhere may also be expected.