Commercial Key Account Manager

Alistair Group is one of East and Southern Africa’s fastest-growing service companies, providing a variety of self-delivered logistics solutions across several geographies, aimed with the vision to Make Africa Work Better! With core competencies in road freight, warehousing, commodity trading and operational hire of material handling equipment, the Group strives for continuous expansion of innovative ancillary services to grow the business vertically, complimented by a healthy dose of entrepreneurial flair. The business has gone from strength to strength, growing quickly in both its geographical coverage and variety of services offered to clients. In 2024, the Group exceeded the 1000-employee mark and managed a fleet of well over 1000 trucks. With Alistair’s aggressive and exciting growth strategy, the Group is poised for significant further expansion and a greater impact in Africa.

Core Services:

▪              Freight Forwarding
▪              Clearance & Forwarding
▪              Energy Industry Support Services
▪              Equipment Rental
▪              Commodity Trading
▪              Integrated Solutions
▪              Warehousing
▪              Ocean Freight

Industries:

▪              Mining
▪              Oil & Gas
▪              Agriculture
▪              Construction
▪              Explosives
▪              Renewables

Vision
To be known as the Company that makes Africa work better.

Company Behavior
Honesty, Customer Focus, Continual Improvement, Humility, and Safety.

Job Summary:

The Commercial Key Account Manager (CKAM) acts as the primary point of contact  for assigned customers, ensuring their needs are met proactively and efficiently. This role demands a  client-first mindset, strong communication skills, operational fluency, and the ability to anticipate and  respond to customer requirements. The CKAM is expected to provide premium service levels, foster  long-term relationships, and drive value creation for both the client and the business. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop a deep understanding of the customer’s industry, operations, and specific projects,  enabling anticipation of needs and delivery of tailored solutions. 
• Identify and communicate additional service opportunities to enhance the customer  experience and increase revenue. 
• Serve as the daily interface between the company and the customer, ensuring that all  inquiries, concerns, and service requests are addressed promptly and professionally. 
• Collaborate cross-functionally with planning, sponsor and other relevant stakeholders to  ensure timely allocation of assets.
• Manage and coordinate the customer order lifecycle from job confirmation to final delivery,  ensuring timely updates on the client dashboard and prompt upload of proof of delivery  documents for invoicing.
• Prevent standing charges by proactively managing potential delays and collaborating with  internal teams for swift resolutions.  
• Support onboarding of new customers and ramp-up of new projects by dedicating full  attention during initial engagement periods. 
• Proactively share performance reports with clients on a monthly basis or upon project  completion, highlighting key metrics, service achievements, and areas where improvements  are being made to address weaknesses and enhance overall performance. 

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written. 
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities, especially under pressure. 
• High level of customer-centricity with a proactive approach to service. 
• Operational understanding of the company’s logistics and transport operating model. 
• Ability to manage multiple clients and projects simultaneously while maintaining high service  standards. 
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management skills.