About Koa
Koa Germany GmbH is part of a Swiss-Ghanaian Scale-Up in its growth phase, disrupting the cocoa value chain in West Africa. Koa is the first and so-far only company in the world processing the fresh cocoa fruit in cooperation with smallholders in rural Ghana. Through Koa’s activities, the farmers increase their income significantly and upcycle an additional 40% of the cocoa pulp. As a B Corp™, we believe in creating positive change, one upcycled cocoa fruit at a time. From farmers to the planet, we’re here to make a difference that matters, where it matters most. Because caring is cool, and making the world a better place is even cooler.
The cocoa fruit is the chocolate industry's hidden gem and we are on a mission to uncover it’s juicy secrets. We’re all about making food and drinks so tasty, you’ll want to share it with your grandma (and she’ll probably ask for seconds). Whether it's the best ice cream, a refreshing soda, or a scrumptious snack, we believe taste buds are meant to dance with joy. And we’re sure the cocoa fruit will make them go wild! In recent years, we have established a robust value chain and, by opening the world`s largest cocoa fruit processing factory in Ghana, we laid the foundations for growth. Now it is all about spreading the word taste, creating exciting product concepts which will leave people grinning from ear to ear – like love at the first taste.
Are you up for the Koa-coaster? It's a ride of courageous passion, where every twist and turn gets us closer to greatness. Buckle up, embrace the adventure, and apply to make the magic happen. As soon as possible, we are looking for a:
Technical Account Manager
100% in Cologne, Germany
Your Mission
As Technical Account Manager for Commercial Food and Beverage, you will play a critical role in delivering Koa’s commercial success. You will act as a Customer Hero, working closely with new and existing customers to transform Koa’s value propositions from early stage concepts to successfully launched products. You will also use insights gathered through your experience to contribute to shaping Koa’s future commercial strategy, through adapting and refining our value propositions to bring our delicious ingredients to more people. Throughout your work, you will work with and liaise between customers and Koa’s Concept Development Team, consisting of Product Innovation, R&D, Commercial, Communications, and Operations, as well as the implementing team in the field.
Your key responsibilities will be:
Customer Acquisition & Account Management which includes:
- Identify, assess, and target new potential customers, according to Koa’s target markets and segments.
- Develop and implement customer specific commercial strategies, rooted in building an in-depth understanding of their needs and ambitions.
- Manage customer development projects, coordinating internal resources and departments to deliver innovation, product development, and marketing services.
- Develop and maintain long-term relationships with new and existing customers that drive repeat purchases and open new development opportunities.
- Provide excellent customer service by acting as the interface and relationship manager between Koa and your customer portfolio.
Commercial Strategy and Value Proposition Development which includes:
- Contribute to develop Koa’s global commercial strategies, collaborating with senior management to identify new geographical and market segments for our ingredient portfolio.
- Utilise market and customer insights and feedback to contribute to developing new and refining existing customer value propositions.
- Utilise market and customer feedback to contribute to ingredient and product innovations.
- Translate practical experience into developing and improving the sales process and tools.
Your Profile
- You are passionate about working collaboratively with customers, with a demonstrated record of listening and understanding needs to deliver results
- You enjoy working at the intersection of commercial and product development, and have the experience to coordinate internal and external resources
- You possess knowledge of food innovation, marketing, and operations to autonomously pitch Koa to potential customers
- You have a track record of successfully delivering customer facing commercial projects and sales revenue in the food and beverage industry
- You have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, either in Food Science or a commercial subject with a specialisation in the field of Food & Beverage
- You are self-driven, motivated, persistent, and resilient with an ambitious get $%@& done mindset
- You are willing to travel and possess a valid driver’s licence
- You manage all modern IT tools with ease and get excited about using the latest tech development
- You are based in the greater Cologne Area or willing to relocate and have a valid residence permit in Germany or are in possession of a citizenship which is part of the Schengen Agreement
- You are fluent in German and English, any other European language is a plus
Your Workplace and Team
You will be part of our newly established German team, but closely connected to the already existing Swiss & Ghanaian colleagues. Together, we’re all about taking epic risks in the pursuit of success. When it comes to finding solutions, we don’t just go with the flow: we make waves. If there’s a tasty way to do it, you bet we’ll find it. Shared laughs and smiles are our cocoa fruit jam, because making a positive impact doesn’t have to be all work and no play. We come together as a community where creating goodness and fun are always on the agenda. As a Research & Development Manager you will get a high degree of autonomy and freedom. You will be expected to proactively shape the growth of a young and meaningful venture, take on responsibility and enjoy working outside of your comfort zone. A diversified job profile is waiting for you in an international environment. Our German Office will be located in Cologne and we already have a headquarters in the heart of Zurich. In Ghana, our team operates two production sites with thousands of farmers. While spread across the world, we are all just a video call away.
Position
Employment Level: 100%
Starting date: September 2024 (or upon agreement)
Travel: Up to 60%
Interested?
Application Deadline: 15.07.2024
Send your application to: careers.ch@koa-impact.com
What to send? CV and motivation video
What's a motivation video? Please provide us a quick 2–3-minute video in which you answer the
following three questions. Please don’t bother with any fancy editing.
a) why are you interested in working with Koa?
b) how do you understand the advertised position?
c) why are you interested in this position and that you are the right person for it?
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch and we will do our best to answer them as fast as possible. At Koa, we value diversity and therefore welcome all applications – regardless of gender, nationality, ethnic and social origin, religion or belief, disability, age, sexual orientation, and identity.
