Key Account Manager Job at Motus Car Hire Brokers in Johannesburg: Requirements, Salary and Career Opportunities

If you have a strong background in sales, enjoy building long-term customer relationships and are confident negotiating with business clients, a Key Account Manager position with Car Hire Brokers in Johannesburg could be an attractive career opportunity.

The position is based in Bruma, Johannesburg, and forms part of the Rental division of Motus Corporation. The role is focused on growing revenue, retaining important customers, identifying new business opportunities and ensuring that strategic clients receive a high level of service.

Unlike a conventional sales position where the primary objective may be to generate individual transactions, a Key Account Manager is responsible for developing the overall relationship between the organisation and its most important customers. This requires a combination of sales ability, business understanding, financial awareness, negotiation skills and customer relationship management.

The successful candidate will be expected to manage strategic accounts, achieve sales targets, identify opportunities for growth, negotiate pricing within company guidelines, monitor customer satisfaction and develop account plans.

For an experienced sales professional who wants to move further into strategic account management, the position could provide valuable exposure to the vehicle rental and broader mobility industry.

About Motus Corporation

Motus is one of South Africa’s largest automotive groups and has a track record of more than 70 years in the automotive industry. The group describes itself as a diversified, non-manufacturing automotive business with significant operations in South Africa and a selected international presence, particularly in the United Kingdom and Australia.

Motus operates across four major business segments:

• Import and Distribution
• Retail and Rental
• Mobility Solutions
• Aftermarket Parts

This diversified structure means that Motus is involved in many different areas of the automotive value chain rather than relying on vehicle sales alone. Its activities extend into vehicle rental, fleet services, vehicle finance-related products, dealerships, parts and other mobility solutions.

The company’s Retail and Rental segment has a particularly significant footprint. Motus says its vehicle rental operations include approximately 146 branches and kiosks across Southern Africa, while the group has also reported a significant position in the South African vehicle-rental market.

Motus represents numerous automotive brands in South Africa and operates through businesses and brands including Europcar and Tempest within its vehicle-rental operations.

This scale is important when considering a Key Account Manager position because the employee will operate in an environment where corporate customers, fleet requirements, pricing, service levels and customer retention can have a direct effect on revenue.

About Car Hire Brokers

The advertised position falls within the Car Hire Brokers business unit of Motus.

The job description indicates that the successful candidate will join a car-rental sales team responsible for generating growth and revenue while maintaining strong customer satisfaction.

Car rental businesses serve a wide variety of customers, including corporate clients, organisations requiring temporary vehicles, travel-related customers and other businesses with mobility requirements.

For a Key Account Manager, this means understanding not only the company’s vehicle rental products but also the business requirements of individual customers.

A corporate customer may have different needs from a leisure customer. A company with employees travelling regularly may require negotiated rates, service-level commitments, reporting, account management and a reliable vehicle supply.

The Key Account Manager therefore becomes an important link between the customer and the organisation.

What Does a Key Account Manager Do?

A Key Account Manager is responsible for managing strategically important customers.

The position goes beyond simply selling products.

The employee needs to understand the customer’s business, identify opportunities, protect the relationship, solve problems and find ways to increase the value of the account.

For this Motus opportunity, the role includes both account management and business development.

This means the successful candidate needs to protect existing revenue while constantly looking for opportunities to increase revenue.

Main Responsibilities of the Position

Achieving Sales and Revenue Targets

One of the most important responsibilities is achieving growth, revenue and other performance targets.

A Key Account Manager must understand their sales targets and develop strategies to achieve them.

This may involve:

• Growing existing accounts
• Finding additional business within existing customers
• Identifying new customers
• Promoting additional products and services
• Improving customer retention
• Increasing customer usage
• Identifying underperforming accounts

A successful Key Account Manager should therefore be commercially minded.

Growing Existing Customer Accounts

The role specifically requires the employee to grow business within the existing customer base.

This is an important aspect of strategic sales.

A company may already be spending money with a rental provider but still have significant untapped potential.

For example, a customer may currently use vehicle rental services for a small number of employees. A Key Account Manager could identify additional departments, branches or business units that have similar requirements.

The goal is to increase the value of the relationship without damaging customer satisfaction.

Understanding Customer Profitability

Sales volume is not the only consideration.

A customer may generate significant revenue but still have low profitability if excessive discounts, service costs or operational expenses are involved.

The advertised role therefore requires an understanding of customer profitability.

This is where financial acumen becomes important.

A strong Key Account Manager needs to understand that profitable growth is generally more valuable than simply increasing sales volume.

Negotiating Customer Pricing

The successful candidate will manage and negotiate customer pricing within established guidelines.

Negotiation is a major part of key account management.

Customers want competitive prices, while the company needs to protect its margins.

The Key Account Manager must therefore find a balance between:

• Customer expectations
• Competitor pricing
• Company profitability
• Contract requirements
• Service levels
• Long-term relationship value

Strong negotiation skills can make a significant difference.

Developing Strategic Relationships

The position requires the development of strategic relationships with key decision-makers.

This means identifying the people who influence purchasing decisions within customer organisations.

These may include:

• Procurement managers
• Finance managers
• Fleet managers
• Travel managers
• Operations managers
• Business owners
• Senior executives

Building relationships at multiple levels can reduce the risk of relying on a single contact.

Becoming a Trusted Adviser

The job description places significant emphasis on consultative engagement.

A trusted adviser is not simply someone who contacts a customer whenever there is something to sell.

Instead, they understand the customer’s business and provide useful solutions.

The customer should feel that the Key Account Manager understands their challenges and is helping them achieve their own objectives.

Meeting Service-Level Agreements

The role also requires ensuring that contracted Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are met.

An SLA establishes agreed service standards between a company and its customer.

A Key Account Manager needs to monitor whether the customer is receiving the service promised under the agreement.

Where problems arise, the account manager may need to coordinate internally to ensure corrective action.

Developing Account Plans

Account planning is another major responsibility.

An account plan provides a structured approach to managing an important customer.

It may include:

• Current revenue
• Customer objectives
• Key decision-makers
• Growth opportunities
• Risks
• Competitor activity
• Service issues
• Revenue targets
• Retention strategies
• New business opportunities

Effective account planning helps prevent sales activity from becoming reactive.

Resolving Customer Problems

Customers will occasionally experience problems.

The Key Account Manager must investigate issues and work towards appropriate solutions.

This requires strong problem-solving and conflict-management skills.

The objective should not simply be to close a complaint but to protect the long-term customer relationship.

Reporting

The position includes regular reporting requirements.

The successful candidate will provide feedback on:

• New business
• Growth opportunities
• Risk exposure
• Account performance
• Upgrades
• Downgrades
• Dormant accounts
• New opportunities

Reporting allows management to understand what is happening within the sales pipeline and customer portfolio.

Why This Job Is Worth Applying For

There are several reasons experienced sales professionals may want to consider this opportunity.

1. It Offers Strategic Sales Experience

Key account management is generally more strategic than transactional selling.

Employees learn how to manage relationships, understand business models, negotiate contracts and develop account strategies.

This experience can be valuable for future senior sales roles.

2. Exposure to a Major Automotive Group

Motus has significant scale across the automotive sector, with operations covering rental, retail, mobility solutions, vehicle distribution and aftermarket parts.

Working within such an organisation can expose an employee to a broader automotive and mobility environment.

3. Opportunity to Develop Business Relationships

The position involves dealing with decision-makers and strategic customers.

For a sales professional, this can provide valuable experience in professional relationship management.

4. Strong Commercial Exposure

The position requires an understanding of revenue, profitability, pricing, customer growth and risk.

This can help develop broader commercial skills.

5. Potential Career Progression

Key account management experience can lead to senior account management, business development, sales management and commercial leadership positions.

Skills That Increase Your Chances of Getting the Job

Meeting the minimum requirements is essential, but several additional abilities can make an applicant more competitive.

Strategic Sales Skills

A strong Key Account Manager needs to think beyond individual sales.

You should be able to identify:

• Long-term customer opportunities
• Cross-selling opportunities
• Upselling opportunities
• New decision-makers
• Customer risks
• Competitor threats
• Revenue opportunities

Relationship Management

Relationship-building is specifically identified as critical for the position.

Customers should feel that you understand their business and genuinely want to help them.

Negotiation

Strong negotiation skills are important because pricing and commercial terms can have a direct effect on profitability.

Financial Acumen

Candidates should understand basic financial concepts such as:

• Revenue
• Gross profit
• Profitability
• Margins
• Pricing
• Budgets
• Forecasts

You do not necessarily need to be an accountant, but you should understand how sales decisions affect the company’s financial performance.

Business Acumen

Business acumen involves understanding how organisations operate.

A strong account manager should be able to understand the customer’s industry, competitors, pressures and strategic objectives.

Presentation Skills

The role requires creating and presenting proposals and responding to RFPs.

Strong presentation skills can therefore be extremely useful.

Excel Skills

The vacancy requires intermediate proficiency in Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

Excel may be used for:

• Sales reports
• Account analysis
• Pipeline management
• Revenue tracking
• Customer performance
• Forecasting

PowerPoint can be useful for customer presentations and account reviews.

Communication Skills

The position requires effective communication in English.

Strong communication involves more than speaking confidently. Listening is equally important.

The ability to listen carefully to a customer’s requirements can reveal opportunities that might otherwise be missed.

Time Management

Key Account Managers often manage multiple customers, meetings, proposals, reports and deadlines.

Good time management is therefore essential.

Career Growth Opportunities

A successful career in key account management can lead to several opportunities.

Senior Key Account Manager

Experienced account managers may progress into positions managing larger or more strategically important accounts.

Business Development Manager

The skills developed in key account management can transfer into business development.

Business Development Managers generally focus heavily on finding new customers and new revenue streams.

Regional Sales Manager

High-performing account managers may eventually move into sales leadership roles involving teams and larger territories.

Sales Manager

Sales management can be a natural progression for someone who develops strong commercial and leadership capabilities.

National Account Manager

National account management can involve responsibility for large customers operating across multiple regions.

Commercial Manager

Professionals with strong financial and business knowledge can potentially move into broader commercial management roles.

Sales Director

Long-term progression may lead to senior executive positions in sales and commercial management.

The journey depends on performance, qualifications, leadership skills and opportunities within the organisation.

Interview Preparation Tips

If you are invited to interview for this position, prepare carefully.

Research Motus

Motus describes itself as South Africa’s leading automotive group and says it has more than 70 years of industry experience.

Understand its four business segments and pay particular attention to the Retail and Rental division.

This will allow you to demonstrate that you have researched the company rather than simply applying for another sales position.

Understand the Rental Business

Research how vehicle rental works for corporate customers.

Think about issues such as:

• Pricing
• Vehicle availability
• Customer service
• Fleet requirements
• Contract terms
• Service levels
• Convenience
• Reliability
• Customer retention

Prepare Sales Examples

Be ready to describe specific situations where you:

• Won a major customer
• Increased an existing account
• Negotiated pricing
• Retained a dissatisfied customer
• Identified a new business opportunity
• Achieved a difficult target
• Resolved a customer problem

Use the STAR method where appropriate:

Situation: Explain the circumstances.

Task: Explain what you needed to achieve.

Action: Explain what you personally did.

Result: Explain the outcome.

Whenever possible, quantify the result.

For example, if you increased a customer’s revenue by a certain percentage, say so.

Prepare for Account-Management Questions

Possible questions could include:

“How would you grow an existing strategic account?”

A strong answer should demonstrate that you would first understand the customer’s current spending, business objectives, decision-makers and unmet needs before developing a growth strategy.

Another possible question is:

“How would you deal with a customer demanding a discount that would reduce profitability?”

Your answer should demonstrate negotiation, value selling and an understanding of company pricing guidelines.

Prepare for Conflict Questions

The job requires conflict-management skills.

Be prepared to explain how you handled a difficult customer.

The interviewer will want to see whether you remain professional under pressure.

Prepare for Reporting Questions

Because weekly, monthly and quarterly reporting forms part of the role, expect questions about how you monitor your pipeline and sales performance.

Be able to explain how you track:

• Leads
• Opportunities
• Conversion
• Revenue
• Account growth
• Risks
• Customer retention

Similar Jobs Available

Candidates with experience relevant to this position can also search for:

• Key Account Manager
• Senior Key Account Manager
• Strategic Account Manager
• National Account Manager
• Sales Account Manager
• Business Development Manager
• Corporate Sales Manager
• Fleet Sales Consultant
• Rental Sales Manager
• Corporate Sales Executive
• Client Relationship Manager
• Regional Sales Manager
• Sales Manager
• Commercial Manager
• Customer Success Manager

These opportunities exist across automotive, insurance, banking, telecommunications, logistics, technology, manufacturing, professional services and other industries.

Industry Salary Expectations

The exact remuneration for this Motus position is not provided in the supplied vacancy information, so applicants should not assume that a particular salary is guaranteed.

However, South African market data provides useful context.

PNet’s 2026 Job Market Trends report lists Account Manager salaries at approximately R26,000 to R40,000 per month, while Sales Manager salaries are listed at approximately R30,000 to R43,618 per month. The report also notes that commission is often paid to sales employees in addition to basic salaries, depending on performance and the position.

The actual package for a Key Account Manager can vary considerably depending on:

• Years of experience
• Industry
• Size of customer portfolio
• Sales targets
• Commission structure
• Benefits
• Qualification level
• Company performance
• Individual performance

Because this position involves strategic accounts, revenue growth, customer profitability and business development, applicants should consider the total remuneration package rather than focusing exclusively on the basic salary.

The Importance of the Driver’s Licence

A valid, unendorsed Code 8 driver’s licence is specifically required for this position.

Candidates should not overlook this requirement.

Key Account Managers may need to travel to customers, attend meetings, visit business locations and maintain relationships outside the office.

If your licence has endorsements or does not meet the stated requirement, clarify the situation before applying rather than assuming it will automatically be accepted.

How to Make Your CV Stand Out

Your CV should immediately demonstrate that you are an experienced sales account manager.

Do not simply write:

“Responsible for managing customers and achieving sales targets.”

Instead, provide evidence.

For example:

“Managed a portfolio of strategic corporate accounts, identifying cross-selling opportunities and developing account plans that contributed to revenue growth and customer retention.”

If you have measurable achievements, include them.

Examples include:

• Percentage increase in account revenue
• Number or value of accounts managed
• Sales targets achieved
• New customers acquired
• Retention rate
• Contract value
• Growth achieved
• Percentage increase in profitability

Only include genuine figures from your experience.

Qualifications to Highlight

The position requires a Higher Certificate or similar relevant NQF Level 5 qualification, while a Diploma or equivalent NQF Level 6 qualification is preferred.

If you have a qualification in:

• Business Management
• Marketing
• Sales
• Commerce
• Business Administration
• Retail Management
• Finance
• Automotive Management

or another relevant field, ensure it is clearly listed.

Additional sales or account-management training should also be included.

What Makes a Strong Candidate?

The ideal candidate for this position is likely to combine strong sales ability with commercial maturity.

They need to be confident enough to negotiate but professional enough to protect long-term customer relationships.

They need to be results-driven but also customer-focused.

They need to be comfortable working under pressure while remaining organised.

They need to understand that successful account management is not simply about making a sale today. It is about creating relationships that continue to generate value for both the customer and the organisation.

A strong candidate should therefore demonstrate:

• Proven sales performance
• Strategic thinking
• Customer relationship skills
• Business understanding
• Financial awareness
• Negotiation ability
• Communication skills
• Presentation ability
• Problem-solving
• Resilience
• Initiative
• Professionalism

Common Mistakes Applicants Should Avoid

One of the biggest mistakes is submitting a generic sales CV.

A Key Account Manager application should specifically demonstrate account management experience.

Another mistake is focusing entirely on sales without discussing customer retention.

This position is responsible for both growth and retention.

Candidates should also avoid presenting themselves as purely transactional salespeople.

The job requires consultative engagement, strategic account planning and relationship development.

Another common mistake is failing to provide measurable achievements.

If you consistently exceeded targets, say so.

If you grew a major account, explain by how much.

If you secured an important contract, explain the value where confidentiality allows.

Numbers help recruiters understand the impact you made.

How to Approach the First 90 Days

Although this is not explicitly stated in the vacancy, thinking about your first 90 days can help during an interview.

A strong approach would be to divide the period into three stages.

First 30 Days: Understand

Learn about:

• Products and services
• Existing customers
• Pricing structures
• Customer contracts
• SLAs
• Internal processes
• Sales systems
• Reporting requirements

Days 31–60: Analyse

Examine:

• Customer profitability
• Account performance
• Pipeline
• Growth opportunities
• Dormant accounts
• Customer risks
• Competitor activity

Days 61–90: Execute

Begin implementing account plans and measurable growth initiatives.

This approach demonstrates strategic thinking and shows an interviewer that you understand how a Key Account Manager should approach a new portfolio.

Why Customer Retention Matters

Customer retention is one of the most important aspects of the role.

Acquiring a new customer can require significant sales and marketing effort. Once a company has established a relationship with a customer, maintaining that relationship can create recurring business.

For this reason, the Key Account Manager needs to monitor customer satisfaction continuously.

A customer who is unhappy may not immediately leave. They may simply reduce their spending, move business to competitors or stop considering the company for new opportunities.

Regular account reviews can help identify these warning signs.

The Importance of Account Reviews

The position requires monthly and quarterly reviews with decision-makers.

These meetings provide an opportunity to discuss:

• Revenue
• Upgrades
• Downgrades
• Business performance
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• Challenges
• Opportunities
• Future requirements

An effective account review should not become a simple presentation of historical numbers.

The Key Account Manager should use the information to identify actions that can improve the relationship and grow the account.

Final Thoughts

The Key Account Manager | Car Hire Brokers opportunity at Motus represents an interesting career option for experienced sales professionals who want to develop their strategic account-management skills within the automotive and mobility sector.

The role requires significantly more than basic sales ability. The successful candidate must understand customer profitability, negotiate pricing, develop strategic relationships, create account plans, identify growth opportunities, manage customer expectations and maintain high service levels.

Motus provides a substantial business environment in which to develop these skills. The group operates across the automotive value chain and has a significant presence in vehicle rental through its Retail and Rental segment.

The position also provides potential career pathways into senior key account management, business development, national account management, sales management and broader commercial leadership.

Applicants should pay particular attention to their CV. Rather than simply listing sales responsibilities, demonstrate measurable results. Show how you grew accounts, retained customers, secured new business, negotiated agreements and achieved targets.

The salary for this specific position has not been disclosed in the vacancy information. However, PNet’s 2026 market data places Account Manager salaries at approximately R26,000 to R40,000 per month, with commission potentially paid in addition to basic salaries in sales positions.

Ultimately, the strongest candidate will be someone who can combine sales performance with strategic thinking and relationship management. If you have at least three years of relevant account-management experience, a suitable NQF Level 5 qualification, a valid Code 8 driver’s licence and a proven record of achieving sales and customer-satisfaction objectives, this type of opportunity could be a significant step forward in your sales career.