Key Account Manager (Food Ingredients)

This is a remote position.

Our client is a prominent multinational specialist in the oils, fats, and high-quality food ingredients sector, known for providing innovative solutions to the global food industry. With a strong focus on UHT non-dairy creams, margarines, and chocolate compounds, they are expanding their industrial footprint in Malaysia and are looking for a strategic partner to drive growth within the large-scale food manufacturing segment.

The Key Account Manager Industry is responsible for managing and growing direct industrial customers across Malaysia. This role focuses on building strategic partnerships with medium to large food manufacturers to ensure sustainable volume growth, margin optimization, and deep portfolio penetration.

• Portfolio Growth: Manage and scale assigned Industrial Key Accounts in KL and nationwide, focusing on industrial margarine, lamination fats, UHT non-dairy cream, and chocolate products.

• Strategic Planning: Develop and execute account plans to increase SKU penetration through the cross-selling of fats, UHT, and chocolate solutions.

• Technical Collaboration: Partner with customers R&D and production teams on product trials, reformulations, and cost-optimization initiatives.

• Market Conversion: Proactively identify substitution opportunities to switch competitors ingredients to the company's specialized solutions.

• Commercial Leadership: Lead negotiations on pricing, annual agreements, rebates, and credit terms while ensuring margin control in line with corporate targets.

• Market Insight: Monitor raw material trends (palm oil, cocoa, dairy substitutes) to align pricing strategies with market shifts.

• Operations & Finance: Collaborate with QA, Supply Chain, and Finance to ensure smooth delivery, accurate forecasting, and healthy collection of receivables.

• Target Achievement: Consistently meet or exceed monthly, quarterly, and annual sales volume and Gross Profit (GP) targets.

• Education: Possession of at least a Bachelor's Degree or Diploma in any relevant field.

• Experience: A minimum of 5 8 years of proven experience managing direct food industry customers within the Malaysian market.

• Industry Knowledge: Deep understanding of the industrial food manufacturing landscape and ingredient application.

• Language Skills: Proficiency in English and local languages (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese, or Cantonese) to effectively engage with a diverse customer base.

• Technical Proficiency: Medium-level expertise in Microsoft Office and Excel for reporting and data analysis.

• Core Skills: Strong background in B2B sales, persuasive communication, active listening, and high-level commercial negotiation.

• Attributes: Self-motivating, problem-solving oriented, and a strong collaborator capable of working across cross-functional teams.

• Mobility: Must possess own transport and be willing to travel within the assigned territory as required