Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

SUMMARY:
Our Client, a Durban based national wholesaler and distributor of industrial components, is seeking to appoint a CEO.

POSITION INFO:
Strategy Execution & Financial Performance

• Drive growth in profitability and shareholder returns through:
• Motivating and aligning people around strategic objectives
• Allocating resources effectively
• Identifying and capitalising on opportunities
• Maintaining strong cost discipline
• Hold senior managers accountable for:
• Growth objectives
• Financial performance and returns
• Working capital management
• Delivery against agreed KPIs

• Continually evaluate and refine the brand positioning to meet evolving market expectations
• Live the brand values personally and ensure they are embedded across the organisation
• Build a high-performance business culture aligned to accountability, delivery, and ethical leadership
• Ensure team capability aligns with brand expectations, addressing underperformance decisively and professionally
• Take ultimate accountability for what the brand stands for today and aspires to become

• Maintain a clear view of industry trends, competitive dynamics, and future risks
• Manage risks inherent in a day-to-day trading environment
• Position resources to take advantage of current and emerging opportunities
• Lead proactive risk identification and mitigation strategies

• Build and continuously strengthen a leadership team capable of delivering strategy
• Develop internal talent and selectively acquire external talent aligned to future business needs
• Ensure organisational structures (branches, regions, divisions) are efficient, scalable, and fit for purpose
• Drive succession planning and future-focused organisational design

• Support the Brand and Continually evaluate and refine the brand positioning to meet evolving market expectations
• Align marketing strategy with overall business objectives
• Ensure consistent and effective communication of the brand internally and externally
• Communicate clearly, regularly, and credibly with stakeholders at all levels

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key suppliers
• Strategic involvement in priority and new product initiatives

• Oversight of major procurement decisions
• Support finance in managing stock levels, slow-moving stock, and working capital targets
• Ensure stock turn and WCM metrics are achieved

• Align Regional Managers and Divisional Managers to drive collaboration, decision-making, and accountability

• Build and maintain relationships with major customers
• Maintain visibility of key deals, margins, and commercial risks
• Support finance in debtor management and collections
• Ensure service delivery meets customer expectations and brand promise

• Support regional operational requirements including People, Stock, Materials handling equipment and Vehicles and other assets

• Ensure regions and branches are optimally structured and resourced
• Drive efficiency improvements and cost optimisation
• Define and implement future-focused organograms aligned to strategy
• Conduct skills analysis in line with evolving business needs

• Provide strategic input into financial decision-making beyond pure numbers
• Support finance interactions with customers and suppliers

• A relevant tertiary qualification
• Proven experience leading a mid-sized to large organisation at a senior, or top management level
• Demonstrated ability to lead multi-functional teams (sales, operations, finance, supply chain, HR)
• Experience operating within board-governed or owner-managed environments, with strong governance discipline

• Strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen
• Solutions-oriented problem solver
• Decisive, pragmatic leader with high accountability