Retail Account Manager at Sasol

Purpose of Job

• Manage Sasol Group relationship with franchisees and dealers in designated geographical areas / regions. Maximise return on investment through the business support to retailers and management of internal stakeholders. Foster superior customers service and enforce compliance with legislation as well as company brand and operating standards. Facilitate and support Sasol team and retails sites with roll out of initiatives and projects.

Key Accountabilities

• Assist stakeholders in the value chain through planning and making decisions to optimise production facilities.
• Achieve short-term volume forecasting with high accuracy. Meet monthly forecast sales volume and budget requirements including C-store and bakery turnover.
• Actively drive site deliverables to ensure SHE compliance and volumes sales for both C-store and Fuel.
• Ensure maintenance activities are executed to minimise downtime at site.
• Collaborate and Drive network development team to support projects. Manage  performance of sites in a given portfolio to ensure delivery against the business KPI/score card by developing plans in collaboration with site
• Benchmark operating expenses for retail sites and support retailer to optimise margins.
• Plan, execute and manage site activations on monthly business as per KPI in collaboration with retailers/supplier
• Anticipate credit needs of franchisees/ dealers and proactively arrange appropriate actions.
• Control own cash fixed costs within the approved target.
• Implement the retail and convenience strategy.
• Plan and lead successful implementation of retail programmes and initiatives focused on business performance and development.
• Manage franchise network as per the provisions of the franchise agreement.
• Implement a safety improvement plan for self and own network.
• Ensure the retailer implement housekeeping practices to ensure clean and safe environment.
• Achieve and sustain an RCR target as prescribed.
• Provide leadership to manage and exceed customers' expectations.
• Plan and execute business advisory meetings with retailers focusing on wholistic business performance to review performance, identify gaps and develop plans to improve.
• Assess competitor landscape, performance and conduct benchmark offer professional advice to franchisees on competitor activities. Collaborate with retailer and develop plans to improve performance and their margins and benchmarking.
• Handle the asset register by taking ownership of the process to secure accuracy of equipment data.
• Administer the state and quality of Sasol Group's assets on site which may include facilitating the process to replace equipment where necessary.
• Ascertain that sites achieve a contracted percentage on mystery shopper results.
• Facilitate and govern site layout in line with provided guidelines for all area including C-store.
• Drive ELMS training for employees at site and ensure competence through service review.
• Key Accountabilities Continued
• Manage Mystery shopper results and develop plans to close identified gaps in the region and/or site level.
• Identify training needs at sites and recommend training initiatives. Verify that new franchise appointments attended compulsory training and are fully competent.
• Support franchisees as a knowledgeable user of onsite systems (e.g. retail and ATG).
• Organise and follow up on activities to improve the Sasol Group brand image and customer focus.
• Validate that retail filling stations are in a good operating condition and within the Sasol Group standards.
• Manage and coordinate  customer complaints from the retail network and franchisees are attended to within service level expectations.
• Facilitate the maintenance process on calls logged by franchisee and ascertain successful closure of the call.
• Guide the resolution of franchisee queries by taking ownership of the query and provide continuous feedback to stakeholders.
• Support relevant programmes to enable Sasol Group to achieve its leadership target in the market.
• Act as a Sasol Group ambassador to build the credibility of the company.
• Plan, Manage and Execute assurance  audits from safety inspectors are implemented and that identified corrective actions are completed. Secure compliance with requirements pertaining to SHE, food safety, fuel stock reconciliation, and EMP as per ROD requirements.
• Assess, develop, implement and manage actions plans resulting from deviations.
• Implement best practices as shared from colleagues.
• Apply evidence-based SHE practices in alignment with set standards for safe operations.
• Implement Sasol Group's risk philosophy and enterprise risk management framework.
• Build and maintain positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders to derive maximum value from the capital invested in the retail network and enable win-win solutions with owners, tenants, franchisees, government departments, municipal authorities, and engineering companies.
• Continuously improve own skills and knowledge. Complete, implement, and track personal development plan to attain personal performance goals.
• Identify and activate learning as required based on individual and collective needs. Liaise with HR and/or specialised vendor for bespoke deployment.
• Nurture a team spirit and openness towards feedback, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and innovation.

Formal Education

• University Bachelor's Degree in Business Management, Commerce, Marketing, Retail Management, Engineering, or a related field?

Min Experience

• 6+ relevant years of experience

Competencies

• Business Leadership: Demonstrates commercial acumen, a global mind-set and exercises sound judgement. Achieves results through others and holds them accountable.
• Decision Making: Ability to know when and what decisions should be made and to make several decisions simultaneously in a fast-paced, rapidly changing environment.
• Negotiating: The ability to compromise in a cooperative effort to reach mutually satisfactory conclusions and results.
• Partnership Leadership: Persuades and influences stakeholders; builds relationships and partnerships for win-win outcomes. Builds teams and creates synergies through working across boundaries.
• People Leadership: Authentically and inclusively engages people to follow; leads culture transformation. Builds capability and leverages diversity for competitive advantage.
• Risk Management: The process of measuring, or assessing risk and then developing strategies to manage the risk. Strategies employed may include transferring the risk to another party, avoiding the risk, reducing the negative effect of the risk, and accepting some or all of the consequences of a particular risk.
• Self-Mastery: Takes accountability for driving own growth through developing self-awareness, reflecting, seeking feedback and self-correcting
• Strategic Leadership: Provides vision and direction aligned to One Sasol. Leads organisational change, innovation and sustainability.