Regional Sales Manager at Vector Logistics

Job Purpose

• To develop and execute the Vector Business and Principals execution requirements including sales goals, shelf health and people management within the region.  
• To provide tactical and operational leadership and support to the regional sales team.

Key Responsibilities

Sales Management:

• Execute the National Sales strategy.
• Develop in-store activations to drive sales.
• Manage and monitor strategic target achievement for region.
• Attend national meetings are required.
• Drive the implementation of the pricing strategy and practices.
• Develop key internal relationships in various functional areas and at various levels with Principals (NAM’s); Operations Managers; Buyers and Franchisee Owners.
• Report on regional competitor activity and performance.
• Develop, implement and manage regional sales objectives.
• Constantly analyze statistics regarding the number of sales made in a given time period.
• Drive the achievement of applicable strategic and operational targets. (cycle and monthly)
• Execute Principals sales team promotional activities across the region and report.
• Drive the achievement of regional sales budgets in terms of volumes.

Customer Relationship Management:

• Maintain and expand the customer base by building and maintaining good relationships with key customers and recognizing new customer opportunities.
• Understand key customers’ in-store processes as well as their requirements and trends; and ensure adherence to processes.
• Gather regional market intelligence on national accounts and key regional accounts.
• Manage and co-ordinate regional resources in line with customer plans in order to achieve customer requirements (call cycles etc.).
• Ensure the customer service excellence is implemented and maintained in line with Vector Leadership Standards.
• Resolve escalated customer queries and issues professionally within 24hours and in the best interest of all parties. Escalate accordingly if not resolved.
• Conduct Principal Trade Visits as required and according to monthly planners.

Financial Management:

• Control regional sales OPEX budgets in terms of volumes.
• Drive achievement of both sales and returns targets.

Regional Management:
Human Resources:

• Ensure all new and existing employees are inducted accordingly and timeously.
• Ensure leave planners are in place and maintained according to company standards.
• Manage Casual Labour in line with Regional Budget & legislative requirements.
• Monthly sign – off of payroll for region including management / control of acting allowances & travel allowances ensuring RMP Compliance.
• Manage regional headcount in line with budget; ensure sign-off of organization charts monthly.
• Ensure IR Matters for region are managed in line with legislation & company policy.
• Manage the employee relations climate and ensure corrective action is taken where required in line with relevant legislation and company policy.
• Lead the regional team towards meeting strategic objectives and targets through regular communication and utilization of the full organizational talent management tool set.
• Conduct regular performance appraisals with subordinates and ensure that the process is cascaded throughout the regional team.
• Coach and support team members where necessary to achieve objectives.
• Manage and deliver on succession plans to enable the development of a future generation of leaders and specialists and ensure optimal turnover and retention levels are maintained.
• Champion training and development of the team through the utilization of available training opportunities or by contributing to the development of new training solutions in collaboration with regional and national training specialists.
• Develop and manage high performance multi-disciplinary teams in order to solve problems within the region.
• Encourage skills workshops between multi-disciplinary teams and across the regional team to realize the transfer of skills.
• Conduct weekly management meetings and ensure that records are kept and shared across the team and that action plans agreed to within team meetings are delivered upon.
• Monitor team performance and provide regular feedback.

Asset Management:

• Ensure that all assets are managed & maintained per employee (ie: cellphones; 3g cards; tablets; vehicles; laptops; uniforms; access cards; fuel cards).
• Ensure vehicle inspections are completed by the RSM quarterly.
• Manage Fleet including private mileage; fuel cards; speeding; accident investigations.
• Manage above in accordance with company policy and rules.

Handheld Technology (HHT):

• Monitor reports daily.
• Ensure collage is updated accordingly to monthly ASM Planner.
• Track monthly priorities weekly (ie: key activities by principal by month).
• Sign off store lists for priorities.
• Ensure promotional execution is achieved.
• Ensure Shelf Health Scorecards are completed as per target of 30 per ASM per month and VTM achieve monthly SLA (90%).
• Strike Rate at 80% collage vs planned.

In-Store and Trade Management:

• Trade Visit: RSM to spend one day per month in the trade with each ASM.
• Ensure Review Meetings are accordingly actioned: Buyer Quarterly meetings; Regional Operations meetings are done monthly.

Returns Management:

• Report on Year to Date (YTD) returns VS target.
• Ensure returns are completed weekly and cleared from back up.
• Report thermally abused stock to Call Centre as required.

Call Cycles:

• Sign Off Call Cycles: check and validate.
• Ensure that changes to Call Cycles are logged and uploaded into respective system.  
• All sales employees on HR SAP must have a call cycle on system.
• RSM to ensure all stores categorized as A+, A,B,C,D are covered by call cycles unless strategically not on to be called on.

Key Relationships

Internal:

•  Customer service Centre; Supply Chain; Customers; Operations team; NAM’s; RSM’s. 

External:

• Principals RSM’s; Customers Buyers; Franchisee Owners.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience Required for the Job

Qualifications and Experience

• Degree or Diploma in management, business administration and or marketing.
• Valid Code EB drivers’ License.
• 5 to 8 years' experience in a customer and sales force operational role that includes coordinating sales teams and managing complex and/or significant customer relationships.

Skills and Competencies

Knowledge

• Business principles.
• Company economics (supply and demand).
• Sales principles and methodologies.
• The regional market and competitors.

Skills

• Planning and organization.
• Negotiation.
• Project management.
• Computer literacy (MS Office).
• Verbal and written communication.
• Report writing.
• Presentation Skills.
• Interpersonal.
• Logical thinking.
• Innovative thinking.
• Problem solving.
• Decision-making.
• Analytical and evaluative thinking.