Partner Account Manager - Vodacom

Role Purpose/Business Unit:

• The Partner Account Manager (PAM) is responsible for driving partner channel objectives 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.
• The PAM is responsible for management of the allocated partner distribution, 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 & Stakeholder Management

• Primary owner of the relationship for the partner portfolio
• Develop a healthy, productive and respectful relationship with all business partners (on the allocated base) based on integrity and professionalism.
• Acquire a thorough understanding of key partner/customer needs and requirements.
• Drive channel objectives across the partner base to meet annual targets
• Develop and grow partner relationships to create new value and opportunities.
• Provide valuable inputs the manager for developing a sales plan and monitoring its implementation across the partner base
• Develop contact strategies and partner account plans (PAP) for the allocated partner base in order to drive sales targets
• Manage partner engagements and drive store engagements to meet sales targets and strategic partner channel objectives
• Performance management of partners and stores on the allocated partner base
• Develop a pipeline of prospects together with the partner base, which are systematically qualified, managing the decision-making process to ensure sales prospects are closed
• Own escalated partner & customer complaints, for the allocated distribution, from a service perspective.
• To support finance & credit control in recovering overdue and non-payment by clients.
• Ensure the correct products and services are delivered to customers in a timely manner as per the customer needs and objectives.
• Serve as the link of communication between business partners / key customers and internal teams.
• Resolve any issues and problems faced by partners & customers and deal with complaints to maintain trust.
• Play an integral part in generating new sales that will turn into long-lasting relationships.
• Clearly communicate the progress of monthly/quarterly initiatives to internal and external stakeholder 

Reporting

• Prepare monthly/ Weekly Run Rate and Demand Management
• Perform Sales Analysis for the allocated partner base and store base
• Annual Sales Strategy & Budget Planning
• Prepare regular reports of progress and forecasts to internal and external stakeholders using key metrics (partner account planning)
• Forecast and track key account metrics across the allocated partner base
• 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)

The ideal candidate for this role will have

• Degree /Equivalent
• A minimum of 3+ years’ work experience in a 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 mobile and beyond mobile products and solutions, market dynamics and sales
  • Ability to build & grow relationships

Technical Competencies 

• Experience in solution selling within enterprise customers
• 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
• Successful track record of managing multi- industry sales and demonstrate profitable revenue growth

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)
• Organizational Savvy: Demonstrates strong understanding of assigned strategy for the Business/ Function and creates strong team alignment to the strategy.