Territory Manager - Retail (JHB) at Astron Energy (Pty) Ltd.

Provide business advisory support service to a number of service stations throughout the Region. Assist site owners and retailers with customer relationship management, marketing, pricing strategies, brand building, business planning, maximising sales, driving turnover and profitability, the day-to-day running of the station, merchandising, inventory management, etc. Implement profitability improvements by identifying site growth opportunities, segment targeting and cost to serve analysis per customer.

Key Responsibilities include:

•  Manage Retailer relationships and franchise excellence,
•  Deliver sales targets by driving profitable volume for revenue growth.
•  Ensure efficient sales operations and site excellence within assigned territories.
•  Devise sales strategies, analyze data, monitor competition, address Retailer concerns, and identify sales growth opportunities.
•  Understand and apply Retail economics.
•  Wet Stock Management

Financial Perspective

• Develop and execute a clear business growth plan to ensure sustainable, above market performance of the respective network. Deliver optimum site operating contribution in line with the required financial returns, including gross margins and sales.
• Deep understanding of the PnL at site level and intervene where required to improve financial returns.

Customer Perspective

• Provide professional expertise and an enabling environment (consultancy, training etc.) for the retailers, supporting them to achieve their business objectives.
• Responsible for providing Astron Energy with critical market intelligence to facilitate improved business processes and decision making
• Own the development and successful implementation of a micro-marketing plan per site and adjust as necessary in order to grow market share at site level.
• Working closely with the marketing support team to build a C-store network plan and execute against agreed milestones.

Business Excellence

• Monitor and drive the delivery of key performance indicators. Develop and implement appropriate measures to address issues that may compromise the delivery of business plans and KPI’s.
• Drive compliance of HSSE standards and procedures at site level.
• Play a key role in the selection, management and development of retailers.
• Interact with retailers and business partners and provide expert knowledge and support to ensure operational excellence and application of operating and brand standards.
•  Work with all stakeholders to ensure that all initiatives are delivered as per plan for all sites in your network, and hold other accountable for their work.
• Responsible for the ultimate and successful delivery of KPI’s including Safety, Financial, and Operational targets, including Customer First Scores, Customer Satisfaction and Image Stewardship
• Implements and monitors Corporate OE safety standards and programs across the Retail Network (staff and customers).  Responsible for ensuring 100% compliance with the OE/HES Corporate standards and incorporates into daily execution guidelines.

People Management

• Provide guidance to Retail site owners nurturing and developing a culture of operational excellence and teamwork to ensure targets are met and exceeded.
• Collaborate and maintain healthy relationships with key stakeholders to ensure successful support and delivery of business priorities.
• Execute on the Transformation plan for Retail.

Professional Qualification and Certifications:

• Post Graduate qualification in Sales & Marketing, Commercial, business or related field.

Work Experience:

• At least 5 years of Retail Sales & Operations experience preferably in the petroleum industry, with proven track record of business turnaround through driving own initiatives.
• Proven track record of increasing sales and revenue through developed sales strategies
• Field sales experience is preferred.

Knowledge and skills:

• Knowledge of both fuel and non-fuel retailing.
• Retail detail and site excellence knowledge
• Retailer and customer relationship management
• Good franchise excellence and CR Understanding
• Good understanding of Retail economics and the RAS model
• Good selling and negotiations skills
• Good stakeholder engagement and organizational management skills  
• Excellent verbal/written communication skills.
• Proficiency in the use of performance KPIs in MS Office
• An affinity for brand  and relationship building skills.
• Track record of operational excellence delivery as well as creative and critical problem-solving skills.
• High levels of commercial acumen and understanding value drivers.