Key Account Manager

Key Account Manager

Based in Toronto, Canada

Full-time position, Permanent contract

Business related travels : up to 20%

Beginning : ASAP 2024

PUR Description

PUR is a global, impact-focused B-Corp specializing in supply chain sustainability. We design, develop, and implement nature-based solutions projects to help our corporate partners reduce their environmental footprint and meet their ESG targets.

Many of PUR's projects fall within the categories of insetting, regenerative agriculture, agroforestry, forest conservation, and landscape restoration.

These projects aim to introduce more sustainable agricultural practices, regenerate and preserve ecosystems, and socially and economically empower local communities.

Today, we employ 200 staff across 16 countries, with key offices in Paris (HQ) and Toronto.

Industry Description

PUR operates within the dynamic and rapidly evolving sector of environmental consultancy services and nature-based solutions (NbS) markets.

The NbS market has recently gained traction as society recognizes the invaluable services provided by nature and the need to preserve, restore and harness these services to mitigate and adapt to environmental challenges.

To be considered a nature-based solution, projects must address real societal challenges and offer strong environmental, economic and social benefits for local communities.

Market KPIs :

If combined with deep decarbonisation efforts, NbS projects could provide up to 30% of the mitigation needed to limit global warming to 1.

5ºC above pre-industrial levels by 2030 (World Economic Forum, 2023)

NbS project credits make up the largest volumes of carbon credits available in the VCM (voluntary carbon markets ) with $9bn invested between 2020 and 2022 (Sylvera, 2023)

5,307 companies have set science-based targets - a 4.2x increase since 2022 and a significant driver of demand within the NbS and VCM markets (SBTi, 2024)

PUR is recruiting for its Toronto office a seasoned Key Account Manager with experience in sustainability programs to structure and grow a portfolio of leading Brands of the food and / or beverage industry.

The goal is to support them in implementing environmental projects all around the world by working directly on their supply chains.

You will be accountable for 4 key objectives :

• Expand the customer relationship at global level, building trust and confidence to develop long-term partnership and position PUR as the partner of choice;
• Drive excellence and impact of our existing programs, by ensuring a strategic coordination of all internal stakeholders and deliver insightful contractual deliverables;
• Lead successful negotiations on budgets / roadmaps, and support the team in making the arbitrations required to ensure program sustainability and impact;

Grow accounts of our portfolio in North America through cross-sales and upsales while developing customized account governance structure which fits the customer needs.

As a Key Account Manager, you will work directly under the Lead FLAG (focused on supply chain-lined Projects).

Your key responsibilities will include :

• Be the key contact and reinforce our client connection by knowing their organization, culture, key decision makers and influencers and developing a plan to increase business intimacy with the account and position PUR as a key trusted business partner;
• Listen to the client’s needs, understand their CSR strategy; have a deep understanding of their key suppliers / supply chains / commodities and regions;
• Build trust and reinforce partnership by effective account planning, leveraging our internal expertises (Carbon, Commodities, Interventions, Projects) and onboarding senior team members when required;
• Create an account governance framework tailored to the customer's organizational needs, ensuring efficient decision-making and alignment with local country customer representation.;
• Ensure reliable and effective delivery of our contractual commitments thanks to robust coordination with internal stakeholders;
• Reinforce PUR’s impact and positioning by delivering insightful reports on our projects and on the supply chain context;

Ensure profitability at the account level, manage customer expectations through effective communication in order to protect PUR interest.

• This may include arbitration and renegotiation of contract;
• Activate internal adaptive management (renegotiating roadmap, pricing, changes in strategy, etc.);
• Ensure high quality data update in our internal tools (CRM / Timesheet) and build capacity to analyze the business evolution;
• Identify new potential business opportunities to grow the existing program (new region, new intervention, new commodities);
• Contribute to the new feasibility studies by providing client and business insights to the project team;
• Understand your competitive environment and influence RFP’s;
• Have a good understanding of PUR standard offers, PUR’s Pitch and differentiation factors;

Build commercial offers with the support of business developers if needed (budget, contract).

We are looking for a candidate with :

Passion for impact and engaging with businesses;

A minimum of 10 years of experience as a Key Account Manager including with large accounts; expertise in complex sales cycles and sustainability solutions such a CSR Programs

• Strategic thinker, able to manage complex Projects and Risks, demonstrating leadership and capacity to plan, to structure and to collaborate in a global environment;
• Excellent Communication and interpersonal skills able to interact at multi-stakeholders levels from Exco members to Operation teams, Solution driven, focused on achieving objectives and ensuring sales excellence;

Proficient in problem solving, Data-Driven decision making able to support complex arbitration points and design recommendations,

• Experience with large Corporations and fast international growing environment is a plus;
• Able to come 3x to the office per week minimum - this is not a full remote position;
• Expertise levels to navigate in the Nature Based Solutions sector;

Fluent in English. French or Spanish would be a strong asset.

The recruitment process is as follows :

1 / HR interview

2 / Case study

3 / Last interview with CCO and CEO + Reference check