Representative - Channel.Commercial Operations SA

• To provide innovative solutions, execute merchandising plans and maintain MTN standards for optimum performance of stores in alignment with Regional Sales Operations Channel strategies.
• To provide day-to-day training and communication of merchandising plans, including execution, support and guidance to the distributors in the assigned region,
• To meet or exceed retention and acquisition targets by providing exceptional customer centric service

Context: (Global influences, environmental / industry demands, organisational mission, etc.)

• Fast moving industry with constantly changing business requirements and technologies
• Fluid complexities of customer expectations and demands
• Highly competitive market with new and established competitors and aggressive competitor strategy and delivery
• Highly dynamic and fluctuating Telecommunications industry
• Total customer experience for MTN brand
• Constantly changing consumer and market needs
• Fast paced environment
• Market dynamics and developments
• MTN policies, processes and procedures
• Regulatory industry norms govern MTN and partners
• Highly pressurized, deadline-driven environment
• Highly legislated / regulated environment requires compliance • Participative environment – highly diverse and team-focused

Key Performance Areas: Core, essential responsibilities / outputs of the position (KPA's)
Key Tasks: Indicates those KPA’s that are essential to the position itself. These are normally specific to the incumbent, the job and the function. Excludes role and leadership / management.

• The implementation and execution of innovative solutions and service excellence to ensure effective sales and promotions
• To execute innovative merchandising plans, including roll out of plans and promotions to distributors and stores
• Ensure that all promotions and plans are correctly implemented as per the Promotional Brief
• To train, assist, communicate the plans and products, product promotions, systems, services, customer experience, promotions, and assist where necessary to ensure they are correctly and effectively implemented as well as anything required by MTN to be taught at a distributor and store levels
• Monitor alignment to current promotions and incentives
• Comply to regular call cycle for store visits
• To understand, anticipate and capitalise on changes in consumer behaviour
• Drive relationships with distributors and stores, in order to execute merchandising

• To achieve measurable results in sales via the execution of solutions and service excellence.
• Execute merchandising cycle of visual and point of sale merchandising via standardised processes, policies and procedures to provide seamless customer service and experiences.
• Consider local conditions, as well as competitor activity to create competitive advantage
• Ensure consistent merchandising and layout collaborating with Marketing for look and feel and with Trade Partner Supervisor for design elements
• Ensure that all merchandising complies with MTN Corporate Identity and ensure adherence and consistency of application to PPPs
• Deal with escalated queries from trade Partners and ensure resolution.
• Drive best practice, continuous improvement and innovation at process and procedure level and ensure innovation to improve best practice
• Negotiate Point of Sale presence within the various sites to ensure Brand presence
• Identify and recommend innovative ways to enhance the consumer channel performance and marketing mix
• Understand, and implement innovate ways, and local requirements and action plans for the different regions in relation to the execution and implementation of the strategy and also liaise with the approved stake holders.
• Ensure compliance of strategy to the Informal Indirect , Direct , Retail and Branded channel and implement remedial action for non-compliance
• Compile daily reports for sites visited
• Identify opportunities to increase sales in the different market sectors
• Collaborate with OEM’s to ensure adequate OEM merchandising elements are available to display i.e. Dummy Units , Point of Sale etc.

Relationship building and maintenance

• Build and maintain relationships with all stake holders
• Follow up on and respond to all queries and ensure effective resolution at store level
• Maintain good communication and relationships with all areas of the Informal Channel

Report Generation

• Ensure regular feedback to management on all distributors, stores and merchandising activities • Provide inputs for the preparation of channel related process documents.
• Provide auditors with all necessary information as required and ensure that all audit points relevant to this position are dealt with timeously and accurately.
• Complete reports on a daily / weekly/monthly as required by business

Budget Management

• Ensure all expenditure is in line with the agreed budget
• Identify areas where money is lost and seek ways to reduce expenditure
• Identify opportunities to generate additional revenue

Compliance

• Ensure that all promotional material and all posters, advertising and communication media are compliant and consistent across distributors as per the company’s corporate Identity
• Ensure that all marketing material meets the MTN standards and is current
• Conduct a thorough quality control and correct any discrepancies
• Where constant problems occur, remediate and resolve and conduct additional training of necessary • If necessary, report non-compliance

Training

• Conduct on-the-job training at distributor and store level
• Ensure that thorough communication and effective training is delivered
• Ensure that a consistent message meeting is delivered of MTN standards
• Management of training targets (including booking vs attendance) as per the training calendar in your region
• Ensure trade partners are aware of new products that are launching and provide training material supplied bny the traing department for ease of reference.

Customer Satisfaction

• Establish and build relationships with all relevant stakeholders
• Align service delivery to changing market conditions and channel requirements
• Understand customer needs and communicate them to Supervisor
• Ensure customer needs and requirements are satisfied through appropriate systems, processes and procedures
• Ensure contingency plans in place to prevent delays and enhance the customer experience and communicate effectively to manage expectations
• Adopt a proactive approach to prevent problems from arising in the future
• Deliver measurable results consistently for all distributors
• Drive continuous improvement as an important element of service delivery

Supervisory / Leadership / Managerial Tasks: Refers to the responsibilities for directing, guiding, motivating and influencing others.

• Build professionalism, loyalty and commitment to the organization
• Ensure compliance of stores to MTN standards and procedures and escalate if necessary
• Communicate actively and effectively resolving any potential conflicts that may arise
• Monitor distributor progress and report on sales and market share
• Build and enforce a customer centric approach
• Build employee relations and collaborative teamwork
• Have the self insight and flexibility to adapt to different situations
• Manage boundaries that separate units in order to optimise workflow
• Live the MTN Brand – change and influence employees behaviour
Role Dependencies: Does not refer to the various “roles” that the incumbent has to assume in the conducting of the duties. Instead, this would be additional complexity that should not be inherent in this job, but the incumbent has responsibility for. Example HR Managers having to manage an IT function.

• Ensure that all activities are culturally sensitive in the local areas.

Lateral Dimensions: These indicate the areas where the individuals could contribute uniquely in addition to the indicated duties, as well as how they could be affected by others or circumstances not necessarily under their control.

Creativities (improvement/innovation inherent) Indicates the potential for improvement and / or innovation inherent in a position.

• Initiate resolution compliance, non-adherence and quality control
• Apply market research in an optimal way to add as much value as possible to other areas of the business
• Proactive research and speedy communication of results and recommendations to the relevant areas to build a competitive advantage
• Deploy and redeploy resources in the most effective way
• Make continuous improvements at system, process and procedure level
• Define and recommend opportunities for improvement and innovation
• Identify innovative ways to use minimum resources to achieve maximum outputs
• Understand key customer insight, and communicate this to the business via vertical strategy documents • Identify and understand trends in stores
• Stay abreast of business requirements and ensure activities are aligned to them
• Manage business intelligence for key customers and stores to identify trends and risks for MTN
• Build and maintain brand credibility
Vulnerabilities (control span) Refers to the latent difficulties, or things that could potentially go wrong that affect a specific position. Such vulnerabilities may / may not be under the control of the incumbent. Direct implication or first level of impact.

• Non-achievement of sales targets and merchandising standards
• Limited resources and geographic spread of outlets across the country
• Ineffective support or resistance from key stakeholders
• Poor strategy elements
• Supplier failure
• Non compliance of MTN standards at distributor and store levels
• Insufficient level of training at store levels
• Conflict (in some instances) with stores promoting their own brand versus MTN brand.
• Lack of communication with Marketing, Sales and other departments
• Ineffective management and implementation of control measures
• Rapidly changing consumer behaviour trends
• Changes in South African regulatory environment
• New products and services offered by MTN directly influence this position and therefore could impact on deliverables e.g, unrealistic deadlines.
• Increasing pace of the business requiring fast turn-around times
• MTN Network Coverage
• Delay in receiving Point of Sale from marketing
Collaboration: Refers to formal and informal relationships

Responsibility towards: who are they and what do they receive from the incumbent.
• Direct reports: None
• Matrix reports: Trade Partner Supervisor
• Key customers: Distributors, retailers, Informal Direct, Indirect, Branded and end consumers
• Key suppliers: Marketing, OEM’s
• Relations, etc.: Suppliers, Supply Chain, Auditors, Key Accounts Team, HVRC
Discretionary Space: The degree to which individuals are allowed to exercise independent thought and judgement
Independent thought and Judgment: Relates to the decision-making constraints place upon a position or conversely, the degree of freedom in decision-making.

• Work is done according to practical, clearly structured work procedures
• Make decisions to drive immediate response times
• Use information to deliver in-built excellence
• Make judgement calls to ensure front-line service delivery, quality and excellence
• Prioritisation of work and call schedule
• Decision-making that is effective and responsible for profit, customer service and business sustainability and growth
• Execution of merchandising and distributor elements of design / look-and-feel
Authorities: Financial and other decision making authorities, e.g. engaging contracts with suppliers.
• None

Minimum Requirements - minimum necessary, and not the ideal / preferred should be included.
Education:
• Diploma in Commerce (Marketing / Communication or related)

Experience:
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience in an area of specialisation; with experience in working with others
• Experience working in a small to medium organization
Training:
• Procedures and processes
• Products and Services
• Systems training
• Project management
• Marketing
• Effective sales training
Competencies
Head - Big Picture Focus (5)
• Solution Provider - Executes task in relation to tactical plans
• Problem Solver - Learns from others and draws on past experience to solve challenges
• Quality Enabler - Executes on commercial practices and identifies areas of continuous improvement

Heart – Emotionally Intelligent (15)
• Culture and Change Champion - Role models ethical practices by living the MTN values and vital behaviours
• Caring People Employee - Is self-aware and takes accountability own personal development to realise full potential
• Relationship Manager - Champions the MTN brand

Hands – Results Focused (60)
• Results Achiever - Delivers individual results and support team objective
• Operationally Astute - Organizes work to deliver on daily priorities and plans