Sub Saharan Africa Sales & Project Manager, Johannesburg

Line Responsibility: 

• Responsible for the performance and development of the Sales Team
• Insures that Sales Team meet or exceed all performance standards relating to prospecting calls, appointments, presentations and proposals
• Delegates authority and responsibility with accountability and follow up
• Sets examples for Sales Team in areas of personal character, commitment, organizational and selling skills, and work habits
• Maintains sufficient levels and frequency of contact with all clients in the market to ensure high levels of client satisfaction
• Demonstrates ability to interact and cooperate with all company employees
• Assists and supports Sales Team in preparation of proposals and presentations
• Maintains accurate records of all pricings, sales, and activity reports submitted by Sales Team
• Guide Category Managers in defining the Product and Roadmap strategy
• Asses partnerships and business opportunities
• Guide Business partners to ensure implementing core positioning and messaging for all category products
• Own and develop new solutions for future channel requirements
• Identify new and leading-edge solutions and apply such to meet future requirements
• Co-operates with Partners, Team Members, and associates

Motivation:

• Conducts regular coaching and counseling with the Sales Team to build motivation and selling skills
• Uses knowledge of individuals' strengths, interests and development needs to delegate tasks within Sales and Product management teams
• Ensures that team members understand their individual and collective responsibilities
• Encourage and environment for developing new ideas that will be aligned with organizational goals and targets
• Provides opportunities and resources for people to share ideas
• Support individuals within the team and offer constructive criticism of new or established ideas

Development:

• Develops a sales strategy for the market that ensures attainment of company goals and profitability
• Initiates and coordinates development of action plans to penetrate new territories, markets and channels.
• Ensures that processes and procedures encourage learning.
• Ensures that development plans and activities contribute to the business needs.
• Anticipates and delivers against customer requirements
• Exceeds customer requirements and expectations by anticipating their needs and suggesting innovative solutions.
• Creates and implements new opportunities that will benefit the organization as a whole and partners
• Always ensure that the company is represented to partners and potential customers in an ethical manner

Strategy:

• Conducts one on one strategic review with Sales Team and Category managers to build more effective communications, to understand training and development needs, and to provide insight for the improvement of Sales and Product Management Team's performance.
• Actively takes account of different cultural and personality styles and values when dealing with Sales Team members, associates within the organization and Partners.
• Actively identifies, suggests and use events for developing external networks.
• Suggest, adopts and develop strategies and policies that will ensure achieving the set targets and desired results.
• Identifies strategic activities within the Sales Department that will ensure achieving organizational and office goals and vision
• Review and updates strategies on an ongoing basis as necessitated

Communication & Reporting:

• Provide timely regular, comprehensive and accurate reporting and feedback to senior management regarding sales performance, sales forecasts and efficiency
• Adheres to all company policies, procedures, and business ethics codes and ensures that they are communicated and implemented within the team
• Create an environment within the Sales Team for effective formal and informal communication
• Communicate with other line managers
• Work closely with product management to ensure good stock management
• Continuously identifies activities and resources that will ensure the growth of territory and local organizational targets.
• Integrates the Sales Departmental plans with activities of other internal departments

Planning:

• Prepare an action plan for effective search of sales leads and prospects
• Prepare and manage company sales budgets as well as individual team member targets aligned to market opportunity and performance requirements whilst continuously extracting key patterns and trends from market-related trends
• Develop sales forecasts for the following month, quarter and year whilst considering different sets of market-related information
• Integrate departmental plan with activities of other departments
• Continually reviews and updates strategies as necessary by simplifying information for interpretation and presentations.
• Use Departmental and organizational goals to evaluate and priorities objectives

Non-Negotiables:

• 5 – 7 years of experience in sales management with a proven performance track record
• Extensive experience in all aspects of Supplier Relationship Management
• Strong understanding of customer and market dynamics and requirements
• Willingness to travel and work in a team of professionals
• Proven leadership and ability to motivate and lead the sales team
• Commercial competence sufficient to support the requirements of the position
• Computer literate, including Microsoft Office
• Excellent presentation and communication skills
• Understanding of statutory matters including but not limited to the Consumer Protection Act and Competition Commission Act.