Channel Lead: Retail

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Role Purpose/Business Unit:

• Responsible for driving partner channel objectives, by overseeing and leading the sales teams and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders with the objective to grow and defend the allocated base, through maintaining and growing partner and customer relationships and opportunity management translating into sales. Strong alignment with regional teams and engagement via physical and online sessions to foster trust and collaboration to achieve mutual success. Partner with Lines of Business like IoT, Cloud and Fixed/Mobile to develop future product roadmaps and industry propositions for the partner channel.
• The manager is responsible for management of the sales team and allocated partner base, and the execution of required strategies that is geared towards the achievement of sales targets, customer experience and strategic objectives of the partner channel, meeting annual targets on sales, revenue, inflow, growth, profitability margins etc .

Your responsibilities will include:

Sales Management

• Manage, monitor and review sales targets (responsible for the overall sales number of the allocated base)
• Lead and manage the sales team (partner account managers – PAMs), driving the team to meet the annual sales targets and key KPI’s within their portfolio
• Contribute to sales targets setting for the respective sales team in line with overall sales target.
• Provide necessary inputs to the manager for developing a sales plan and monitoring its implementation to meet channel objectives & targets
• Operationalise the sales plan so as to meet the annual sales targets.
• Maintain and grow partner relationships and partner distribution, driving the channel objectives and growing sales across the allocated partner base
• Develop strategies and operational plans for the allocated distribution / partner base in order to meet sales targets and key KPI’s
• Lead development of a pipeline of prospects which are systematically qualified, managing the partner base and driving the PAMs and partners to close sales prospects
• Leading, guiding, managing and mentoring the sales team, keeping track of performance and reporting on sales performance and key KPI’s of the team
• Management of the partner base, monitoring performance of partners, and driving partners to meet annul sales targets, key sales KPI’s, and channel objectives
• Understand partner & customer patterns and market behaviour to define data-driven forecasting strategies to increase profitability through improved targeted sales strategies
• Represent Vodacom at partner/client negotiations, when necessary
• Provide input to the Product teams for pricing and product development for the customer requirements
• Drive market leadership on Customer NPS & partner rNPS, through delivery of outstanding service

Stakeholder Management

• Provide specialised and technical support to internal and external stakeholders to ensure achievement of functional and organisational objectives
• Establish and monitor healthy, diverse internal and external relations and implement remedial actions where required, in the achievement of organisational goals.
• Develop and maintain key account relationships with business partners, ensuring that channel partners are aligned to the business objectives, customer experience expectations and to the sales partner strategy framework.

Reporting

• Annual Sales Strategy & Budget Planning to meet annual targets
• Prepare monthly/ Weekly Sales Run Rate and Demand Management
• Perform Sales Analysis for sales team and allocated partner distribution
• Forecast and track key metrics for sales team and allocated partner distribution
• Prepare regular reports of progress and forecasts to internal and external stakeholders, focussed on sales and required KPI’s
• Prepare reports on partner base, and top accounts, providing recommendations to maximize sales as per the identifying trends, gaps and opportunities. (Strategic
• partner account Planning & Customer Account Planning with partners)

Delivering through People:

• Oversee the activities of the team to ensure effective delivery of business outcomes, and achievement of annual sales targets and key metrics.
• Supports and enables the team to succeed by encouraging frequent knowledge sharing between team members amongst other enablement initiatives.
• Create fit for future organization capability through skills development informed by skill gap analysis in line with business strategy and ensuring that the identified skills gaps, are addressed through training.
• Develop a high performing team by embedding formal performance management process, informal coaching through continuous 1:1 performance discussion
• Embed the Spirit of Vodacom by living the Spirit behaviours and ensuring consistent Spirit engagement initiatives.
• When required, initiate disciplinary processes for team members calling on support from HR when required
• Resolve grievances raised by team members and escalate only if required
• Motivate team members and ensure that their efforts are recognised by using Vodafone Stars platform.
• Maintain and grow business partner relations, driving Vodacom business strategic objectives across the allocated partner base

The ideal candidate for this role will have:

• B Degree
• A Post Graduate Degree in Sales/Marketing/Business Commerce or related field may be advantageous
• 7+ years’ Sales and Service experience in the telecommunications or technology related environments e.g. (ICT) with demonstrated experience in:
  
  • Partner Channel / distribution management
  • Strong understanding of Indirect sales models & partner ecosystems
  • Strong understanding of fixed and cloud technologies, networks, fixed and cloud market dynamics and sales
  • Ability to build & grow relationships
• 5+ years management experience, and experience in leading a sales team.

Technical Competencies 

• Strategic mind set and out of box thinking
• Experience in solution selling within enterprise customers
• Experience in leading a sales team, and driving the sales team to achieve annual sales targets
• Proven track record in managing business partners and driving sales through business partners
• Deep understanding of the customer’s business, it’s market and industry alongside key decision-makers and influencers in account organisation
• Ability to translate customer’s objectives and strategy into relevant Vodacom Business propositions
• Robust understanding of account P&L
• Experience working in multinational matrix organisation
• Successful track record of managing multi- industry sales teams and demonstrate profitable revenue growth
• Strategic Thinking: Effectively delivers against assigned strategy, exceeding expectations. Translates strategy into clear areas of focus and priorities
• Understanding of the SA telecommunication landscape
• Understanding of Companies customer requirements
• Understanding of technical concepts and the ability to communicate it as viable appealing market offerings
• Understanding of SA business landscape
• Understanding of the Value Chain Analysis with regards to various customer businesses.

Behavioural Competencies 

• Partner management: Maintaining and growing partner relationships & partner distribution, focussing on driving sales through partners and meeting partner channel objectives
• Customer Focus: Prioritizing customer needs and delivering excellent service
• Accountability: seeks feedback and identifies opportunities for improvement or innovation
• Collaboration: Actively fosters collaboration, seeks input and effectively partners
• Resilience: Actively seeks opportunities for growth, demonstrates a strong commitment to self-improvement and has a growth mindset
• Flexibility: uses various techniques to influence others (lobbies, approaches decision makers, finds sponsors)
• People Management: Ensure team work together to deliver on their responsibilities creating accountability and ownership
• Organizational Savvy: Demonstrates strong understanding of assigned strategy for the Business/ Function and creates strong team alignment to the strategy.

We make an impact by offering:

• Enticing incentive programs and competitive benefit packages
• Retirement funds, risk benefits, and medical aid benefits
• Cell phone and data benefits, advantages fibre connection discounts, and exclusive staff discounts offered in collaboration with partner companies

Closing date for Applications: 03 June 2025. 

The base location for this role is Midrand, Vodacom Campus. 

The company's approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply.Vodacom is committed to an organisational culture that recognises, appreciates, and values diversity & inclusion.