Business Development Manager

SUMMARY:
The Business Development Manager is responsible for growing the company’s customer base and revenue across the Eastern Cape region through proactive new business development, strong account penetration and the sale of appropriate business solutions.
 
The role requires a commercially minded salesperson who understands the Eastern Cape market, can generate quality leads, build senior relationships, prepare professional proposals and close profitable deals. The successful candidate must be comfortable dealing with business owners, executives, government stakeholders, education institutions, and large commercial clients across the region.
 
The BDM must manage the Eastern Cape territory like a marketplace: identifying opportunities, building a reliable pipeline, protecting existing relationships, expanding market share and positioning the broader the company offering to deliver measurable value to customers.

POSITION INFO:
Key responsibilities: Eastern Cape sales and territory management: Develop and maintain a structured sales plan for the Eastern Cape, including PE\/Gqeberha, East London, Mthatha and surrounding towns. Identify and pursue new business opportunities in commercial, government, education, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics and professional services sectors. Build and maintain a strong pipeline of qualified opportunities, with clear next steps, expected close dates and projected revenue \/ gross profit. Meet weekly, monthly and annual sales activity, revenue and gross profit targets. Represent the companies professionally in customer meetings, presentations, networking events, supplier engagements and industry forums. Carry out regular customer visits and ensure consistent follow-up on quotes, proposals and outstanding opportunities. Use CRM or agreed internal reporting tools to record activity, pipeline, forecast, customer detail and deal progress. Solution selling and customer engagement: Understand each customer's business, current environment, challenges, decision-making process and buying criteria. Use strong probing and listening skills to uncover customer needs, pain points and opportunities for improvement. Present solutions that are financially and operationally relevant to the customer's specific requirements. Prepare clear proposals and executive summaries that make it easy for customers to understand the value of the recommended solution. Differentiate the company's portfolio through service capability, regional footprint, reliability, innovation and value for money. Negotiate professionally while protecting margin, contract quality and long-term customer relationships. Internal collaboration: Work closely with the Sales Manager, branch management, service team, finance, operations and warehouse teams to ensure deals are practical, profitable and deliverable. Collaborate with service and operational teams to identify replacement opportunities, underperforming accounts, customer risks and cross-sell opportunities. Leverage the broader the company group where relevant to create integrated customer solutions. Provide management with accurate feedback on market conditions, competitor activity, customer issues and opportunities requiring support. Governance, risk and professional conduct: Maintain high ethical standards in all customers, supplier and internal dealings. Ensure pricing, proposals and commercial commitments are properly approved before being presented to customers. Identify and escalate business risks, service concerns, credit risks and customer dissatisfaction early. Protect company information, customer data and commercially sensitive information. Core responsibilities: Sales management: Achieve agreed annual revenue and gross profit targets. Generate demand for assigned products, services and solutions in the Eastern Cape market. Convert qualified opportunities into signed deals, invoiced business and long-term customer relationships. Track quotes, orders, billing, delivery commitments and customer satisfaction after implementation. Develop new customer relationships and grow existing accounts through structured account management. Prepare and present pipeline, forecast and activity reports as required. Research customer needs, competitor activity and market opportunities in the region. Drive cross-sell and upsell opportunities across print, ICT, managed services, consumables, wide format, production print and other approved business solutions where relevant. Eastern Cape market development: Build a visible sales presence in PE\/Gqeberha and surrounding areas, while supporting wider Eastern Cape growth opportunities. Identify high-value target accounts and develop a contact strategy for each account. Maintain relationships with key decision makers, influencers and operational users. Attend relevant business networking sessions, supplier days, client briefings and industry events where appropriate. Provide regular competitor and market intelligence to management. Accountability: Revenue \/ Gross Profit under management: As agreed by management and aligned to Eastern Cape sales targets Budget under management: As agreed by management Communications and working relationships: Sales Manager \/ Branch Management - Sales planning, pipeline management, reporting and regional execution Service, Operations, Finance and Warehouse Teams - Solution delivery, pricing support, customer service, credit control and operational coordination ADS Stakeholders - Collaboration, support, supplier alignment and broader group opportunities External: Clients, prospects, partners and service providers - new business development, proposal discussions, negotiations, customer relationship management and market development Qualifications, experience and skills: Educational Qualifications Business Management, Sales, Marketing or equivalent qualifications would be advantageous. Experience: At least 2 - 5 years' successful sales experience, preferably in B2B, enterprise, commercial, ICT, office automation, managed services, fleet or related solution sales. Proven track record of prospecting, building pipeline, closing deals and achieving sales targets. Experience dealing with medium to large commercial customers and senior decision makers. Experience using a CRM system or structured pipeline reporting process. Strong understanding of the Eastern Cape business environment would be advantageous. Ability and willingness to travel regularly within the Eastern Cape region. Required skills and attributes: Strong business acumen and commercial awareness. Excellent communication, presentation, negotiation and relationship-building skills. Strong prospecting discipline and ability to open new doors. Ability to understand customer problems and position practical business solutions. Professionalism, integrity and customer service orientation. Attention to detail in proposals, pricing, contracts and follow-up. Self-motivated, results driven and able to work independently across a regional territory. Ability to work with internal teams and coordinate support from multiple departments. Competencies: Behavioral Competencies Communicating and informing Results driven Customer focused Resilient and adaptable Professional and ethical Able to work independently Learned Competencies Prospecting Solution selling Account management Pipeline management Product and service knowledge Selling against competition Hygiene factors Integrity, values and trust Logical thinker Desire to develop and grow Cope with change Passion for customers and excellence