Head of Key Accounts & Trade

Job Description Summary

Lead, manage and develop Sandoz Hungary’s Trade, Key Accounts and Wholesaler partnerships to deliver sustainable sales and profitability within agreed budgets and targets. Build strategic, data-driven and value-based partnerships with key customers (pharmacy chains, wholesalers and distributors), ensuring win–win contractual outcomes, enhanced collaboration and long-term relationship strength. Develop a high-performing Trade & Key Account Team by elevating capabilities, coaching the team and embedding best-in-class commercial thinking and execution.

Job Description

Major Accountabilities

• Accountable for delivering Trade & Key Account commercial performance
• Responsible for the relationship and operations with wholesaler and pharmacy chain partners
• Define, develop and implement strategies for Key Accounts and wholesaler interactions in line with overall company objectives
• Monitor market trends, customer dynamics, competitor activities and performance; conduct regular reviews against plan and take corrective actions as required
• Ensure alignment, collaboration and partnership across internal stakeholders and functions
• Lead, coach and develop a high-performing Trade & Key Account Team
• Ensure compliance with confidentiality, ethical standards and reporting requirements (including adverse events / technical complaints)
• Establish and manage effective strategic partnerships with internal and external stakeholders
• Follow Good Practices (GxP), corporate policies, procedures, and local law
• Undertake confidentiality requirements
• Collect and report Adverse Events in accordance with Sandoz’ standards and local law / requirements
• Continuously improve and share knowledge
• Represent the company in an exemplary way

Role specific

• Define and execute customer-centric Key Account strategies across pharmacy chains, wholesalers and distributors
• Translate portfolio strategies into customer-specific plans ensuring optimal execution and alignment with company objectives
• Drive structured joint business planning with key partners
• Define and lead customer negotiation strategy, ensuring alignment across internal stakeholders and consistency of commercial approach
• Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with senior stakeholders in pharmacy chains and wholesalers
• Develop differentiated partnership models and customer value propositions
• Drive improved availability, quality and use of customer and channel data (e.g., sell-in / sell-out, margin, ROI, etc.
• Own trade investment allocation and prioritization across customers and channels to maximize business performance and strategic objectives
• Establish performance tracking frameworks for trade investments and contracts
• Partner with BU Heads to ensure alignment between brand strategy, customer execution and integrated commercial planning across channels
• Ensure alignment between Key Account strategies and Field Force execution to maximize customer impact and commercial performance
• Elevate negotiation, strategic account management and commercial capabilities of the team
• Implement structured coaching and capability building programs
• Set objectives, manage performance and build a strong talent pipeline

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Trade / Key Account revenue, profitability and market share
• Contract performance vs targets (volume, margin, ROI)
• Strength and depth of relationships with key accounts
• Quality and execution of joint business plans
• Improvement in data quality and usage
• ROI of trade investments and agreements
• Effective team management (high engagement, motivation, commitment of team members as measured by OurVoice survey, talent and capability development, succession planning, team turnover, etc.)

Ideal Background

Education and qualifications

• University degree
• Postgraduate degree – preferred

Languages

• Hungarian – fluent / native
• English – fluent

Experience

• Significant experience in Key Account Management / Trade / Commercial leadership
• Significant experience in / or with Pharmacy Chains and Pharmaceutical Wholesale organizations
• Proven track record in managing large customer partnerships and contract negotiations
• P&L or commercial accountability
• People leadership and team development experience
• Excellent knowledge of strategies, positioning, and promotion of Rx and OTC pharmaceuticals
• 10+ years experience in relevant positions

Competencies

• Strategic leadership and execution, executive presence
• Strategy development and implementation
• Advanced stakeholder management, influence and negotiation
• Strong commercial and customer orientation
• Data-driven decision making and analytical thinking
• Leadership, people management, coaching and team development
• Agility and optimistic approach
• Constructively challenging of status quo
• Strong problem solving in a collaborative manner
• Intercultural and organizational awareness
• Good understanding of finances and functioning of P&L
• Knowledge of applicable laws and regulations in area of operation

Compensation Structure & Criteria:

Sandoz compensation is determined by job level, qualifications, niche skills, experience, and location within company salary ranges. Fully proficient and highly effective employees can expect a starting salary around market median, with those new to the level or with less functional depth at the lower end of the range and those with sustained superior or niche skills towards the higher end of the range. Internal equity and external market data inform our range placement. Annual salary reviews consider performance outcomes, market alignment, and business needs.

• Job location: Budapest, Hungary

• Starting monthly pay range: 1.576.117 - 2.927.083 HUF gross

• Complimentary compensation: 500.000 HUF gross cafeteria per year

• Variable compensation: Short term incentive

• Additional benefits include: Life & Health Insurance, All You Can Move Sportpass contribution, company car, mobile phone

• Pay frequency: Monthly

• Expected weekly working hours: 40 hours

• Contract type: full time

Why Sandoz?

Sandoz is the global leader in Biosimilar and Generic medicines, a segment of the healthcare industry that delivers 80% of the world’s medicines at 30% of the cost, touching the lives of more than 1 billion people across 100+ countries! While we are proud of our achievements, we have an ambition to do more so that everyone can achieve the basic human right of good health.

With investments in new development capabilities, production sites, new acquisitions, and partnerships, we have the opportunity to shape the future of Sandoz and help even more people gain access to low-cost, high-quality medicines, sustainably.

Our momentum is powered by an open, collaborative culture driven by our talented and ambitious colleagues, who, in return for applying their skills, experience an agile and collegiate environment with impactful careers, where diversity of thought is welcomed and where personal growth is supported!

Join us, help us make healthcare fairer and faster.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

We are committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.

#Sandoz

Skills Desired