Commercial Manager

**Main Purpose**:

- **To achieve set financial objectives; sales volume, margin, capital and operating expenses, day sales outstanding, return on assets under management**:

- **To engage with customers; qualify sales opportunity, manage opportunity pursuit, conduct account and territory planning, select and manage national key accounts**:

- **To manage sales operations; forecast sales, facilitate sales process, organise sales collateral and tools, manage CRM, manage compensation design, enforce legal compliance**:

- **To manage the sales function; sales budget, internal sales communication, develop coverage strategy, reduce sales channel conflict**:

- **To partner with marketing and business development; segment customers, partner on lead sourcing, develop value propositions and commercial messages, create sales collateral**:

- **To manage sales talent; build sales climate, source sales talent, facilitate on-boarding of new talent, develop training, support coaching outcomes
***Knowledge Skills and Abilities, Key Responsibilities**:
**Customer and company profitability for defined area**:

- To give input on annual budgeting process and ensure sales budgets for lubricants are achieved
- To nurture, maintain and manage good customer business relationships for every channel of trade in the Commercial and Development department
- To ensure continued improvement in the accuracy of sales forecasting
- To effectively manage pricing, rebates and discount levels and ensure all costing associated with customers is accounted for
- To ensure that under recoveries (e.g. transport, product returns, maintenance, costs etc.) are collected
- To manage the level of gross margin after variable expense (GMVE) per customer
- To manage customer credit (resolve errors, perform reconciliation), and ensure customer service delivery
- To conduct variance analysis / business reviews per customer, compare to budget and take corrective action where appropriate
- To profile, segment customers, and manage national key accounts in order to accelerate sales and profit growth
- To compile monthly business review and KPI’s, including asset management
- To effectively manage contracts, asset management and administration

**Commercial strategy for the area defined**:

- To participate in developing of General Trade sales strategies and new business models and ensure all business models for the various channels of the Commercial division are up-to-date and effectively managed
- To develop new business opportunities in the Commercial business segment i.e. Mining & Construction, Transport, Manufacturing, Civil and Infrastructure Construction, and Local Marine
- To implement and execute promotions and marketing strategies / activities as directed to ensure marketing objectives are reached
- To facilitate collection and reporting of market intelligence, competitor activities, pricing strategies etc by liaising with the Commercial Market Insight Analyst.

**Investment projects for the area defined**:

- To investigate and propose opportunities for new business development in the B2B sales area under management
- To manage capital expenditure, commitments and liquidations in the B2B sales area

**People**:
**Health Safety Environment and Quality**:

- To ensure constant adherence and compliance to company HSEQ and security standards, local by-laws, standards and legislation so as to minimize all risk pertaining to company assets and protection of life

**Governance**:

- To ensure effective risk management and internal control, including asset management, for the B2B Channel

**Context and Environment**:

- Managing B2B strategy and sales team, with customers in diverse economic sectors (Mining & Construction, Transport, Manufacturing, Civil Construction & Infrastructure Development, Local Marine) in a competitive marketing environment with tight margins
- Tension in achieving an effective balance between marketing and profitability for Puma Energy South Africa to ensure long-term sustainable and profitable business in these dynamic markets where customers have freedom of choice

**Accountability**:

- The jobholder is accountable for enhancing the performance and position Puma Energy as a major player in the Commercial environment for the sales channel defined and to provide sound financial and operational solutions tailored to the needs of customers to ensure a sustainable increase in market share and optimal profitability for Puma Energy South Africa

**Qualification/ Experience Required**:

- Appropriate degree/diploma in sales / business management or administration and 4 - 6 years marketing and sales management experience in the oil industry or a comparable industry, or Matric plus 6 - 8 years marketing and sales management experience in the oil industry or a comparable industry
- Exposure to analyzing and interpreting financial statements / results either in studies or work experience
- Interacting with employees and customers
- Good