Regional Director

Regional Director -Africa 

Midrand

Purpose of the Job 

Overall responsibility and accountability for the operations in the region by developing the overall regional targets and strategy and by providing general management of strategy implementation in consultation with the CEO`.

•Creating, communicating and implementing the organisation’s vision, mission and overall direction as a member of the Senior Leadership team.

•Responsibility for the regional annual budgeting process and accountability for delivering against this.

•Solicit advice and guidance from the CEO and the Board of Directors where appropriate.

•Formulate and implement a regional strategic plan that guides the direction of the regional business in line with Group strategic objectives.

•Be accountable and responsible for the complete operation of the regional business in accordance with the direction established in the strategic plans.

•Grow a profitable regional business for the products, software solutions and service offerings.

•Build and manage a successful team that is aligned to meet the needs of the business and is highly motivated to meet and exceed aggressive performance-based objectives.

•Leading and supporting the regional sales team to meet growth and profitability targets.

•Responsibility and accountability for budgets, revenue and delivery timescales in the region.

•Accountable for the successful management of partners and supplier ensuring the quality, timeliness and cost effectiveness of deliverables.

•Leadership and management of the regional teams ensuring that all direct reports are appropriately focused and managed with up to date and accurate job profiles, business and personal objectives and targets.

•Directing and feeding back competitor activity in the region and providing accurate and timely market impact assessments.

•Lead commercial improvement projects; cost saving programmes / re-organisations in the region.

•Identify commercial issues and risks in the region and plan appropriate actions. 

•Maintain close working relationships with sales teams ensuring cooperation and collaboration in respect of relevant profitable activities.

•Creation and effective management of strong and professional relationships with key individuals at senior levels internationally.

•An advocate for continuous improvement in all aspects of the business.

•Industry knowledge – Understanding the lifecycle of cash and the role of the different players being SARB, Commercial Banks, CIT (also cash processing) and the suppliers of the hardware and software managing quality of notes in circulation

•Good Management experience of all aspects of business. So a GM or similar experience

•Commercially minded

•Service management in line with technical equipment critical to daily operations for meeting throughput requirements:

oManagement of technical staff

oCustomer relations and communication

oLogistics of spares and consumables and effective control

oTraining – Experience in training methodologies and management

•Sales - Staff, targets, solution sales etc

•Demonstrating a sound understanding of solution sales

•Account Management

Key Performance Indicators % 

Business Management & Implementation 15% 

Financial Planning & Performance 10%

Organisational Strategy 25%

Strategic Customer Management & Business Development 15%

Account Management & Service Delivery10%

People Management 10%

General 5%

Values 5%

Problem Solving 5%

Business Management & Implementation 

•Accountable and responsible for Overall activities of the EMEA region whilst reporting to the CEO

•Responsible for delivering against annual budget targets.

•Deliver business initiatives that enhance the development of skills, knowledge, and good practice as well as business profitability.

•Financial Planning and Performance

•Meeting annual sales, revenue and profit targets by strong leadership and excellent team management.

•Create, get approved, and own a regional strategic plan that shows a minimum of 25% annual revenue and profit growth – and lead the roll out of the plan as/when necessary.

•Prepare business cases for in-country investment plans for presentation to CEO as necessary.

•In-year management of all controllable cost lines –responsible for cost saving/recovery actions as required to sustain budgeted financial performance.

•Overseeing any regional projects ensuring they are delivered on time and on budget, whilst maintaining excellent customer satisfaction

•Carry out regular account/project/financial/risks and issues reviews of regional operations.

Organisational Strategy 

•Participate in the development of strategy.

•Deliver strategic solutions when necessary to achieve higher quality within the confines of cost and time ensuring that any change is approved by the Regional MD and clearly communicated across the business.

•Through research and actively networking within the industry, ensure that the region is at the forefront of strategic planning and innovation.

Strategic Customer Management & Business Development 

•New Account targeting and capture plans.

•Build and maintain Third Party relationships and alliances.

•Ensure clear understanding of the client strategic and operational requirements and communicate this to the local team.

•Through close relationship with clients, continuously develop the strategic direction of each client account and ensure communication of any directional changes to the team.

•Ensure development and maintenance of strong revenue generated business relationships with current and prospective clients.

•Feeding back competitor activity in the region to the business (including but not limited to any tender, pricing, technical, volume information etc)

•dentify and implement strategic partnership initiatives with customers.

•Feeding back future customer needs to business.

Strategic Account Management & Service Delivery 

•Owns account management for customers HQ’d in country.

•Support account management for customers with subsidiary in country.

•Support account management for strategic accounts.

•Drive organic growth for all product lines in existing accounts.

•Sustain contribution on service delivery.

•Deliver SLA for service & spare contracts.

•Ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction by ensuring excellent account management at all levels, creating strong relationships at senior levels, and meeting senior executives on a regular basis.

People Management

•Provide mentoring and coaching to in country staff as required.

•Ensure that all reports are appropriately managed and that everyone has up to date and accurate job descriptions and PDRs, SMART objectives linked to business objectives and regular reviews of development needs.

•Provide leadership to and manage employees.

•Recruitment & Selection to ensure that all key position is filled.

•Oversee the implementation of policies, procedures and practices.

•Ensure staff discipline.  

General 

•Organise and co-ordinate partnership initiatives to deliver best value.

•Support delivery of new business into the company through leadership or involvement of pitch work and delivery 

•Maintain close liaison with all other regional representatives, ensuring close co-operation where possible and beneficial, and make recommendations in respect of other activities as necessary. 

•Ensure full participation in the performance development review process and maintain an up-to-date record of all training and development activities/programmes.

•Foster culture of continuous improvement in customer- facing and internal practices

•Contribute to knowledge sharing and evolution of best practice.

Problem Solving 

•The incumbent is required to deal with new problems by:

•Analysing complex business problems and identify multi-disciplinary solutions which includes recommending new machines, system and software services, training, solutions, and consulting

•Creating strong business cases that justify customer investment in products and solutions.

•Providing support to subordinates, customers and assist them to solutions sales problems.

•Proposing creative customer focussed solutions to complex business problems.

Contractual Obligations 

•Always act and behave in a way compliant with all company guidelines and policies, especially those relating to Environmental Health and Safety, ethics, and codes of conduct.

•Responsible to keep abreast of customer policies, procedures and requirements. 

•Responsible to keep abreast of all Company policies & procedures.

•Manage attendance and presence according to company.

•Report absence to Manager immediately with a telephone call

•Submit all leave request timeously to enable proper planning. 

•Comply with company Cell phone agreement. 

•Always act and behave in a way compliant with all company guidelines and policies, especially those relating to Environmental Health and Safety, ethics and codes of conduct.

•Job Specification 

Education 

•Preferably have an a Technical, Business Administration, Marketing or related master’s Degree.

•This degree is highly preferable but may not be essential if the incumbent has the experience required under the “experience” heading. 

Technical/Computer Knowledge

•PC literate (Fully proficient with XP, MS office, particularly Word, Excel PowerPoint and Outlook)

Experience

•Minimum of 10 years’ experience in either: Sales, Marketing, Business Development, Customer Service, Operations or Manufacturing Management; Managing cross functional teams; Leading and developing subordinates.

•5 Years’ Experience and proven track record of managing national service operations in an industrial solutions business.

•Experience in managing businesses with Hardware and Software products and service element.

•Experience in interfacing with Government customers Internationally 

•At least five years’ experience in a general management role. Should have managed a staff complement of at least 100 employees and have been responsible for an annual turnover of R120 million or more.

•International business experience preferred, either working overseas or for an international business.

•Experience of leading team across geographical and cultural boundaries to deliver high level business objectives.

•Demonstrable successes of managing change in a pressured dynamic business environment

•Must have a track record of success in the sales and marketing of mechanical equipment and services.

•Must be able to demonstrate this success.

•Must have at least 6 years’ experience in development and execution of strategies to bring in new business.

•Experience of leading disparate teams across geographical and cultural boundaries to deliver high level business objectives.

•Track record of successful growth and development of a business.

Working Conditions

•Extended and regular overseas travel required, often in challenging environments/situations.

•Extensive travel required by any means appropriate (Car, Public Transport or Air)  

•Use of standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

•Usually work in an office environment, but the mission of the organization may sometimes take them to nonstandard workplaces.

•Standard work week, but additionally will often work evening, weekends, and overtime hours to accommodate activities such as meetings and representing the organisation at public events. 

Physical Demands

•This is a high-stress position based on full responsibility for operations.

•Handles detailed, complex concepts and problems, balances multiple tasks simultaneously, and makes rapid decisions regarding administrative issues.

•Plans and implements programs. Establishes strong and appropriate relationships with Senior Leadership Team, committees, volunteers, staff and clients. 

•Develops smooth and constructive relationships with colleagues, outside agencies, organizations and individuals.

•Plans and meets deadlines. Maintains a flexible work schedule to meet the demands of SLT. Hours may be long and irregular.

•Conveys a professional and positive image and attitude.

•Demonstrates commitment to continued professional growth and development. 

•Extensive driving to visit customers. 

•While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk and hear. 

•Ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies. 

•Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, colour vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.

Work Pressures

Proactively identifying and taking action to build strategic relationships between the organisation and customers; creates an environment in which teams, business units collaborate to achieve short and long terms business goals. 

Using economic, financial, market and industry data to understand and improve business results; using one’s understanding of major business functions, industry trends, politics /legislative systems, and organisational needs to contribute to effective business strategies and tactics. 

Creating a climate of customer focused innovation, encouraging others to seek opportunities for novel and innovative approaches to addressing problems / opportunities and achieving the organisation’s vision. 

Develop, implement, and attain the marketing and sales growth strategy for the EMEA Region

Develop the organisation towards greater efficiency via structural and organisational changes, improved management coherence and team integration. 

Work with the local management team and in co-operation with international management to streamline the business, enhance efficiencies and improve bottom line financial results.

Oversee development and attainment of a business plan for the EMEA Region which is aligned to the overall strategic direction of the international corporation.

Up to date understanding of financial performance to ensure specified targets are met.

Submitting reports within specified deadlines (Daily, Weekly, Monthly) 

Client and employer pressure to meet customer obligations. 

Clear understanding of the business strategy and objectives.  

Legal 

Valid driver’s license

Own reliable vehicle

Valid passport

Clear Credit & Criminal Record 

Personal Attributes 

Ability to identify and assess financial and operational risk.

Strong report writing, project Management and time Management skills.

Business planning, strategy reorganisations and project management skills

•Comfortable working independently and remotely from the centre however recognises when support is required.

•Strong relationship development and management skills at all levels

•A strong team player

•Commercially and financially astute, able to develop and present a clear statement of return on investment for customers.

•Strong analytical skills

•Excellent interpersonal, communication skills and the ability to effectively use several different influencing and negotiation strategies.

•The ability to work within a competitive, challenging and changing environment is a pre-requisite and should be coupled with high levels of drive and determination.

•Effective and confident in different and challenging cultural and commercial environments

•Must have a good level of spoken and written English. Other language skills advantageous.

Responsibility Level

Delivering Results

•Self-motivated and directed with the ability to effectively prioritise and escalate tasks in an ever-changing environment and continue to maintain the required level of quality.

•Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

•Tenacious with strong influencing skills to work cross-functionally. 

•Is well organised and able to solve the majority of problems in his or her sphere of work.

Continuous Improvement

•Uses lessons learned process to continuously improve processes and procedures. 

•Continually seeks to add value and ensures effectiveness and efficiencies in all activities.

Leadership Capabilities

•Supports and constructively challenges peers and colleagues. 

•Observes responsibility and holds others to account on the same basis.

•Assists and enables other leaders to achieve their objectives.

•Earns and gives trust through their actions and fulfilment of commitments

Strategic Vision

•Articulates and engages actively in the development, evaluation, and implementation of the overall business strategy.

•Aligns and integrates their region/department strategy within the whole.

•Defines and cascades coherent objectives and plans to deliver the strategic objectives

Influencing & Communicating Skills

•Excellent verbal and written communication required when interfacing with others and preparing written documentation.

•Ability to present ideas in a user-friendly language.

•Skilled at developing relationships, both within peer group and externally

•Able to create and communicate a vision and take the team on the journey with them.

Organisational Skills

•Ability to take ownership of issues from outset to final resolution.

•Highly organised with good attention to detail.

Customer Focus

•Takes personal responsibility for resolving issues when highlighted by internal and external customers.

•Continually seeks and capitalises on opportunities to increase customer satisfaction and deepen client relationships.