Job Summary

• To drive and deliver exceptional sales business performance, through the provision of efficient business management, powerful leadership, team development and achievement of operational rigour excellence through the management of Area Sales Managers in the Cluster.
• At least 85% of the time of the Regional Sales Manager should be spent in the field opening up sales opportunities and people management to enhance productivity

Key accountabilities/Deliverables/Outcomes

Accountability:  PEOPLE MANAGEMENT; Time split: 40%

• Working with the team to achieve sales targets in the respective business area through business development activities and providing feedback on performance. Ensuring a proper sales discipline is in place i.e. each Area Sales Manager submits daily/weekly sales plans, and reports on realisation of the same.
• Ensure full use of the sales management tools – Ensure a proper sales discipline is in place i.e. each Area Sales Manager submits daily/weekly sales plans, and reports on realisation of the same.
• Sales planning – determining where each team will sell, the best market approach, sales logistics including transport, brochures, fliers etc.
• Build and develop a high performing team through embedding performance development and coaching. Ensure that Area Sales managers in the cluster provide regular coaching and feedback to their teams in order to develop them.
• Discuss and finalise Performance Development Plans and ratings for all Area Sales managers in the area. Review patterns of staff performance based on the sales dashboard statistics compiled by Area Sales Managers.
• Determine and manage Training Needs Analysis and Succession plans for Area Sales Managers and also carry out relevant training for the Area Sales Managers.
• Effective resource management/planning that reflects current and future business requirements, ensuring that the correct balance of numbers, skills and experience, by playing an active role in recruitment and exits. This includes evaluating requests from Area Sales managers for additional staff, and reallocating headcount between sales areas within cluster/Region headcount budget.
• Sign off leave requests received from Area Sales managers.
• Initiates discipline charges for Area Sales managers when required, follows discipline process, together with HR. Also acts as first level escalation point for grievance
• Act as the escalation point for their unresolved queries and complaints received by Area Sales Managers.
• Motivate staff to deliver, and ensure they are recognized through recognition schemes.
• Manage retention by reducing  attrition of lgs from the current 47% to below 20%

Accountability:  BUSINESS MANAGEMENT; Time split: 40%

• Agree targets and take accountability for the overall achievement of Sales Performance objectives for the cluster under management in terms of:
• Cascading targets to direct reports and teams, and ensuring buy-in
• Be accountable for the productivity of Area Sales Managers of both the Branches and the Central Team by reviewing them on a monthly basis.  Discuss progress with Area Sales managers and ensure that exceptional performance is recognized. Also agree action plans with Area Sales managers that are not meeting targets, review progress towards such action plans or initiate performance exits where necessary.
• Sales growth and income contribution – ensure sales numbers are submitted to the Country Sales Manager daily.
• Risk and rigour management  including managing RTS levels
• Accountable for achieving annual sales targets as agreed with the Country Sales Manager. Monitoring of progress towards achieving targets is done on a daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
• Cost performance.
• Customer experience

Brand, product and business proposition:

• Provide clear direction to Area Sales Managers on the Absa’s business objectives, translating and prioritizing into business performance measures at Sales level.
• Analyse local area consumer trends, competitor analysis, business development opportunities based on detailed analysis received from Area Sales managers in the area. Guide Area Sales managers on how to conduct market analysis.
• Occasionally contact key business influencers, mostly on request from the Area Sales manager, to support product sales initiatives or complaint resolution.

Business Expansion:

• Work with BAW RMs to unlock sales in companies through visibility, sales activations, and financial trainings and work with the sales teams to bring leads on new company sign ups
• Ensure that clusters are operating in full capacity as per the signed off capacity plan by recruiting Area Sales Managers and ensure that Area Sales Manager’s capability levels are such that they can recruit their Sales teams.

Accountability: RIGOUR/COMPLIANCE; Time split: 10%

Outputs:-

• Enhance compliance with operations risk and rigour requirements e.g. KYC and anti-money laundering measures through regular communication with Area Sales Managers and directly with Sales staff on the importance and contents of such policies.
• Undertake planned visits to branches and the Central Team within the allocated area to check that processes are being followed.
• Take responsibility for ensuring that all staff in the area are trained on compliance requirements

Accountability: CUSTOMER SERVICE; Time split: 5%

Outputs:

• Review monthly query and complaint trend analysis compiled by Area Sales Managers.
• Review Sales action plans and provide advice on how to improve the sales service delivery.
• Ensure that all Absa’s Values are embedded in the cluster of operation in customer service.
• Interact with internal service providers to ensure a high level of customer service.
• Embed TCF Principles across the cluster under responsibility and managing cases of miss-selling

Accountability: CONTRIBUTION TO THE TEAM; Time split: 5%

Outputs

• Pursue your own career development to increase personal effectiveness and acknowledge strengths and areas of development.
• Set annual performance development objectives with the Regional Sales Managers.