SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:
Head of Commercial & Growth | Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal | Executive Build on an established publishing legacy. Create the next generation of commercial growth. Our client is seeking an entrepreneurial, commercially astute executive to lead its commercial strategy, strengthen its established market position and unlock new sources of sustainable revenue. This is a strategic leadership opportunity for someone who has successfully turned commercial opportunities into profitable businesses, launched new products or services, and delivered measurable growth beyond traditional sales channels. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer, the Head of Commercial & Growth will lead the organisation's commercial, sales and marketing agenda, with the Marketing team reporting into this position. The successful candidate will be responsible for protecting and growing the existing educational publishing business while developing and executing a broader commercial diversification strategy. A critical priority will be identifying, validating, launching and scaling new revenue streams that reduce reliance on traditional textbook procurement cycles. Opportunities may include digital educational resources, subscription models, e-commerce, licensing, institutional solutions, partnerships, exports and other commercially viable offerings. This role requires more than an experienced sales leader. They are looking for someone who can demonstrate personal involvement in taking new products, services, channels or markets from concept to sustainable commercial revenue. The successful individual will combine entrepreneurial thinking with financial discipline, strategic marketing capability and the ability to translate opportunities into executable business plans. Candidates from educational publishing, EdTech, education services, professional information services, subscription businesses and other relevant B2B commercial environments are encouraged to apply. Direct publishing experience is advantageous but not essential. What matters most is a demonstrable track record of creating new revenue opportunities, commercialising offerings and delivering measurable business growth, together with the adaptability to understand the South African education sector. What You'll Do Commercial Strategy and Core Business Growth Develop and execute national commercial and sales strategies aligned with revenue, profitability and market-share objectives. Protect and grow the established educational publishing and LTSM business. Provide commercial direction and performance oversight across the provincial sales network. Work with Provincial Sales Managers to strengthen market penetration, adoption activity and customer relationships. Build and maintain strategic relationships with the Department of Basic Education, provincial education departments, relevant DHET stakeholders, schools, booksellers, distributors and education partners. Use market intelligence, curriculum developments, provincial adoption trends and customer insights to inform commercial decisions and forecasts. Business Development and Revenue Diversification Identify and evaluate new markets, customer segments, products, services and commercial channels. Develop and execute strategies that reduce reliance on traditional textbook procurement cycles. Take new commercial opportunities from concept and business case development through launch, commercialisation and sustainable growth. Build financially sound business cases covering demand validation, pricing, margins, investment requirements and expected returns. Explore opportunities across digital educational resources, subscriptions, e-commerce, licensing, institutional solutions, exports and strategic partnerships. Establish commercially sustainable relationships and partnerships across education and relevant adjacent markets. Strategic Marketing and Customer Acquisition Lead an integrated marketing strategy supporting established publishing products and new commercial offerings. Strengthen customer segmentation, acquisition, retention and product positioning. Drive effective use of CRM, customer insights, digital marketing, market research and commercial analytics. Oversee brand positioning, marketing campaigns, product launches and stakeholder communications. Measure marketing effectiveness and ensure commercial investment delivers measurable returns. Leadership, Financial Performance and Governance Lead, develop and manage the Marketing team. Drive commercial accountability across sales and marketing activities. Own agreed revenue targets, commercial forecasts and sales and marketing budgets. Work closely with Finance on pricing, profitability, margins and return on investment. Present commercial performance, market intelligence, growth proposals and investment requirements to the CEO and relevant governance forums. Assess the financial, human and technical resources required to execute growth initiatives. Develop realistic, prioritised commercial plans aligned with the organisation's strategic objectives. What You Bring Substantial senior-level commercial leadership experience. A proven track record of direct accountability for sales performance, business development and revenue growth. Demonstrable success in creating, launching and scaling new revenue streams, products, services or commercial channels. Evidence of taking an opportunity from concept or early-stage development to sustained commercial revenue. Experience protecting and growing an established revenue base while diversifying into new markets or offerings. Strong commercial and financial acumen, including business case development, pricing, margin management, forecasting, budgeting and ROI. Strategic marketing experience covering customer segmentation, acquisition, retention, product positioning and market development. Experience leading geographically distributed teams and influencing senior stakeholders. The ability to develop commercially sustainable partnerships and identify new market opportunities. Strong analytical, strategic planning and execution capabilities. Adaptability, curiosity and the willingness to understand the complexities of the South African education sector. A relevant tertiary qualification in Business, Commerce, Marketing or a related discipline is advantageous. A postgraduate commercial qualification would be beneficial. What Success Looks Like Protection and sustainable growth of the existing publishing revenue base. Improved national sales execution, market penetration and commercial performance. Successful launch and commercialisation of new products, services and revenue streams. Reduced dependence on traditional textbook procurement cycles through a more diversified commercial model. Demonstrable contribution from new revenue streams to overall profitability. Stronger customer acquisition, retention, segmentation and channel effectiveness. Improved forecasting, commercial reporting and data-led marketing decisions. Effective leadership and accountability across the commercial and marketing functions. Credible, costed growth initiatives that align with available organisational resources and strategic priorities. Position Details Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer Location: Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. Onsite presence required for at least the first 12 months, with national travel as required. Position Level: Senior Functional Head \/ Executive Leadership The Opportunity This is an opportunity for a commercially driven executive who wants to shape the future growth of an established South African publishing business. The successful candidate will have the mandate to challenge traditional revenue models, pursue new commercial opportunities and translate entrepreneurial thinking into measurable business performance. If you have a track record of creating new revenue streams rather than simply managing an existing sales function, we would like to hear from you.
