Head of Sales

Context & Scope

Tongaat Hulett has a proud 132-year history and a strong socio-economic legacy in KwaZulu-Natal province, in South Africa, and into sub-Saharan Africa. Technical operations include the following:

• Four Sugar Manufacturing mills situated on the North coast of KwaZulu-Natal stretching from Tongaat through to Empangeni.
• A Sugar Refining operation based in South Coast Road Durban.
• An animal feeds manufacturing plant situated in Tongaat alongside the Maidstone Sugar Mill.
• A technical operations support comprising technical specialists who provide high-level support to the operations both in South Africa and foreign operations.

The company’s current priority is to improve the overall business performance in the medium to longer term and our objectives are to operate strategically, sustainably, efficiently, and profitably. Tongaat Hulett’s focus is on re-energising assets that will be cash-generative and exploring new customer segments.

The Head of Sales is a senior management position in the organisation and involves executing strategic and general management leadership responsibilities to enable the organisation to improve its current market position and achieve sustained levels of growth and profitability. The role will lead the various customer segmentations for the entire South African local market and ensure the Sales Teams are aligned to the vision and mission statement of the Sales Strategy of Tongaat Hulett and are equally supported and complemented in their efforts by the various internal interfacing disciplines. The role is fully accountable for ensuring appropriate profits are realised for all stakeholders within the value chain, customer satisfaction, and expansion of the customer base. The role will be required to interact and align with other Executives and Senior Management across the value chain and organisation to achieve internal synergy between interfacing disciplines.

Purpose Of The Role

To direct and control the Sales Function through strategic planning and development of short, medium, and long-term action plans, financial resourcing, and organizational structures to support the growth and profitability across the customer segmentations. To lead the Sales teams in a complex market to ensure they are provided with adequate direction and guidance on building existing customer relationships, identifying new business, market or product expansion opportunities, and dealing with competitor strategies and market volatility.

Responsibilities

• STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT:

1. Applying market research and market knowledge to conceptualise and identify opportunities, costs, and benefits associated with new and diversified markets and the key enablers to building existing relationships.
2. Applying complex analysis and evaluative methodologies to determine realistic market share with due consideration given to the diverse and varied factors influencing market growth and profitability and/or volatility in markets.
3. Developing the strategic plan to grow market share in the short, medium, and long term and developing the action plan encompassing objectives, priorities, key performance indicators (KPIs), and goals.
4. Applying financial modelling techniques to predict revenue and expenditure associated with strategic interventions required to drive sales growth with existing and new customers.
5. Influencing leadership during strategic planning discussions on the applicability and capability of the strategic plan to achieve the critical and key sales objectives and its alignment with interfacing internal functions and market.

• GENERAL MANAGEMENT:

1. Developing the action plans and customizing the execution approach to support and drive the Sales Strategy across the different market segments.
2. Identifying and aligning the sales organizational structure towards relevance in terms of market needs and customer service and satisfaction.
3. Preparing budgets and forecasts to detail volumes and margins across the different sales channels/functions.
4. Controlling actual versus budget provisions applying data analytics, financial analysis, and performance evaluation tools to measure alignment of the results associated with revenue, gross profit margins, revenue growth rate, etc.
5. Preparing short to medium-term Sales Forecasts with due consideration given to the critical interfacing disciplines i.e. production, logistics, etc., and monitoring the actual results against forecasts with a view to intervening, correcting, or aligning approaches and applications.
6. Approving and authorizing expenditure against the approved budget or within the authorized limits in relation to requirements and/or critical needs to support deliverables.
7. Contributing to sales management policies and procedures in terms of accountability, authority, and control of actions and managing the implementation of financial, human resources, and governance policy prescripts and compliance thereof.
8. Managing personnel performance and discipline through the implementation and execution of human resources disciplinary procedures and performance metrics focused on improving capabilities and achieving results.
9. Mentoring and coaching the sales team and approving training and development programmes that are capable of addressing the skills gaps.
10. Managing leave and other conditions of service applicable to the Sales staff and addressing queries relating to the application.
11. Participating in the Recruitment and Selection process and approving the appointment of the successful applicant based on the capability and competency demonstrated during interviews and assessments.

• SALES MANAGEMENT:

1. Managing the development or alignment of the Sales Plan across the various market segments to ensure maximum exposure and presence of Tongaat Hulett in the market space.
2. Initiating market intelligence studies and proceeding with analysing the market condition, competitor activities, pricing strategies, customer satisfaction, etc. to enable informed assessment of the timing of interventions such as promotions and special offers.
3. Supporting the Sales Team through active involvement in the sales activities across the different market segments including undertaking key client visits and negotiating and closing deals.
4. Interpreting market complexities or internal challenges to deliver on sales volumes and providing solutions to mitigate the risks associated with loss of market share, brand switching, etc.
5. Providing insight into marketing interventions to enable appropriate shaping of the sales route across all segments to the market strategy such that the sales market value proposition and business value chain profitability is supported and enhanced.
6. Providing leadership during the conducting of intense consultations and negotiations of customer trading terms and associated contracts across the market segments and the concluding of deals with key clients.

• MARKET EXPANSION:

1. Introducing, implementing, and managing plans with key interventions focused on expanding market presence in new and diversified markets.
2. Reviewing or conceptualising, articulating, and implementing sales-oriented approaches that are capable of creating and sustaining market confidence in the organisation to deliver on quality, pricing, and volumes.
3. Overseeing the implementation of market expansion interventions by the Sales Team and the Marketing function and providing guidance, solutions, and advice to address challenges or competitor strategies.
4. Interpreting the net effect of market penetration on interfacing disciplines such as logistics, milling, planning, trade marketing and contributing high-level input into the cost-benefit value of aligning to support sales market expansion.
5. Networking and maintaining market presence to enable the identification and pursuing of opportunities to attract potential new business based on the organisation's brand reputation and capabilities.

• RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT:

1. Participating in strategic executive leadership and general management departmental and inter-departmental meetings and evaluating, brainstorming, and dissecting approaches and concepts and presenting views, opinions, and advice to enable achievement of sales goals and objectives.
2. Presenting high-level strategies and performance results associated with the Sales function at conferences and leadership meetings and elaborating on the reasons or providing expertise to enable alignment of strategic decisions and plans that impact on the sales function.
3. Meeting with key customers and engaging on the results, service levels, expectations, etc., and acknowledging customer needs and confirming the capability of TH to deliver on requirements.
4. Analysing and engaging with customers across the market segments on a range of complex commercial transactional questions, queries, and points of clarification involving financial, commercial, or administrative provisions associated with contracts or orders.

• EXECUTIVE SUMMARIES, REPORTS & SALES ADMINISTRATION:

1. Interpreting the timeframes involved in the development, compilation, and completion of complex sales summaries, advisory reports, contracts, and agreements and proceeding with follow-up, authorisation, vetting, and submission.
2. Perusing a range of financial data, information and proceeding with questioning or gaining clarity from the sales management on the financial results relating to revenue growth, profitability margins, cashflow, and projections.
3. Preparing complex functional reports outlining the performance against plans, key financial outcomes, and/or mapping the short, medium, long-term scenario in relation to sales performance.
4. Vetting claims and/or responses to queries and proceeding with authorising or referring specific matters to the relevant Channel Management to further investigate and submit detailed reports to enable approval.
5. Preparing and authorising correspondence and memorandums for circulation to inform the sales team on procedures, requirements or changes to standing instructions.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree and Post Graduate Qualification in Sales, Marketing or Management.
• At least 10-12 Years Experience with proven track record at a Senior Management level of Managing a complex and diverse Sales Portfolio.
• Computer Skills/Literacy in MS Office suite.
• Proficient with SAP system particularly with the Sales & Marketing Module.
• A valid Driver's license.
• Experienced Change Leader in terms of improving people, process, and systems to achieve business results.
• Strategic thinking and business acumen to drive innovation approaches to support business growth & sustainability.
• Demonstrated abilities in dealing with challenging demands and resolving conflicts.
• A high level of confidentiality and excellent interpersonal/communication skills to be able to articulate, express and influence decisions and gain acceptance.
• Demonstrated abilities to think conceptually and develop long-term plans that are relevant in terms of market and the business.