Sales Manager for Sub Saharan Africa at John Crane

Job description

An exciting opportunity exits to be part of John Crane Africa. To further grow our African footprint and to maintain our market dominance, we are looking for a Sales Manager with the challenging responsibility for Sub Saharan Africa. The ideal candidate will show strong leadership qualities and get involved in achieving our long and short term objectives.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the strategic development and management of John Crane South Africa’s end users and OEM sales and service in line with the Company’s market sector strategic growth objectives along with developing long and medium term business plans.
• Produce and then successfully manage a “paradigm shift” in John Crane South Africa’s sales team’s attitude and performance across the end-users and OEM markets, the results of which will ensure that South Africa exceeds its strategic objectives in terms of sales growth and market penetration.
• Devise, establish and implement the most appropriate sales organisation which will (i) underpin current sales and account management whilst (ii) ensuring that John Crane South Africa has a sales organisation which can and does reinforce focussed end-user and OEM sales strategies and initiatives.
• Manage to budget (and beyond) a team of sales engineers and service centres and a national distributor agreement.
• Develop, maintain, exploit and promote a world class knowledge of South African accounts in terms of current and future strategies, developments and trends; in-depth knowledge of the markets and industries in which such accounts operate and which they service and the industry structures, economics, processes, equipment and investment strategies within which South African customers are obliged to operate.
• Plan and carry out sales activities, so as to maintain and develop sales of products to customers in Southern Africa, in accordance with agreed business plans.
• Maintain and develop a computerised customer and prospect database
• Respond to and follow up sales enquiries by email, telephone and regularly calling at major customers
• Maintain and develop existing and new customers through planned individual account support, and liaison with external sales staff
• Monitor and report on activities and provide relevant management information
• Carry out market research on competitors. Liaise and attend meetings with other company functions necessary to perform duties and aid business and organisational development

Required Skills and Experience:

• Extensive sales experience
• Able to influence and establish new relationships as well as strengthen existing relationships
• Strong understanding and experience of dealing with commercial agreements and contracts
• Able to research new markets, create strategies and review market trends
• Develop annual business plans in-line with company objectives
• Management of P&L
• Driven and Determined – hungry to succeed