Regional Trade Quality Specialist: Pretoria at Coca-Cola

Job Description

• To proactively support business strategy by providing technical Manufacturing, Packaging and Warehousing expertise to improve Trade Product Quality in CCBSA Sales and Distribution thereby ensuring optimum consumer service and satisfaction. 

Key Duties & Responsibilities 

Regional Trade Quality Support

• Develop and execute a 1-to-2-year regional trade quality plan.
• Execute, implement, and conduct a regular assessment of the long-term Trade quality strategy and goals in Sales and Distribution i.e., conduct the analysis of trade returns to identify trends and recommend solutions.
• Ensure Trade quality compliance and devise strategic regional specific objectives in view of aligning to the Quality Strategy. This is done to ensure:
  • The reduction of overaged products and trade returns.
  • Resolve customer and consumer queries.
  • Provide training on product handling storage initiatives.
• Elevate and drive regional appetite for the implementation of Trade quality systems and projects through the illustration and development of various regional cost-saving exercises.

Sales Strategy Support

• Support the sales strategy about Trade quality deliverables and objectives
  • Provide guidance and advise on quality-related outputs (trade replacement and stock rotation processes).
• Attend the (General Manager, District Manager, Regional Logistics Manager) sales meetings on a regular basis to address quality issues, provide feedback and progress reports.
• Accompany the Sales Managers, Account Managers and Merchandiser order takers on an adhoc basis on trade visits to enhance customer knowledge of company products.
• Support the Export team with quality related matters i.e., handing of customer and consumer queries. This also includes the development and review of service level agreements with the export countries.

Communication

• Communicate with relevant Manufacturing Quality Assurance Managers and COF support on status and issues facing Regional Trade Quality.
• Communicate effectively in team interactions.
• Communicate and coordinate issues relevant to customers (including exports) and consumers.
• Coordinate support and communicate with various SHERQ Controllers in depots where required.

Regional Quality Query Resolution

• Manage Care line queries, via the Consumer Care Reps ensuring timeous resolution, adherence to procedure and appropriate feedback.
• Ensure necessary escalation to COF for various serious quality and consumer issues
• Customer complaints raised by Sales personnel are followed up and investigated.
• Production problems identified from complaints are followed through with the relevant Production staff until root cause of problem is identified and actioned.
• Management of issues regarding complaints with other bottlers.
• Interact with TCCC careline as and when required.

Regional Stock Removal and Recall Processes

• Conduct simulated product recalls at stipulated frequency to ensure correct procedure is followed in the event of an actual recall. This is done to improve product traceability.
• Activate and coordinate actual Recalls regionally and follow through until closure.
• Ensure that all depots are trained and competent on recall procedures and policies.
• Sub-standard product at depots assessed, corrective action plans determined, actioned and monitored to completion or destruction. NB Facilitate the conversations aimed at identifying solutions.
• Ensure investigation by production and subsequent feedback to depot.

Trade Returns/Ullages and Age Concession System

• Accountable for ensuring that Trade Ullage recording system is entrenched in Sales & Distribution.
• Ensure training and compliance of all Handheld Terminal and Manual users.
• Devise action plans and identify improvement opportunities to reduce the costs of trade ullages.
• Ensure Age Concession system is entrenched and supported according to procedure by depots.
• Training and auditing of the system.
• Review of stock age concessions and investigation into underlying factors relating to overage stock.

Skills, Experience & Education

• A minimum of a Diploma in analytical processes (B.Sc. or Btech Quality)
• At least 3 to 5 years Previous experience in general Quality Assurance or laboratory technical work
• At least 3 to 5 years Knowledge of production process value chain
• At least 1 years’ experience of the use of SAP in the Quality Control process 
• Experience in ability to employ/apply standard problem-solving techniques
• Experience Knowledge of National Standards applicable to the industry
• At least 3 years Knowledge and application of Coca-Cola quality standards and requirements