The SM Products & Business Development will form a part of a highly skilled group of management experts who drive the execution of sales strategy for the key accounts and ensure achievement of sales targets.
The role will ensure effective implementation of company’s strategy to sell products and services. The role will lead the pre-sales and solutioning activities within the region and achieve right volume of sales at price levels that ensure profitability.
As a team leader, he/she is responsible for advising on the preparation of bid documents, solution diagrams and integrated proposals for key accounts. The role will regularly review the organization’s sales performance and drive solutions to improve sales.
Key Deliverables
The Senior Manager: Products & Business Development be accountable to achieve the following objectives:
Strategy Development and Implementation
- Cascade the Group strategy to create functional strategy aligned with the overarching business goals, under oversight of the Group Bayobab product leads.
- Ensure effective implementation of the functional strategy by means of providing direction, structure, frameworks, models, plans and roadmaps.
- Oversee regular review of the functional strategy and roadmap, under oversight of the MD, to ensure its alignment with the changing dynamics of the internal and external ecosystem.
Staff Leadership and Management
- Source, induct and manage talent in accordance with legislative guidelines.
- Continually develop a culture of strong collaboration and effective team working.
- Ensure open communication channels with staff and implement change management interventions where necessary.
- Provide definition of roles, responsibilities, individual goals and performance objectives for the team.
- Set KPIs and provide regular performance feedback through a well-defined and implemented performance review program.
- Develop and implement a training plan in order to build and develop skills within the team.
- Performance manage resources in accordance with HR policy and legislation where necessary.
- Actively participate in leadership team and develop skills of own team.
- Promote a ‘partnership approach’ to develop strong relationships with other working groups and ensure adherence to Group governance.
Governance
Strategic Meetings
- Participate and provide input in strategic meetings.
- Provide inputs & drive OpCo wide transformation initiatives, elicit inputs from relevant parties.
- Provide inputs to and ensure adequate risk mitigation and controls in the function.
- Perform evaluation baseline of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and KPIs.
- Drive preparation of proposals/ business case on change initiatives SLA, policies and procedures.
Escalations
- Escalate issues that will result in severe time, scope, productivity, and cost or resource impact to MD / Bayobab Products & Business Development teams.
- Manage and provide solutions to escalations that have multiple processes / functions impact on critical path of service delivery.
Function Tactical
- Review and finalise objectives, targets and budgets for the function, under oversight of the MD.
- Review key risks, issues and dependencies and set mitigation actions, seeking guidance from the MD as and when required.
- Sign-off / make decisions regarding tactical changes and where required seek sign-off from Management.
Performance
- Monitor Products & Business Development functional performance and alignment with overall OpCo strategy.
- SLA approval and exception performance review.
Budgets
- Manage function’s budgets in line with business objectives, under oversight of MD.
- Ensure that the cost of operations are managed, in line with a least cost operating strategy stemming from the business drivers, under oversight of the CEO
Operational Delivery
Functional Leadership:
As the functional leader of the Products & Business Development vertical, the role is accountable to:
- Monitor and align the direction, strategy and results of the Products & Business Development vertical, collectively and as individual work areas in the OpCo, ensuring that the Group guidelines are duly complied with.
- Lead and deploy an integrated solution development and problem-solving philosophy across the function.
- Serve on the executive committee to align products goals to other departmental and organizational objectives.
Delivery Leadership:
As the delivery leader of the Products & Business Development vertical, the role is accountable for the following work area outcomes:
- Ensure effective implementation of sales strategy and drive sales revenue generation for the business.
- Accountable for the Local/National accounts, sales, and ensuring delivery.
- Liase with global Account managers on global account deals.
- Define monthly/annual sales targets and take responsibility for the overall sales performance against targets.
- Develop and forecast annual sales quotas for regions; project expected sales profit and volume for existing and new products.
- Provide leadership and direction in the development of solution architecture and product roadmap.
- Advice account teams and ensure development of solution diagrams and bid documents in relation to pre-sales activities.
- Ensure a seamless service and customer experience around products & solutioning while ensuring they meet the desired standards and requirements.
- Ensure appropriate quality checks are conducted on bid documents in line with terms of customer RFP/RFQ.
- Deliver an optimized market mix relative to the core target consumers and ensure execution of customized sales action plans as per consumer needs.
- Monitor product performance to ensure any key performance gaps are identified and resolved on time.
- Deliver periodic sales reporting (on areas like market segmentation, demand generation, conversion rates, pipeline forecast, target account etc.) and provide key business and sales performances insights to senior management for effective decision making.
- Lead the sales team during product launches while introducing new brands and categories to market.
- Monitor the brand and make forecasts, identify new trends in advance to offer the business a competitive advantage in market.
- Build strong relationships with partners and consumers to better understand their needs and interact regularly with them via seminars, sales workshops, sales events etc.
Job Requirements:
Education:
- Four year tertiary qualification in Computer Science, Engineering, Commerce or a related field.
- Masters will be advantageous.
Experience:
- Minimum 5 to 8 years relevant experience in a similar position with at least 3 years in a managerial role.
- At least 3-4 years in leading / implementing sales strategies and building pre-sales solutions in wholesale/infrastructure/B2B Telecommunications sector/ industry.
- Managerial experience preferably in a sales / wholesale function, preferably in the telecommunications space.
- Successful track record as a senior management professional in delivering exceptional wholesale infrastructure services/products, business growth & financial results.
- Proficient in driving company’s sales strategy, sales execution, and sales performance.
- Good understanding of business principles and practices.
Functional Knowledge:
- Sales strategy planning and execution.
- Pre-sales solutioning / solution architecture.
- Value Proposition building.
- Product design & development
- Sales forecasting and reporting
- Sales performance management
- Business development
- Customer value management
- Account management
- Market intelligence
- Business insights and reporting
Skills
Head - Big Picture Focus
- Strategy Implementers - Ensures execution of strategies through creating and implementing tactical plans for others to follow.
- Decisive Problem Solver - Has the mental agility to identify business challenges and explore effective solutions through effective influencing
- Best Practice Value Creator - Encourages commercial innovation and continuous improvement for systems, processes, products and service offerings
Heart – Emotionally Intelligent
- Culture and Change Champion - Role models ethical practices by living the MTN values and vital behaviour.
- Guiding People Manager - Is self-aware and guides team capability development through opportunity creation for realising potential.
- Relationship Builder - Builds relationships across the business to influence decision-makers.
Hands – Results Focused
- Results Achiever - Produces sustainable divisional results through ethical practices.
- Operationally Astute - Sets priorities, plans, organizes and co-ordinates.
- Key internal stakeholders:
- Opco Sales Team
- Other functions within the OpCo
- Bayobab Products & Business Development Team
- Group FiberCo Teams
- Regional office teams
- Key external stakeholders:
- External auditors/ regulators / statutory bodies (need basis only)
- Third party service providers