Customer Lead, Johannesburg

Founded in 1853, Lesaffre is an independent, family-owned group based in France and a leading global provider of baker's yeast and yeast extract products. It employs over 11,000 people on five continents and markets bakery, taste improvement, health and nutrition, fermentation and brewery products and services.Lesaffre South Africa, previously known as Aries Baking Supplies and Bakelab, are entities recentlyacquiredby Lesaffre. Job Description

Mission: Serve as the primary point of contact for key customers, ensuring a seamless and exceptional customer experience Collaborate with cross-functionalteams addresscustomer needs, resolve issues, andmaintainstrong customer relationships Contribute todevelop the overallcustomer satisfaction and loyalty of Lesaffre South Africa, Aries Baking Supplies, and BakelabAct as the bridge between the commercial teams and customers Lead and coach teams to ensure flawless customer service across the business Position Summary: Reporting to the Supply Chain Manager, the Customer Leadis responsible formanaging the relationship with the organization's key customers, serving as their primary point of contact and advocate. This role plays a critical part in ensuring customer satisfaction, loyalty, and the effective coordination of customer-related activities across the organization.Main Responsibilities: Customer Relationship Management: Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned key customers, providing responsive and personalized support Understand the customers' business needs, challenges, andobjectives, and align the organization's offerings to meet their requirementsResponsible for providing an excellent customer service experience to increase customer satisfaction Oversee the quality of service provided to customers to ensure that the organisation’sresponsibilities as a seller are fulfilled Maintain regular communication with customers, proactively addresscustomerconcerns/complaintsand providing updates on order status, delivery, and any other relevant informationCollaborate with the Sales, Customer Service, and Supply Chain teams to ensure the seamless execution of customer orders and the resolution of any issues Keep order management systemssuchas SAP/CRM up to date with current information and customer records Order Management andFulfilments: Manage the end-to-end orderfulfilmentprocess for key customers, including order entry, inventory allocation, and delivery coordinationProvide customers withaccurateandtimelyinformation on order status, shipment tracking, and any delivery exceptions Escalate and resolve any order-related issues, such as order discrepancies, product quality concerns, or delivery problems Maintain detailed records of customer orders, shipments, and interactions to ensureaccuratereporting and traceabilityMonitor andanalyseorder processing metrics toidentifytrends and improvement opportunities Document the order management process and ensures it iswell understood and accessible, aiding in training and process standardization Process customer complaints Drivetimelyfeedback and resolution back to the customerCustomer Feedback and Insights: Gather andanalysecustomer feedback, including complaints, suggestions, and satisfaction levels Identifytrends and patterns in customer feedback, and communicate insights to the relevant cross-functional teams Collaborate with the Sales, Marketing, and Product teams to provide customer-centric input on product development, pricing, and go-to-market strategiesSupply Chain Coordination: Liaise with the Procurement, Production, Warehouse, and Logistics teams to ensure thetimelyavailability of products and the efficient delivery of customer orders Provide the Supply Chain team with customer-specific requirements, such as delivery schedules, special handling instructions, or packaging preferencesCommunicate any changes in customer demand, order patterns, or special requests to the relevant supply chain functions Identifyand implement process improvements to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of customer-facing activities Exceeding and improving on OTIF (On time and In Full) metrics and resolution on Customercomplaintswithin agreed timeline along with mitigation measuresto prevent recurrenceFacilitate meetings between the CSD team andSales, Customer Service, and Supply Chain teams and Customer complaints discussions Provide feedback and recommendations to the Supply Chain Manager on ways to improve the overall customer experience Collaborate with cross-functional teams to develop and implement innovative solutions to address customer needsWork closely with the Sales, Customer Service, and Supply Chain teams to align customer-related activities and ensure a consistent and seamless customer experience Communicate effectively with the Supply Chain Manager, as well as other cross-functional stakeholders, to provide updates, share insights, and address concernsServe as a subject matter expert and provide input to the Supply Chain Manager on customer-related matters Support account department with account receivables Support sales with tracking of projects and tracking of sales data Qualifications

Qualifications and Skills: Education and Experience: Minimum 5-7 years of experience in a customer-facing role, preferably in a manufacturing or distribution environment Proventrack recordof building andmaintainingstrong customer relationships and delivering exceptional customer service Technical Skills:Proficient in using customer relationship management (CRM) systems, order management software, and data analysis tools Strong understanding of supply chain operations, including procurement, production planning, inventory management, andlogistics Familiarity with industry-specific regulations, quality standards, and customer service best practicesPersonal Attributes: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to engage with customers and cross-functional teams Problem-solving and conflict resolution skills to address customer issues and concerns Adaptability and flexibility to respond to changing customer requirements and market conditionsStrong organizational and time management skills to prioritize and coordinate multiple tasks Commitment to continuous improvement and the delivery of exceptional customer service Additional Information

Line Management ReportingdirectlytotheSupply Chain Manager

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