National Commercial Manager- Southern Africa

**National Commercial Manager
- Southern Africa**:

- Job Id: 9913- City: Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa- Department: Sales & Commercial- Function: Sales & Commercial- Employee Type: Permanent Full Time- Seniority Level: Executive- Description:
**Job Title **National Commercial Manager - Southern Africa

**Location** Durban, Southern Africa

**Geography** South Africa, Eswatini, Namibia and Lesotho

**ABOUT UPL**:
**_UPL is focused on emerging as a premier global provider of total crop solutions designed to secure the world’s long-term food supply. Winning farmer's hearts across the globe, while leading the way with innovative products and services that make agriculture sustainable, UPL is the fastest-growing company in the industry. Our successes in the field add up to powerful financials. UPL delivers results from protecting crops that translate into attractive investor value. Based on the recognition that humankind is one community, UPL’s overarching commitment is to improve areas of its presence, workplace, and customer engagement._**

**_Our purpose _**_is_**_ ‘OpenAg’. _**_An agriculture network that feeds sustainable growth for all._**_ No limits, no borders._**

**_We are one team, for maximum impact. One team with shared goals. We have a laser-like focus on what our customers need and want, on anticipating their future needs, and on how we can create innovative solutions and experiences for them. We think outside the box and go beyond our comfort zone. We believe in agility, we mix the power of speed, with structure from process. And wherever we can, we always believe in having fun._**

**Role Summary**

To manage and oversee the South African (geographical scope) commercial interest and deliver on the UPL financial expectations. To ensure the business interests of UPL are managed in the region with sustainable customer satisfaction being the primary goal, by managing, organizing and directing employees and establishing, monitoring and managing organizational goals and direction.

**Role Responsibilities**

Commercial
- Manage relationships with Distributer Heads, Head office staff and your team members in your geographical scope
- Manage Sales staff activities in your geographical scope
- Deliver on growth expectations in your geographical scope, with ongoing analysis of the region to identify opportunities and make proposals
- Set budgets per Sales area in line with business budget.
- Act as a director on share-holding boards and provide the boards with advice

Forecasting
- Manage and analyse forecast by customer and forecast accuracy tracking
- Forecast vs. Budget alignment
- Improvement of company forecast accuracy
- Monitoring Price/Volume/Sales/GP (actual vs forecast vs LY) to achieve budget.
- Commercial & Supply Chain Alignment

Marketing
- Close collaboration with Marketing Department to align on projects
- Implementation of agreed Marketing Plans
- Collaborate with marketing on client incentives
- Create a strategy to develop high margin products to their maximum
- Marketing Intelligence (Interact with distributors and agents in getting information about competition and market)

People
- Adhere to all HR policies, procedures and requirements to ensure sound people practices.
- Day to day management of your team’s activities
- Develop employees based on identified training needs in accordance with the Workplace Skills Plan.
- Ensure general discipline in the department and ensure corrective action is taken on all misconduct incidents.
- Ensure Performance Appraisals are conducted as per Company Policy.
- Ensure the Department is fully staffed with appropriately experienced employees.

Pricing
- Regular analysis of opposition pricing for your region
- Determine pricing per product and develop pricing strategy
- Manage tender approvals and costing management
- Monitor Tender volumes/pricing as per tender submission
- Monthly Pricelist maintenance

Sales (B2B & B2C)
- Deliver Quarterly and Annual Sales and GP budget in your geographical region
- Analysis and tracking of sales vs. budget
- Sales and Distribution Strategy for the territory
- Setting of consignment stock thresholds and management of consignment stock levels where applicable

Technical
- Identify high value product or label gaps in the market and help develop Business cases for development
- Technical support (technical training of distributor agents, agent/farm visits, field visits and farmer days)
- Manage complaints handling and liaison with Technical Department

**Responsibility Weightage and % of Time Spent Matrix**

Responsibility

% of Time Spent

Strategic

65%

Tactical

35%

**Internal Stakeholders**

Finance Team

Manufacturing and Operations

Commercial Services

Marketing

**External Stakeholders**

Customers

Suppliers

**Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required**
- **Change management**:

- **Communication**:

- **Creativity**:

- **Customer focus**:

- **Individual development**:

- **People Leade