Job Description

Overall Purpose of the Job: Data Centres have been identified as a srategic growth area for the Group Revise the company's Data Centre Strategy when applicable Identify all data centre opportunities in Sub-Sahara Africa with an initial focus on South Africa and East Africa Responsible for targeting profitable sales, growth and penetration consistent with customers' needs and according to Company strategy, objectives and policies Directs and leads sales and profitability for all relevant company products and services toward identified Strategic Accounts and End users in the Data Centre segments Develop business plans, long-term objectives and customer satisfaction goals and operate at a senior level in the organisation Promotes and maintains a customer focused culture within the organisation to drive customer satisfaction Identify strategic partners to offer turnkey solutions Key Tasks: Task Elements: Monitors and identifies all Data Centre players in each Data Centre opportunity (Data Centre Operators, OEM suppliers, integrators, property developers, Quantity Surveyors, Consulting Engineers, Data Centre Management companies, etc) Identify within each of the above companies the influencers and decision makers at the technical and procurement level Create and maintain a data base of opportunities, opposition, route to market and the data centre players Maintain and build on the current CRM Maintain a healthy order book for the company's products in the Data Centre market Identify marketing opportunities to market the company (conferences, networking opportunities, etc) Create/upgrade marketing material (brochures, presentations, papers, exhibition material, etc) Present papers at relevant data centre conferences. Establishes customer recognised needs, problems and pain points as critical input for determining suitable solutions which solve those needs, problems and pain points Promotes all relevant company product and service offerings toward the data centre players Continously inform the divisions of new product developments that might be applicable in their business segment, investigates and identifies short and longer term solutions Actively drives and proposes activities (both internal and external) to maintain customer satisfaction in the region Propose strategy for growth Responsibile for creating, following up and reporting on the strategic and end user account strategy and action plan as well as the account financial performance Drive and co-ordinates Divisional Sales Teams in Bid activities ensuring all bid requirements are met with a uniform approach. GENERAL: Besides the Job Functions described above, any reasonable request to perform other duties and to assist in supplementary job functions as required by the Project Manager shall be carried out. To carry out ad hoc work instructions from Management that fall within the general scope of the Department and/or personal skill set. To ensure that you are fully conversant with all the other job functions carried out by any other individual within the department, that should the need arise, you will able to perform their function for a short period of time.
Qualification: Post graduate qualification in Engineering and/or Marketing Experience: Minimum of 8-10 year proven track record in management of Sales Accounts in the data centre market in Africa Significant experience in business negotiations Highly developed communication skills. Excellent interpersonal skills and relationship builder Expertise in developing and implementing strategic plans Additional tasks fulfilled by this position: Perform tasks and oversee special projects and assignments as may be assigned by the Divisional General Manager KPIs: Update the Strategic Plan Identify all Data Centre Operators in South Africa and determine a call plan (how many visit p.a. per Operator) Identify all players and determine a call plan Determine a strategy to ensure that the company is invited to tender on all relevant bids Sales target Form an internal team to work together on bid submission Extensive travel is required

Skills Required