Regional Manager - Sales & Presales - Education/Energy/Agri

Job Title : Manager BD

The position of Manager, BD & Presales, is responsible for ensuring business growth through directing and managing sales and marketing activities in order to achieve company-wise revenue targets. The Manager, BD & Pre-sales is directly responsible for the achievement of sales target

Key Result Areas :

- Revenue & Profits

- Commercial Controls

- Effectively plan, direct, and manage business development activities across Planet-one Group.

- Establish contact and relationship with Government Representative in Africa

- Ensure relationships with clients are maintained throughout the project execution stages

- Identify and establish contact with clients, close sales, prepare and sign off contracts as per authority matrix

- Meet PGroup's revenue targets for infra, education, agriculture, mining, health care, and solar

- Lead and motivate the BD & Pre-sales team, ensuring fair and effective means of monitoring performance

- Lead client briefing meetings between the operations team and clients once a project is awarded

- Track and monitor clients- feedback and ensure that clients- complaint is resolved within the agreed timeframe

- Management Reporting

Key Deliverables :

Forecast, Budgeting, and Planning :

- Prepare Annual Business Plan across sectors in discusion with the Director

- Prepare sales forecasts annually based on discussion with the Director

- Ensure the availability of a steady pipeline of sales enquiries from prospective clients through strong business development efforts

- Prepare the BD budget, while ensuring the availability of necessary resources to achieve the projected sales forecast

- Achieve annual revenue target for Planet-One Group as set by the Director

- Conduct feasibility studies, country reports and other development projects, to enable decision making on growth and expansion plans.

Sales & BD strategy :

- Take ownership of the management of BD, and Pre-sales functions of Planet-One; develop robust sales & BD strategy in other to sustain business growth

- Conduct market research and provide market feedback to the Director regarding competitive offerings, prospect needs and new ideas for leveraging on Planet-one's competitive edge

- Oversee Planet-One's overall business development efforts and work with the team to ensure that they are aware of the latest trends and target sectors market in Africa

- Provide strategic direction and guidance to the BD, and Pre-sales teams as and when required

- Ensure that transactions with clients are done with adequate diligence and that all commercial controls are followed

- Implement sales incentives to drive sales performance within the team.

- Regularly establish relevant contacts, and keep identifying potential opportunities through networking across Africa

- Formulate department's strategy, and corresponding initiatives, towards generating additional business as well as enhancing the profitability of existing accounts.

Pre-sales :

- Coordinate with COOs, Operations Heads, Procurement, Finance, etc. for preparing project proposals

- Responsible for contract verification and risk assessment, including commercial and legal aspects

- Lead the contract clarifications and discussions meetings with clients

Receivable :

- Support the Project Finance team in follow up and collection of overdue receivables

- Ensure all receivables are adequately followed up and collected from clients and that there are no write off, due to inadequate commercial control

Client Relationships :

- Keep an active communication line with clients; monitor client satisfaction level in ongoing projects, and be involved in resolving clients- complaints.

- Ensure growth of Planet-One's customer base, and ensure that existing customers are retained

- Ensure that relationships that were made at the time of securing an order are carefully maintained through the project execution stages.

- Develop database of key executives / decision makers and monitor future project initiatives for potential clients.

Managerial/Supervisory Duties :

- Plan and assign tasks to the Business Development and Pre-sales teams

- Ensure that business travel expenses of the BD team are within budgeted levels

- Create a work environment that minimizes turnover and maximizes retention and productivity

Personal Duties :

- Responsible for training and development of team members as Head of the Division

- Display a high degree of professionalism and integrity as befitting the position

- Maintain a good knowledge of company policies and procedures

- Promote goodwill by being courteous, friendly and helpful to fellow employees

- Pro-actively take responsibilities of colleagues during their absence

- Take responsibility for own personal development in line with agreed annual performance objectives

Position Competencies :

Technical Competencies :

- Preferably an Engineering/Management graduate

- Minimum of 10-15 years of related experience, out of which 10 plus years should be in Africa countries.

- Proven track record of generating new business and achieving revenue growth

- Experience in driving a business development campaign and leading a team to build new contacts and partnerships.

- Experience in working with senior management to align sales strategies and solutions

- Excellent communication & presentation skills.

- Thorough knowledge of MS Office and be able to prepare detailed documents and feasibility studies.

Behavioral Competencies :

- Ability to deal with complex problems involving multiple facets and variables in non-standardized situations

- Excellent operational execution skills (thorough planning, smooth step by step execution, deadline driven and have a high quality threshold).

- Excellent negotiation skills, proven track record of successfully pitching for new business

- Mature personality with wide business experience, self motivated and adaptable