Business Relationship Manager

Business Relationship Managers (BRM) engage in many aspects of the tobacco process to insure customer requirements are met. Ultimately they are responsible for maximizing margins, reducing inventories, encouraging timely shipments, customer service and quality parameters are met and increasing business and market share.

Developing a strong relationship with customers and providing a high level of service while maintaining trust built over years is essential to being successful. Alliance One has history with some of our customers dating back over 100 years providing customer service and delivering on quality expectation has laid a foundation for us to continue to be successful with our core customers and beyond.

BRM are involved in this process from start to finish by understanding customer requirements by monitoring market fluctuations, tendencies, trends and durations as well as competitors activity.

The BRM’s have full understanding of each customers blend requirements, processing manuals and price expectations. They work closely with Ag. and Procurement Services and Processing Departments to monitor green leaf purchases and processing to ensure customer expectations are being met from a quality and cost effective manner to maximize margins.

Quality assurance targets are validated by the BRM with scheduled inspections at which time the BRM’s promote the product and initiate the process of price negotiations. The BRM must understand the cost and expected margins to meet targets. There are different factors in negotiating prices such as blend cost, value dates, volumes (current and future), shipping dates, storage charges and market value.

Job Duties Include:

• International travel with your respective customer whenever and wherever they travel to purchase tobacco leaf

• Setup dates with each origin to evaluate trial runs and select master samples that will be delivered to the customer.

• Ensure the leaf quality is obtained to each customer’s requirements

  • Purchasing the adequate styles of leaf while maintaining the highest profit possible

  • Blending tobaccos to achieve consistent appearance, chemistries, and smoke characteristics

• Extensive collaboration during the processing season with operation personnel to guarantee customer specifications are met

  • Provide blends and scheduling of run dates for each customer

  • Customer manuals are followed (i.e. degradations, moistures/packed temperatures, sampling, product weights, packing materials, label placement)

  • Inspections of all tobacco products and case conditions (performed hourly, daily, and weekly)

• Conduct by-product allocations before each season depending on customers’ orders and crop generation. Always allocate by-products where highest margins will be achieved

• Inform operations on when and how to generate each product weekly

• Update customers daily and weekly on the packing status of their products

• Constant communication with logistics personnel to make sure containers and vessels are available to achieve customers’ and company shipment deadlines.

• Setup times and dates with each customer to perform a final inspection once the product arrives to their facility.

• Selling company goods, products, and services in order to increase profit

• Looking for potential new clients and buyers

• explaining the benefits of the products, goods, or services they sell to new customers in order to promote and build loyalty to the brand

• Servicing existing clients

• managing client relationships through all phases of the sales cycle

• Overseeing online transactions and sales

• Working closely with operations and customer support to ensure customer satisfaction

• tracking volumes, numbers and margins by reviewing Sales reports

• Achieving weekly, quarterly, monthly, and annual volume and margin sales targets

• Developing strong relationships with key accounts to maintain a high level of service and client loyalty

• Providing customers with an expected budget, payment agreements, and delivery estimates

• Drafting contracts and overseeing all purchase agreements

• Managing pricing and sales data, as well as activity reports

• soliciting purchase orders in their corresponding territory

• Conducting post-sale follow ups in order to assess and assist customers with any problem of inquiry they may have

• Writing and submitting periodical reports based on sales and any other occurrences

• Working as a part of the team within an organization in charge of importing/exporting products and goods in and out of a country

- High School diploma or equivalent required. BS Degree preferred.

- Working knowledge of tobacco preferred but not required.

- Strong written and verbal communication skills.

-Proficient computer skills.

- Ability to listen effectively, learn quickly, and apply feedback.

- Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team, show respect for differing viewpoints, and operate positively within an organizational structure.

- Openness to coaching, direction, and developmental feedback.