Flexmanager - marketing en salesmanagement

marketing en salesmanagement

Work Experience

Sales management
Sales and distribution management experience gained in grocery and specialty shops, as well field (outlet level) as head office. Growth markets (specialty and premium petfood propositions) with a focus on business development and more mature markets (grocery) with a more defensive approach. Familiar with issues like price increases, severe negotiations, margin discussions, listing of promotional activities and distribution.
Budget/turnover responsibility varying from € 4 mln to € 50. Next to several product introductions we successfully built new segments (snacks, premium) and massive consumer promotional events (World Animal Day). Experience with telesales and the use of internet in both processes and channels (e-commerce). For VNU I participated in the creation of a new margin system for the trade channels and the creation of a newly formed retail marketing division in order to serve the needs of the top 10 accounts in magazine sales.
Familiar with professional CRM/sales reporting systems and management through key performance indicators, for Vespo I developed a Sales Balanced Scorecard method to monitor and manage customer performance.
Marketing
National account management is a combination of marketing and sales management with a strong focus on trade marketing. Several new product launches, advertising and promotional programmes as well as market issues (e.g. development of the snacking market) were tackled by self steering market teams from marketing and account management, thus creating an integrated approach. In my role as national account manager I participated in these teams, in my management trainee program I executed a number of below-the-line activities. Experience with mass advertising, brand building and sales promotions. In 2001 I have build a new marketing concept together with brand strategist Andre Platteel called “Basics for Authentics” in which internet is combined with traditional bricks, and traditional market activity is combined with a multi media approach targeting youth, also known as generation next or postmodernism.
People management
I successfully led sales teams with a span of control varying from 12 to 16 people with all aspects involved e.g. recruitment, assessment (centres), remuneration, organisation of coverages, field coaching, training, appraisals, reporting systems (CRM) and remote management. Further people management experience with different levels of competences, potential, age and functional responsibilities other than sales. Successful turnaround of sales team from a classic product approach (focus on sell-in) to a modern, professional and competent sales force (focus on sell-out). Well developed management style backed by intensive training program, to be characterised as trust giving and empathic, creating focus and building of a well organised and learning organisation.
Business development and concept building
Within Mars I developed the green trade as a new channel, the project scope varied from market research, creation and presenting business plan, to developing trade marketing tools, training and final (total) concepts. Implementation through a newly formed sales team that successfully implemented petcare concepts within large garden centres with a potential sales revenue of €5 mln.
Close the chain project; a new concept in selling premium petfood with a multi channel approach. I co-developed a pilot, managed the operation and redefined the program after evaluation. In the multi channel approach a new team of product specialists were formed in order to influence key opinion leaders in the buying process. Personal approach was backed by a strong marketing support program with a focus on stimulating interaction between multiple opinion leaders and channels. Followed by a national roll-out. Program presented on Erasmus University.
Project management
Projects managed; smaller projects within own field of responsibilities as well as multi disciplinary projects. Roles varying from project member to project leader. Profit Improvement Project (PIPP), snack teams, introduction and relaunches of products, shop accountmanagement and local marketing, design and implementation of CRM systems. Training project management followed. Teams of 2-10 members, international and national scope.
Business planning and strategy
Operational planning processes involved financial budgeting of tradespent/promotion costs and making monthly and yearly sales forecasts for production. Strategy on tactical level was part of daily business, e.g. generating sales plans, developing operational plans, defining marketing activity plans and market communication for periods < 1 year. Strategy planning on strategic level involved setting up business plans for Unowear (e-commerce), long term growth strategy for Vespo (home textiles), redefine business scope for DASL (telecom start-up). Management team membership or sales management team member in many strategic and tactical issues, mostly with a short noticed time span. Familiar with Balanced Score Card approach and CRM applications or programs.
Organisational skills
Next to organisational issues regarding project management through and with team members (delegating, participating) I succeeded in setting up an entire organisation (back- and front office- 14 persons) in 4 months time, including the development of all processes and assets, HRM aspects and the underlying business/ marketing/ operational plans. Financial experience in start-up funding , due-diligence and acquisition of a small retail chain through external consultants BDO and KPMG. Good financial understanding as a result of entrepreneurship.

Summary of experience
Philip Morris and Berner (period 1991-1994)
Sales Representative (Philip Morris) – coverage of all relevant channels, focus on merchandising.
District Manager (Berner) – responsible for sales team of 16 persons, direct selling in automotive.

Mars Marketing & Salesdivision BV/Masterfoods (period 1994-2000)
Management trainee (1/2 year) – trade marketing project and junior brand management.
Field Sales Manager Petfood (3 years) - non-grocery business, national sales team of 12 account managers, business development, responsible for coverage and promotional activities.
National Account Manager (2 years)- combination of sales and marketing management, trade marketing on top 4 retailers in Grocery, budget- and planning responsibility, category-development.

Business Consultancy and Interim Management (2000-at present)
Functional responsibilities as senior consultant and business manager include the forming of a marketing and sales practice and account management of principals and their projects.
Entrepreneural management; with (potential) financial participation, several assignments and projects on marketing en sales e.g. : account management (VNU Magazines) restructuring programs, start-up of e-commerce company, recovery management of ADSL company, interim marketing/sales management and several marketing programs (Balanced Score Card) for home textile company and several smaller projects.