Head of Sales and Marketing at SPARK Schools

About Us

SPARK Schools is a social impact disruptor, leading change in the education space through its network of affordable private schools. The SPARK Schools network provides a transformational education through Africa’s first blended learning model, which elevates student achievement and provides the tools the teachers need to serve their students most effectively.

SPARK Schools is a high growth, mission and values-driven entrepreneurial organisation, operating 19 primary schools and one high school in South Africa. SPARK serves over 13,500 families, and we are looking for a dynamic person to join our team.

Position: Head of Sales and Marketing
Reports To: Chief Operating Officer

Purpose of Role:

The Head of Marketing and Sales ensures that SPARK Schools achieves its ambitious customer acquisition and growth objectives in the short and long term. This takes the form of ensuring that all SPARK schools are fully enrolled, and as a result, SPARK is serving its surrounding communities to its maximum potential.

Responsibilities:

• Defining sales and marketing objectives to achieve organisational revenue and budget targets
• Driving sales and marketing campaigns to achieve revenue targets
• Taking complete ownership of all strategic initiatives and execution at the Awareness, Exploration, Consideration/Evaluation, Sales and Aftersales steps of the customer journey
• Ensuring the proper use of all tools and systems in these stages of the customer journey, e.g. SPARK Schools Website, Customer Relationship Management system, Direct Mail systems
• Designing an especially robust after-sales process to deliver strong customer loyalty and retention
• Driving the creation and maintenance of team performance dashboards, including all key team and individual KPIs
• Ensuring timely recognition and reward for top achievers in the teams and implementing performance management actions if/when required
• Building a high performing team by providing strong mentorship, coaching and guidance
• Leading and scaling the Sales and Marketing teams in line with the organisation’s customer growth, revenue growth and customer experience objectives
• Monitoring market trends, including competitor and industry analysis and applying insights and learnings to the Sales and Marketing strategy
• Identifying and exploiting new sales and marketing opportunities
• Annual budgeting and budget tracking for the sales and marketing business units
• Monthly, quarterly and annual reporting to key stakeholders
• Building strong and collaborative relationships with other internal stakeholders

Qualifications:

• The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications:
  • A bachelor's degree, diploma or equivalent qualification in Business Administration/Marketing/Commerce or related field - Masters Degree, e.g. MBA advantageous

Experience:

• 8+ years of experience building, scaling and leading high-performance sales and marketing teams - 4 of which must be at a senior level
• Track record of demonstrable success in overseeing both the sales and marketing functions in a single organisation
• Previous P&L responsibility
• Experience overseeing market research non-negotiable

Skills and Mindset:

Strategic-thinker
Strong closing skills
Team player who thrives at helping team members succeed
Excellent communication skills
Exceptional analytical skills - ability to analyse real-time data and adjust marketing and sales efforts in response to that data
Ability to keep Return on Investment (ROI) top of mind at all times
Proactive
Must display high levels of grit and commitment to excellence

Values: Service, Persistence, Achievement, Responsibility, Kindness

Position Type: Full Time

Location: Rosebank, Johannesburg, South Africa