Manager Key Accounts - EM South

Purpose & Overall Relevance for the Organization

  • To ensure profitable market share and net sales growth within select key accounts across South Africa.
  • To passionately lead the key account function in identifying, developing and implementing strategies through a brand first approach whilst driving profitable growth.

Key Responsibilities:

  • To develop and implement the overall strategy for the key account portfolio based on global and Market strategies jointly with the Director Key Accounts - EMS
  • To ensure Net Sales growth by setting clear targets and actions; constant tracking of results; analysis of risks & new business opportunities
  • To ensure the Key Account organization is applying available adidas standards and best practices
  • Build Strategic Account Plans and Account Marketing Plans and present to Director Key Accounts
  • Manage the Go To Market (GTM) process end-to-end
  • To support negotiation and enforcement of adidas and key accounts trade terms
  • To establish an appropriate organizational framework for the key account organization jointly with the Director Key Accounts
  • To measure progress on defined KPIs
  • To monitor all reports and put necessary action plans in place to achieve key objectives
  • To monitor and report on customers and competitors sell-through and activities, and propose/initiate/take actions
  • To provide realistic plans and forecasts on customers performance

 

Key Relationships:

  • Global and Market: Wholesale, Key Accounts, Sales Development, Go To Market Functions, Digital Partner Commerce.
  • Drive Concept to Consumer working relationship.
  • Part of the overall cluster commercial structure.
  • Cluster: Sales Director, Heads of Key Accounts, Brand, Customer Service, Sales Coordination, Business Development, HR, Planning, Logistics & Finance.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

  • Passion and knowledge of sports
  • Key account manager with proven track record of success
  • Strong interpersonal skills (e.g. communication, negotiation)
  • Proven methodological skills (e.g. business planning, analytical skills, strategic development)
  • Broad and deep functional skills (e.g. Sales, Product Knowledge, Customer Service, Finance, IT)
  • High degree of commercial and business acumen knowledge
  • Extensive knowledge of the adidas Group business along with significant industry experience

Requisite Education and Experience / Minimum Qualifications:

  • Degree in business administration with focus on Sales/Marketing
  • Functional: minimum 5 years’ experience in sales, ideally in the sporting goods industry
  • Cross-functional experience ideally with marketing / sales / finance
  • Industry: sporting goods / retail / consumer goods

 


At adidas, we strongly believe that embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into our culture and talent processes gives our employees a sense of belonging and our brand a real competitive advantage.

– Culture Starts With People, It Starts With You –

By recruiting talent and developing our people to reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities, we foster a culture of inclusion that engages our employees and authentically connects our brand with our consumers.

Job Title:  Manager Key Accounts - EM South

Brand: 
Location:  Johannesburg
TEAM:  Sales
State:  GT
Country/Region:  ZA
Contract Type:  Full time
Number:  539946
Date:  Jan 29, 2026