Summary & Scope of Position:

The Senior Sales Manager DACH will build a strong funnel of prospects across the territory, using established accounts and network to sell and implement INTERCEPT in all blood banks. Reporting to the Senior Sales Director, DACH Region, and working closely with a focused and unique multidisciplinary team, the Senior Sales Manager DACH will develop strong commercial relationship with key decision makers in the transfusion industry. The position requires a strong cultural background for Germany, a strong business acumen, an entrepreneurial mindset, and the ability to work collaboratively within a complex market environment.

The primary focus will be to develop and implement the commercial plan across the region, create a high product awareness and to establish the need to drive adoption of INTERCEPT Platelets, Plasma and RBC in the region.

 

Primary responsibilities

• Responsible for achieving sales within the territory according to budget; pro-actively proposes contingencies in case of deviations. Supports the achievement of Cerus’ overall sales goals.
• Monitor changing or unmet individual or overarching customer needs. Design and implement regional tactics to fulfill such needs.
• Identify and communicate market trends in the region. Propose operational sales and marketing actions as well as strategic market development plans to maintain Cerus’ market leading position.
• Establish the INTERCEPT sales targets and continue to create or reinforce the awareness and adoption activities in blood banks across the region:
  • develop the yearly sales implementation plan.
  • utilize the pricing guidelines/strategies to facilitate sales.
  • define and coordinate promotional and communication requirements.
  • participate in the development of the regional marketing plan.
• Establish and maintain valuable business relationships with key decision makers/KOL in blood banking community.
• Leads all account-related activities and closely collaborates with the deployment team members to ensure full customer satisfaction. Be able to perform basic deployment tasks independently.
• Plan and execute a regular visit calendar for current and potential customers.
• Communicate appropriate and accurate sales and logistic forecasts weekly/monthly.
• Interface with customer accounts for all routine commercial exchanges, ensure that written communications are accurate, and reach the correct destination following established communication protocols at that account.
• Take ownership and accountability for commercial tenders, contract and service agreements in the territory in line with company policies.
• Collect customer feedback about products and services, including: complaints and ideas for new or modified products, and report this information to management for required action.
• Develop insight-based account plans for all top accounts. Account plans include key decision maker prioritization and in-depth situational analysis i.e. SWOT, barriers and drivers.
• Set clear strategic objectives and develop account win- win value propositions based on regional situational analysis and customer insights.
• Self-dependent planning, organization, and execution of multiple digital activities (workshops, lunch & learn meetings. webinars) for optimal customer experience and engagement e.g. e-mail, virtual promotional meetings and customer engagement, innovation tools that increase the number of touch points with our customers beside F2F meeting (a.o. Webex, Teams, Zoom).
• In collaboration with marketing and scientific affairs, support the tactical marketing activities in the region, including managing the organization of congresses, local symposia or roundtables, creation of local materials as necessary, implementing advertisements and ads campaigns locally.
• Coordinate and interface with internal (cross) functions like Sales Operations, Quality Assurance, Regulatory Affairs, Customer Care, Scientific Affairs, Marketing and Legal Affairs to maximize customer support.
• Develop relationships with competent authorities (like PEI, AGES, Swiss Medic and others) in close collaboration with Regulatory Affairs.
• Timely and complete reporting and presentations of account plans including KPI’s to senior positions and accurate maintenance of CRM database. This includes individual customers and the marketing information.
• Represent Cerus at national and international events and congresses.
• Collaborate with Regulatory and Legal with regards to overall compliance.
• Obey data protection law according Cerus’ policy and follow compliance policies
• Perform other duties as required.

Qualifications / Requirements / Skills

Education and experience

• University degree in commercial, medical/life sciences, or a clear demonstration of behavior at academic commercial level.
• Alternatively, a laboratory, technical, medical or scientific background in transfusion medicine, stem cell transplantation or haematology.
• > 5 years of sales experience preferably in transfusion medicine, Haematology or niche/orphan drug area.
• Track record of achievement managing sales territory in highly specialized area of medicine.
• Influential presentation style with demonstrated ability to uncover and address customer needs and effectively manage customer concerns and questions.
• Must have established industry network and relationship within territory.
• Keen understanding of the local regulatory approval process and of health policy and health care system stakeholders.
• Thorough knowledge of the medical device arena.

 

Capabilities

• Good interpersonal skills.
• Strong negotiation skills, ability to sell, convince and close deals
• Self-motivated with a sense of urgency, well-organized with a collaborative approach to problem-solving
• Quality oriented.
• Able to work independently and as a team member.
• Ability to project a professional image, interact with a diverse customer population.
• Willingness to travel intensively and requires a valid driving license.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Able to travel up to 70%.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Excellent language skills (both oral and written) in German and proficient in English.

 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, sex, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, or on the basis of disability.