Sector: Express Logistics | Supply Chain | Life Sciences & Healthcare
Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng
Remuneration: Basic Salary R75,000 - R83,000 per month (excluding bonus) + benefits

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced and commercially astute National Customer Manager - Life Sciences to drive revenue growth, customer retention and strategic business development within this specialised market.

The successful candidate will manage and develop major customer relationships, identify new business opportunities and execute strategic account plans to strengthen the organisation's position within the Life Sciences and Healthcare sector.

This role requires a commercially driven professional with strong industry knowledge, executive-level relationship management skills and a balanced approach to new business acquisition and existing account growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Account Management & Customer Growth

  • Manage and develop large, complex and strategically important Life Sciences and Healthcare customer accounts.

  • Build long-term relationships with senior executives, key decision-makers and commercial stakeholders.

  • Develop and execute strategic account plans to strengthen customer retention, increase revenue and expand existing relationships.

  • Understand customer requirements, commercial objectives and supply chain challenges to identify opportunities for tailored solutions.

  • Proactively manage customer relationships, address potential risks and support long-term customer satisfaction.

• Business Development & Commercial Performance

  • Identify, pursue and secure new business opportunities within the Life Sciences and Healthcare market.

  • Drive revenue growth through customer acquisition, account expansion, cross-selling and consultative solution selling.

  • Develop and maintain a strong sales pipeline, accurate forecasts and structured business development plans.

  • Lead commercial discussions, proposals and negotiations with senior customer stakeholders.

  • Monitor market developments, competitor activity and emerging opportunities to strengthen market penetration.

• Stakeholder Engagement & Solution Delivery

  • Collaborate with Sales, Operations, Customer Service and other internal teams to develop and implement effective customer solutions.

  • Ensure proposed solutions are commercially viable, operationally achievable and aligned with customer requirements.

  • Work effectively with local and international stakeholders in a multinational business environment.

  • Monitor customer performance, resolve commercial or service concerns and maintain accurate CRM and sales records.

Minimum Requirements

• 5 - 10 years' experience in B2B sales, business development, strategic account management or commercial leadership.

• Relevant experience within or supporting Life Sciences, Healthcare, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Devices, Biotechnology, Clinical Research or Healthcare Logistics.

• Proven success managing large, complex or strategically important customer accounts.

• Demonstrated ability to grow revenue, retain customers and secure new business opportunities.

• Strong commercial acumen, negotiation skills and executive stakeholder engagement capabilities.

• Experience developing and executing strategic account plans and identifying customer growth opportunities.

• Excellent relationship-building, communication, presentation and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to collaborate effectively across functions within a multinational or similarly complex business environment.

• Willingness to travel nationally as required.

Advantageous Experience

• Experience in express logistics, international logistics, freight forwarding or supply chain solutions.

• Experience providing logistics or supply chain solutions to Life Sciences and Healthcare customers.

• Established commercial relationships or networks within the Pharmaceutical, Healthcare or Medical Devices sectors.

• Experience managing national, multinational or global customer accounts.

• A relevant tertiary qualification in Business, Commerce, Sales, Marketing, Logistics or Supply Chain Management.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strategic Key Account Management

• Life Sciences & Healthcare Industry Knowledge

• B2B Sales & Business Development

• Customer Retention & Revenue Growth

• Strategic Account Planning

• Consultative & Solution Selling

• Commercial Negotiation

• Executive Stakeholder Engagement

• New Business Acquisition

• Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Sales Pipeline & CRM Management

• Strategic Thinking & Problem-Solving

Ideal Candidate

You are an experienced, commercially driven professional with a strong understanding of the Life Sciences and Healthcare sector and a proven ability to manage strategic customer relationships, influence senior decision-makers and deliver measurable revenue growth.

You combine excellent account management capabilities with a proactive hunting mindset, confidently identifying new opportunities while developing and retaining existing customers.

Your background may be in international logistics, specialist healthcare logistics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices or a related Life Sciences business. You bring strong commercial judgement, strategic thinking and the ability to succeed in a multinational environment.

Employment Equity

All suitably qualified candidates will receive fair consideration in line with applicable employment equity principles.