Job Description

We are looking for a highly motivated, proactive and resilient individual to lead the execution and monitoring of regional sales and operational strategies to achieve sales targets and profitability. Oversee the implementation of funeral services marketing and operational plans, managing both profitability and operational risks. Ensure that agencies are well-equipped to deliver dignified funerals and drive business growth through the cultivation of strong stakeholder relationships.
You will be working for a well-established company that is over 100 years old with strong values. An organization that values employee development and rewards excellent performance.
YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES WILL INCLUDE:
ACHIEVE STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

• Analyse the province's strategic plan and create and execute a short- and medium-term regional sales, marketing and operational plan for the agencies under control.
• Collaborate with the Provincial Manager: Funeral Service to develop the integrated marketing and operational plans for the areas of responsibility, to operationalise and execute the province's business plan.
• Create and implement plans to achieve the targeted conversion rate for fund funerals in the region.
• Create and implement plans to achieve the sales target for private funeral and tombstones within the region.
• Submit monthly progress reports on the achievement of the set objective as per the plan and any changes that were made to the plan.
• Identify inclusive of the financial implications, recommend business opportunities and innovative ways to improve current business practices and processes.
• Achieve the annual targets with regard to productivity, client services, profitability, etc for the region.
• Evaluate performance of the region by analysing and interpreting data and metrics.
• Ensure all agencies under your control meet the set targets and take corrective actions should the targets not be met.
• Ensure that agents and their staff members selling our insurance policies are properly accredited.
• Achieve the business split for Funeral Services between Private, Fund, and contract business

CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Actively participate with management and all relevant stakeholders in the process of developing and improving relationships so objectives are met.
• Attend funerals and oversee funeral arrangements to ensure the delivery of high-quality service and proper client care.
• Execute the customer service strategy to ensure that the objectives for customer service are met.
• Engage continuously with internal and external key stakeholders.
• Ensure good cooperation between the different departments in the region, such as insurance, funeral service and senior citizens and that all these stakeholders are involved in marketing activities
• Work closely with the senior citizen's liaison consultant to increase market share in facilities that care for the aged.
• Utilise community Involvement funds effectively to create relationship and build trust with communities in the region.
• Investigate and resolve complaints that are escalated.
• Proactively build strong commercial relationships agenda with key stakeholders within business sources to increase funeral sales.
• Attend, manage and assist to execute high profile funerals.
• Achieve the targeted NPS and CSAT scores which are used to measure customer satisfaction.

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

• Ensure financial soundness of the province through profitability and cost control, Asset Efficiency, and optimisation.

• Compile a capital budget for revision by the Provincial Manager for the region that addresses vehicle, furniture, equipment, computers, telephones, and other ICT equipment, and fixed properties requirements.
• Ensure that all funeral agencies are profitable, and expenses are within budget.
• Manage the stock levels of coffins, wreaths, and other products offered at AVBOB Funeral Service Agencies
• Manage stock levels and, effective utilisation of the fleet and other assets
• Plan and implement effective cost-saving measures.
• Ensure that policy and procedures of financial transactions and management are met.
• Manage the ratio expense versus income in the region.
• Analyse and control funeral service expenditure within the region in line with the annual budget.
• Monitor and report on variances and remedial action implemented/to be implemented, where this is required.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

• Create world-class infrastructure to stay relevant in a highly competitive world, expand and maintain existing infrastructure to the benefit of customers and policyholders
• Allocate resources and optimise infrastructure to effectively respond to market demands and operational priorities.
• Ensure that newly opened offices are meeting the set sales objectives.
• Ensure that the Company's infrastructure (buildings, equipment, vehicles, stock, etc.) are maintained to the prescribed standards and standard operating procedures and attend accident committee meetings when a vehicle in the region was involved in an accident.
• Conduct regular stock counts to ensure accurate inventory management and report any discrepancies.
• Ensure that adequate infrastructure is in place at all agencies to serve customer needs.
• Conduct regular asset counts and report any deviations to ensure accuracy, compliance, and operational efficiency.

HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

• Create an effective and successful team through open discussion, coaching and mentoring.
• Maintain a sufficient pool of Assistant Agents in training to support future workforce needs.
• Ensure that all agencies have signed performance contracts in place, aligning their objectives with the AVBOB goals.
• Oversee the development and implementation of development plans for funeral agents and their staff to ensure increased sales and high levels of customer service.
• Ensure that all agencies are adequately staffed to meet all operational and business requirements.
• Ensure that all the non-compliance and non-performance issues of agents are identified and that the required legal steps are taken to ensure compliance to the SLA.
• Regularly communicate regularly policies, practices strategies on marketing strategies, operational and other relevant business updates and issues to agents through multiple communication channels.

OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

• Ensure the optimisation, resource utilisation and adherence to quality standards to enhance performance, streamline workflows, and achieve the organisational goals.
• Achieve the set performance targets by ensuring that funeral service operations meet or exceed the performance targets set within the allocated budget.
• Oversee all funeral service-related operations and business activities in the region to ensure that agents produce the desired results and are consistent with the overall strategy.
• Liaise with business support services (HR, Fleet, Operations Support ICT and Finance) to increase operational effectiveness and efficiency to achieve business goals.

RISK MANAGEMENT

• Manage risk within respective departments/ business units and compliance to all relevant policies and legislations.
• Do a bi-annual audit in line with the requirement, at all agencies to ensure that operational risks are identified.
• Review Internal and External Audit reports and implement the necessary corrective action to ensure that clean audit reports are achieved across the business divisions to mitigate reputational damage.
• Ensure agents consistently follow established policies and standards operating procedures and guidelines to maintain operational integrity.
• Conduct annual audit and bi-annual asset count across all agencies under control to ensure proper asset management and compliance
• Manage the fleet of vehicles under control to ensure that vehicles are maintained in line with policy and that all kilometres travelled are recorded.
• Conducting a comprehensive audit and stock count when an agents is replaced.
• Due regular inspections on buildings to determine maintenance requirements and consider the bill of quantities and sign off on renovation and maintenance projects.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Have a relevant tertiary qualification in marketing or sales and operations or Business Administration.
• Proficient in MS Office Suite (MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint)

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE * Well-developed commercial acumen gained through experience

• Understand the complexities of potential reputational risk in the delivery of funeral services.
• Have both operational and tactical strategic management experience.
• 5+ years in managing large and diverse teams in target-driven, sales-focussed, customer-centric environments.
• Have a sound understanding of and practical experience in the application of human resources, operations management, risk, and customer service practices and principles.
• Good understanding of financial management, budgeting, cost management, and financial reporting.

TECHNICAL AND BEHAVIOURAL COMPETENCIES * Computer literacy - high level of proficiency in Microsoft Office,

• Decision making skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Leadership skills
• Analytical skills
• Research and information gathering abilities
• Planning and organising
• Business Acumen
• Negotiation skills