Senior Manager - Employee Connect VSAM and Telesales.Enterprise Business Unit

Mission/ Core Purpose of the Job

Senior Channel Manager will oversee developing and maintaining Employee Connect, VSAM and Telesales, with a goal to provide exponential growth go-to – market in these channels and programme. To define and lead strategy for Employee Connect, Telesales and VSAM within all segments and Segments / Channels (Large Enterprise, Public Enterprise, Small Medium Enterprise, Partnership Enterprise and Branded Retail Channels) for the Indirect Channels Business Unit. This role will therefore be required to closely partner with the Regions, Key accounts, Online Channel, CVM, ICT, Commercial and operational support in terms of aligning regional execution to the EBU national strategy. The role will report directly to GM: Indirect

Key Activities and Responsibilities

Key Tasks 

• Senior Manager: EC, Telesales and Employee Connect Channels focusing on strategy, go-to-market, acquisition in new and existing clients in consultative engagement 
• Head the Employee Connect, Telesales, VSAM channels focusing on go-to-market, new business, client retention and growth
• Achieve sales & revenue targets annually for the channels & programme: Employee Connect, Telesales & VSAM
• Lead the virtual sales team and actively participating in strategic account planning, value proposition creation and business development activities
• Lead RFI/RFP/RFQ response for the channels
• Serve as a Subject Matter Expert in commercial value proposition for one or more technology areas
• Manage and maintain acquisition plans for the Employee Connect, VSAM and Telesales
• Manage and maintain customer engagement models to ensure seamless delivery across all delivery points. Liaise with relevant areas and verticals to ensure delivery.
• Own and deliver key relationships at Executive levels
• Conceive, create and drive implementation of innovative promotional plans in line with Marketing and Sales plans, objectives and requirements 
• Build a reputation internally within MTN and externally to ensure leadership in the Employee Connect, Telesales and VSAM for Mobile and ICT markets 
• Liaise with Channel Managers, Marketing, Product and Training to ensure sales teams are trained and skilled to engage with customers and provision of effective sales argumentation and tools. 
• Monitor and manage / escalate vertical/segment conflicts
• Identify key markets/accounts for growth of revenue
• Establish future revenue per vertical / market segment / product mix / customer
• Drive development and implementation of relevant solutions by industry or customer type
• Strategically develop and drive student connect programme
• Strategically develop and drive EBU Prepaid proposition for the informal SME market
• Strategic manage sales performance of employee connect account management nationally (partnering with regional senior management).

Customer Satisfaction

• Ensure delivery on customer specific strategies
• Ensure effective delivery for excellent customer experience
• Oversee the establishment of SLA’s with customers.  Manage the output. and ensure reporting on delivery and sustainability through the SLA Management and SLA reporting functions respectively
• Put contingency plans in place to prevent delays and enhance the customer experience 
• Adopt a proactive approach to prevent problems from arising in the future
• Build channels and operating models
• Initiate change to continually improve all aspects of service delivery
• Identify trends / patterns pertaining to customer requests and needs and filter this information through to relevant areas of the business to continually improve all aspects of service delivery 
• A weekly sales cadence will be required with a view to provide pipeline size across the segments and channels, conversion to a sales order and ultimately to revenue generation as measured by revenue targets.

Reporting 

• Report on results for the area, including the compilation of periodical activity, budget compliance and feedback reports. Report to the business and key stakeholders
• Ensure ongoing communication to critical stakeholders within EBU and with CMO Marketing, Partners, Technology and Network, IS and Finance

Budget Management

• Forecast, plan, develop and review the Sales and Service budget for the area that provides MTN with return on investment
• Contribute to, challenge and implement the long-term strategy for the mobile enterprise and Employee Connect, Telesales and VSAM functions and ensure alignment of all activities undertaken in the unit to the strategy
• Input into the business plan to ensure delivery to the mobile and ICT within Employee Connect, Telesales and VSAM, and to ensure competitiveness on all elements
• Input into reviewing organisational activities and assist in recommending corrective actions if necessary
• Contribute towards long-term forecasts and predictions (2-5 years)
• Analyse trends and highlight areas of the business that may be developed further
• Identify opportunities to generate new revenue.

Project Management

• Develop and drive the execution of agreed projects 
• Drive the implementation, tracking, monitoring and compliance of Projects
• Contract management in line with Procurement Policies
• Co-ordinate project reporting
• Ensure effective implementation of the integrated project management model 
• Risk management

Creativities (improvement/innovation inherent) 

• Structure and build key customer insight, and communicate this to the business by vertical strategy documents 
• Identify and establish relationships with key customer/influencers to gain market share. 
• Network extensively and build and maintain relationships (internal and external). 
• Allocate the right customers to the right staff
• Motivate staff through innovative into action.
• Build brand credibility.
• Build future business plans.
• Reckoning innovative solutions to enhance sales.
• Make continuous improvements system, process and procedures level. 
• Identified innovative ways to use minimum resources to achieve maximum outputs.
• Identify and exploit new opportunities to grow new business.
• Proactively seek information on business issues, particularly outside the scope of the area which may impact on the results.
• Implement cost saving activities
• Recommend innovative solutions to enhance MTN performance
• Ensure continuous improvements at system, process and procedure level, in alignment with EBU
• Streamline the channel in accordance to MTN strategy, economic conditions and market pressures in order to optimise revenue
• Network extensively and establish sound relationships with all stakeholders including external service providers
• Proactively encourage and maintain executive relationships
• Utilise business intelligence to identify trends and risks for MTN

Leadership and Direction

• Lead the definition and sizing of target market, customer base and key alliances and partnerships.
• Identify, evaluate and structure key partnerships and alliances to ensure continued financial health and maximum value creation. 
• Build and manage a highly talented solution sales team, focused on driving adoption and market penetration.
• Prepare and provide regular business reviews to channels regarding strategic initiatives and overall sales performance against goals. Highlight successes, challenges, roadblocks and actions.
• Hold direct reports accountable for the achievement of business plans and take corrective actions where necessary to ensure achievement of business objectives.

Business Analysis

• Identify ways to fine tune policies, processes and systems in line with changing work practices
• Determine, document, and review requirements for projects within the scope of the value stream or impacting processes and systems 
• Identify Business Improvement and Optimisation opportunities that will result in improvement of process performance 
• Identify and implement innovative ways to use minimum resources to achieve maximum outputsSupervisory / Leadership / Managerial Tasks:  Refers to the responsibilities for directing, guiding, motivating and influencing others.

Supervisory / Leadership / Managerial Tasks:  

 

• Recruit, develop and retain people with outstanding skills, qualifications and potential
• Define the Team KPAs and KPIs that will be cascaded to each member
• Performance management and identification of training needs
• Drive a culture that embraces and lives the MTN brand values, and ensures compliance across the channel
• Accountable for a customer centric culture and shift to legendary service provision
• Build talent by identifying and developing new leaders for the respective environment
• Employee relations and collaborative teamwork 
• Manage Employment Equity and diversity 
• Coaching and guidance of subordinates
• Build professionalism, loyalty and commitment to the organization
• Communicate actively and effectively resolving any potential conflicts that may arise
• Integrate various activities of division 
• Manage contributions and expectations of external service providers and stakeholders
• Display insight into leadership style and how it impacts on performance positively and negatively
• Ensure communication and fundamental understanding of strategy elements to all affected teams
• Ensure ongoing liaison with other areas of the business 
• Clarify roles for different levels of managers and operations, matching the level of expertise and results required and agreeing performance standards
• Review staff performance management, evaluating, assessing and tracking performance to ensure that objectives and targets are achieved
• Understand the need to train and develop staff to be able to use resources optimally and enhance performance 
• Deploy and redeploy resources to get the work done
• Build and enforce a customer centric approach 
• Build employee relations and collaborative teamwork 
• Have the self-insight and flexibility to adapt to different situations
• Live the MTN Brand – change and influence employees’ behaviour

Education 

• 4 Year Tertiary qualification in Commerce or equivalent 

Experience 

• Manager track record of 10 years or more managing; with at least 3 years in relevant sector/ industry 
• 5 Years Channel Development Experience 
• At least 10 years Sales experience in managing sales team and developing channels (e.g. Sales Manager, Call Centre, consulting) and exposure to national and international trends and strategy.
• At least 5 years of leadership experience in managing Telesales and Sales Channel, in fast moving technology intensive industries
• Experience in developing products, programme and operating model to increase revenue.