Sales Trainee - Food / Milling Industry

Introduction

Who we are

Stern Ingredients South Africa is the newest affiliate of the German-based Stern-Wywiol Gruppe. We combine the energy and flexibility of a growing local business with the expertise, resources and international network of an established global group.

We provide functional ingredients, technical expertise and customised solutions to customers within the milling industry.

What we are looking for

We are looking for a driven, outgoing and commercially minded individual who wants to build a long-term sales career within the South African milling industry.

The successful candidate will be trained in our products, applications, markets and sales processes before progressively taking responsibility for customers and sales activities throughout South Africa.

This is a hands-on position involving regular contact with mills, relationship building, business development and travel. You must be confident speaking to customers, comfortable following up on opportunities and motivated by achieving results.

Duties & Responsibilities

The tasks in this role include but are not limited to

• Learning about the milling industry and our products, applications and commercial processes

• Supporting and progressively taking responsibility for sales activities across South Africa

• Building and maintaining strong relationships with existing milling customers

• Identifying and approaching potential new customers within the milling industry

• Visiting mills throughout South Africa to understand their operations and requirements

• Communicating confidently with customers in Afrikaans and English

• Understanding customer needs and coordinating suitable solutions with our technical and commercial teams

• Preparing and following up on quotations, samples, product information and commercial proposals

• Following up consistently on leads, enquiries and ongoing sales opportunities

• Maintaining an accurate and up-to-date sales pipeline

• Recording customer activities and submitting regular sales reports and forecasts

• Coordinating with Customer Service, Technical, Logistics, Finance and other internal departments

• Supporting product trials, customer presentations and technical visits at mills

• Representing SISAF at milling trade shows, conferences and industry events

• Developing a strong understanding of the South African milling market and identifying new opportunities

• Working towards agreed sales and business-development targets

The key attributes that define you

• You are outgoing and genuinely enjoy working with people

• You are commercially curious and interested in understanding how mills operate

• You are confident, persuasive and comfortable starting conversations

• You are proactive and do not wait for opportunities to come to you

• You follow up consistently and do not allow promising opportunities to be forgotten

• You are driven by targets and motivated by achieving results

• You are switched on, quick to learn and able to understand technical information

• You are organised and capable of managing customers across a large geographical area

• You are resilient and do not become discouraged by rejection

• You communicate professionally and represent the company well

• You take ownership of your responsibilities and follow commitments through

• You are eager to learn, develop and build a long-term career in sales

Desired Experience & Qualification

Requirements

• Fluent spoken and written Afrikaans – this is an absolute requirement

• Good spoken and written English

• A valid driver’s licence

• Willingness and ability to travel regularly throughout South Africa

• A relevant qualification or suitable practical work experience

• Previous exposure to milling, agriculture, technical sales or a related industry would be advantageous but is not required

• Strong communication and relationship-building skills

• Confidence speaking to customers and presenting products or solutions

• Good administrative, organisational and follow-up skills

• Competence in Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint

• A genuine interest in sales, business development and the milling industry

Package & Remuneration

Our benefits

• Structured training in sales, milling applications and the South African milling industry

• Hands-on experience managing real customers and commercial opportunities

• Guidance and support from an experienced sales, technical and management team

• Exposure to milling customers and markets throughout South Africa

• Practical experience within an international ingredients group

• The opportunity to take increasing responsibility as your skills develop

• A genuine pathway towards a permanent sales position for successful trainees

• A dynamic working environment in which initiative and strong performance are recognised