Minimum Requirements
Education
A relevant scientific qualification would be highly advantageous, preferably a National Diploma or Degree in one of the following:
- Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Chemical Engineering
- Laboratory Science
- Biotechnology
- Related Scientific Field
Experience
Candidates should have:
- 3–5 years' external sales experience
- Minimum 2 years' experience selling laboratory chemicals, scientific products or industrial chemicals
- Experience dealing with pharmaceutical and/or manufacturing quality control laboratories
- Previous experience selling into mining laboratories would be highly advantageous
- Proven track record of achieving or exceeding sales targets
- Experience developing new business as well as managing existing customer accounts
- Ability to conduct technical discussions with laboratory personnel and understand customer applications and requirements
Technical Knowledge
The successful candidate should have knowledge and/or practical understanding of:
- AR Grade Chemicals
- Laboratory reagents
- ICP applications
- AAS applications
- XRF laboratory applications
- Wet chemistry laboratories
- Sample preparation chemicals
- Laboratory quality systems
- ISO 17025 laboratory environments
- Laboratory safety requirements
Key Responsibilities
The External Sales Representative will be responsible for:
- Developing and managing a portfolio of laboratory and scientific customers
- Identifying and prospecting for new business opportunities
- Growing the company's customer base within pharmaceutical, manufacturing, mining and laboratory sectors
- Conducting regular customer visits and technical sales presentations
- Building strong relationships with laboratory managers, chemists, quality personnel, procurement departments and other decision-makers
- Understanding customer laboratory applications and identifying suitable products and solutions
- Preparing and following up on quotations
- Negotiating pricing and commercial terms within approved parameters
- Converting quotations and opportunities into confirmed orders
- Managing existing customer accounts and identifying opportunities for increased sales
- Developing the mining laboratory customer base
- Maintaining an active sales pipeline
- Managing the assigned sales territory effectively
- Monitoring customer requirements, competitor activity and market developments
- Achieving monthly sales revenue and gross profit targets
- Providing accurate sales forecasts and activity reports
- Maintaining accurate and up-to-date customer information on the CRM system
- Ensuring all customer visits, opportunities, quotations and follow-ups are recorded
- Working closely with internal sales, technical, operations and management teams to ensure excellent customer service
Computer Skills
Candidates should be comfortable working with:
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Microsoft Excel
- CRM systems – Zoho experience would be advantageous
- Sales reporting and forecasting
- ERP systems would be advantageous
Key Sales Competencies
The successful candidate should demonstrate strong ability in:
- Prospecting and lead generation
- New business development
- Consultative and technical selling
- Negotiation
- Closing sales
- Account management
- Territory management
- Customer relationship building
- Sales pipeline management
- Quotation follow-up and conversion
Personal Attributes
The ideal candidate will be:
- Self-motivated and results-driven
- Target orientated
- Technically minded
- Professional in presentation and communication
- Confident dealing with technical and commercial customers
- Highly organised
- Able to manage a territory independently
- Proactive in developing new business
- A strong relationship builder
- A practical problem solver
- Reliable and accountable
- A person with a high level of integrity
Travel Requirements
This position requires regular travel to customer sites throughout South Africa.
Candidates must:
- Hold a valid South African driver's licence
- Have their own reliable vehicle, if required by the employer
- Be willing and able to travel regularly
- Be comfortable spending significant time visiting customer sites, including mines, pharmaceutical laboratories, manufacturing facilities and quality control laboratories
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Performance will be measured against:
- Monthly sales revenue targets
- Gross profit targets
- New customer acquisitions
- Customer retention
- Number of customer visits per month
- Quotation-to-order conversion rate
- Growth of the mining laboratory customer base
- Growth of existing customer accounts
- Sales pipeline development
- CRM compliance
- Reporting and forecasting accuracy
Preferred Industry Background
Preference may be given to candidates with relevant laboratory/scientific sales experience gained with companies operating in similar markets, including organisations such as:
- Merck / Sigma-Aldrich
- Associated Chemical Enterprises (ACE)
- Lasec
- Labotec
- Separations
- Protea Laboratory Services
- Chemetrix
- Industrial Analytical
- Scientific Group
- Kimix Chemicals
- Industrial and mining chemical suppliers
Experience with these companies is not mandatory; however, candidates should ideally have comparable experience selling laboratory chemicals, reagents, scientific products or industrial chemical solutions into relevant laboratory environments.
Package
R22,000 – R27,000 per month, depending on qualifications, technical knowledge and relevant sales experience.
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