Area Sales Manager - Eastern Cape

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:
Who are we? We are a well-established South African courier and logistics business with a trusted national network and a strong commitment to delivering reliable service to our customers. As we continue to expand our footprint, we are focused on growing our network of service centres, strengthening our presence in key markets and creating opportunities for businesses to access convenient, efficient courier solutions. We are looking for a driven and commercially minded Area Sales Manager to lead this growth, build a high-performing sales team and establish new business opportunities across a designated territory. Who are we looking for? We are looking for an entrepreneurial and results-driven sales leader who thrives on building new business, developing people and driving commercial performance. This is a hands-on leadership role suited to someone who enjoys being in the field, identifying opportunities and converting prospects into long-term business relationships. The successful candidate will play a key role in expanding the area’s footprint, establishing new service centres and developing a team of sales professionals who consistently deliver against their targets. You will bring a strong understanding of the local business landscape, a natural ability to build relationships and the commercial acumen to manage performance and profitability. The ideal candidate is someone who leads by example, takes ownership of results, coaches their team to succeed and operates with the highest levels of integrity and accountability. What will you do? Business Development & Market Expansion Identify and pursue new business opportunities across the designated territory, with a strong focus on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Proactively engage prospective clients, build relationships with business owners and decision-makers, and convert opportunities into sustainable revenue. Develop and maintain a strong sales pipeline to support ongoing business growth. Identify high-potential towns, markets and industry sectors to expand the service centre footprint. Conduct market research and competitor analysis to identify growth opportunities and inform sales strategies. New Service Centre Development Identify and assess potential locations for new service centres based on market demand, commercial viability and growth potential. Develop business cases and commercial assessments to support new centre opportunities. Drive the establishment of new centres from initial planning through to launch and early trading. Build local business relationships and generate new customer activity ahead of and following each centre opening. Monitor the performance of newly established centres and implement strategies to accelerate growth. Sales Leadership & Team Development Recruit, lead, coach and develop a high-performing team of Sales Representatives. Set clear sales targets, performance expectations and territory objectives. Provide hands-on guidance, support and mentorship to strengthen the team’s business development capabilities. Conduct regular performance reviews, identify development needs and implement improvement plans where required. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, customer focus and continuous improvement. Lead by example through active involvement in sales and new-business acquisition, particularly during the area’s growth phase. Commercial Performance & Profitability Take full accountability for the area’s sales targets, revenue growth and commercial performance. Manage the profitability of individual service centres, with ownership of counter-level income statements and budgets. Monitor financial performance, identify opportunities to improve margins and ensure sustainable business growth. Make commercially sound decisions within established pricing and operational frameworks. Identify underperforming centres and implement corrective strategies to improve results. Ensure appropriate escalation of commercial, pricing or operational matters outside the scope of authority. Customer Service & Operational Collaboration Build strong relationships with customers, landlords, local businesses and internal stakeholders. Work closely with servicing branches to ensure a seamless customer experience and effective service delivery. Maintain accurate customer, sales and operational records. Provide regular sales, performance and market updates to executive management. Ensure all business activities are conducted in line with company policies, procedures and values. What do you need? Essential Requirements Matric \/ National Senior Certificate. A proven track record in sales and new-business development, with demonstrable success in achieving and exceeding targets. Previous experience leading, managing or coaching a sales team, or a strong sales performer ready to take the next step into leadership. Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to assess market opportunities and develop sound business cases. A solid understanding of the local market and an established network within the business community. Excellent negotiation, influencing and relationship-building skills. The ability to interpret financial information, manage budgets and work with income statements. Strong analytical, planning and problem-solving abilities. Proficiency in MS Office and the ability to work with operational and reporting systems. A valid driver’s licence and willingness to travel extensively within the designated territory. Advantageous A qualification in Sales, Business Management, Marketing or a related commercial field. Experience within the courier, logistics, transport or retail network industry. Previous experience establishing new branches, outlets, service centres or business locations. Familiarity with courier management systems such as Shiplogic or Parcel Perfect. Proficiency in English and the primary local languages spoken within the designated territory. Why this opportunity? Build from the ground up: Play a key role in establishing and expanding a growing service centre network. Make a meaningful impact: Take ownership of a territory’s growth, profitability and commercial success. Lead and develop people: Build a high-performing sales team and shape its success through hands-on leadership and coaching. Enjoy real commercial responsibility: Drive business decisions, manage budgets and work closely with executive leadership. Be part of an established business: Join a trusted South African organisation with a national infrastructure and a strong market presence. Grow with the business: Take on an expanding leadership scope as the territory develops and matures.