Commercial Sales Manager - South Africa

1) Main tasks:

• Tasks performed regularly which form the essential characteristics of the position.
• Local Management and Steering

• Prepare, monitor and manage the annual regional Sales budget and performance
• Provide the commercial lead with the necessary information and data for the development of the overall cluster strategy
• Propose the Commercial Leader with long-term sales strategies for the respective region, transferred into tactical plans, the annual business plan and budget

Operations:

• Get market insights and provide Head of Sales Regional Hub SSA with market / competitor data, prices, trends in order to determine market demand and market potential as well as competitors’ market shares
• Sell and promote products
• Further develop the product range as well as market entry into new fields of therapy for the respective countries in close collaboration with Head of Sales.
• Define actions for the respective region (strategy into operations)
• Conduct feasibility studies regarding investments which are necessary to develop the market
• Process tenders in close collaboration with Head of Sales and Sales Contract Analyst/Commercial Excellence.
• Prepare contracts in close collaboration with Legal.
• Partner with Supply Chain to execute S&OP processes, manage stock levels, and avoid stock-outs or overstocking in the region
• Negotiate prices with targeted segment aligned to strategic initiatives.
• Systematically gather, analyze, and translate market intelligence (including competitor activity, customer behavior, pricing trends, regulatory shifts) into actionable business insights
• Develop and maintain a structured market insight reporting cadence (monthly/quarterly), ensuring relevant data is shared across commercial, supply chain, and marketing functions
• Guide direct reports in market sensing and data capture, ensuring team-generated insights are incorporated into strategic planning
• Present regional insights and progress updates in standardized reporting formats to Head of Sales and broader leadership forums
• Respond to HQ queries (database, market info, lists, Market and Competitor Survey) in alignment with Head of Sales
• Facilitate audit requirements
• Key Account Management and mentorship - Ensure quality service and profitable business growth by managing a portfolio of complex customer relationships and/or a small team of account managers.

Relationship Management

• Maintain existing customer contacts and create new contacts
• Maintain contacts and negotiations with, end-users, KOLs, Nephologist consultants , institutions and key accounts
• Steer and guide new customers
• Engage actively in local healthcare communities and networks
• Keep up a strong customer orientation
• Collaborate closely with internal and external Clinical Trainers and Training Leads to ensure regional training needs are aligned with commercial strategy and customer expectations
• Contribute to the design and execution of internal and external training programs, including sales team upskilling, therapy adoption enablement, and partner education
• Structure joint planning cycles to integrate training interventions into sales execution plans, product launches, and tender deployments
• Colaborate with the Tech Ops team to drive best in class service and repairs to our customers

Leadership ·

• Defines targets for direct reports and follows up on achievement
• Set the overall direction for regional activities considering the corporate strategy and the big picture of internal and external aspects in coordination with the Head of Sales.
• Support team selection and set-up according required expertise, in close cooperation with the related line managers
• Ensure a highly motivated team and a professional, customer oriented and solution focused way of working within the team
• Drives people development by identifying and coaching talents and ensuring a transparent and participative communication
• Identifies and drives changes in a future-oriented, solution-oriented and proactive manner.

Performance Management

• Manage and report on the performance of the function / business area; set appropriate performance objectives for direct reports and hold them accountable for achieving these
• Take appropriate corrective action where necessary to ensure the achievement of annual business objectives

Management & Steering ·

• Is responsible for the operational results of business in area of responsibility.
• Drives and monitors business results and initiates corrective actions.
• Ensures the proper implementation of all relevant corporate strategies, policies and standards
• Ensures compliance with all relevant regulations.

Commercial & Finance

• Participates in the development and preparation of short-term and long-range business plans and budgets based upon broad organization goals and objectives. Recommends their adoption and implementation in region of responsibility
• Participates in the preparation of forecast reports on sales and marketing strategies and plan, organize and implement the strategies to achieve sales targets and company’s profitablility
• Directs internal operations to achieve budgeted results and other financial criteria
• Manage work processes, schedules and plans to ensure service delivery in accordance with the company commitments and client (patient, doctor, funder) requirements and contracts
• Appraises and evaluates the results of overall operations regularly and systematically, and reports these results to the Commercial Lead and GM
• Lead/collaborate with commercial excellence to maintain monthly and quarterly sales forecasting processes aligned with financial targets.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain to ensure sales commitments are aligned with product availability and logistics timelines

Human Resources

• Implement HR strategies and initiatives aligned with the overall business strategy
• Foster employee relations by addressing demands, grievances or any other employment issues including conflict management to ensure a healthy work environment
• Managing the recruitment and selection process in conjunction with HR
• Conduct orientation, train and coach the sales team in execution of daily tasks and to maximize productivity
• Nurture a positive working environment
• Drives a high-performance culture by managing and overseeing performance standards of team.
• Strong support for the compliance standards
• Ethical leadership style through integrity and exemplary behavior
• Observance and implementation of corporate values in daily business

2) Secondary tasks:

• Top line revenue for Care Enablement
• Profit as per budget
• Reduce DSO and bad debt
• Customer Retention
• KOL management: customers and competitors
• Align region segmentation with staff routine: Gold customers and Silver customers
• Contract management
• Tender management
• People management and development
• Ability to work in a matrix
• Legal compliance and regulatory
• Research on latest renal articles – keep updated with latest news
• Stakeholder management

1) Required training and education:

• Business studies (at a university or university of applied sciences, Bachelor or Master) specialising in Business, Marketing and/or relevant qualification.

2) Required professional experience (in years):

• At least 6 years professional experience in a comparable field of responsibility oriented to sales and people.
• Experience in project management and/or project leadership
• Profession experience in the field of medical technology would be an advantage

3) Important personal qualities:

• Strong customer orientation and ability to represent FME towards the customers
• Confident negotiation skills and skills in approaching people
• Confident, convincing and motivating
• Strong professional attitude characterized by a result, quality, patient and customer oriented working style
• Strong structured approach leading to pragmatic and effective solutions
• Strong ability to set priorities and take decisions even under changing conditions
• Strong ability to work as a self-starter and self-managed
• Strong communication skills
• High level of flexibility, openness and empathy, well balanced with high resilience, persuasiveness, self-confidence and good ability to work in a structured way even under pressure

4) Other specialized knowledge:

Technical knowledge

• Excellent understanding of country healthcare sector as well as pronounced understanding of market and political environment and related interdependencies
• Customer and country specific knowledge
• Excellent moderation and presentation skills
• Ability to close complex deals and ensure contract management post deal closure

This role is based in Gauteng.