Regional Sales Manager

The successful sales manager of this newly created position will head up a team of Commercial Advisors

Qualification and Experience

Qualifications

· Relevant B Degree or equivalent NQF6

· RE and FAIS Qualifications / Commercial Short Term Credits

· Advanced knowledge of the face to face distribution sector in Commercial Short Term

· Minimum 5 years’ experience as a key stakeholder in insurance Sales and Business Development

· Minimum of 3 years’ experience in a Sales Management of staff in the field

· Excellent flair for numbers and an ability to augment business rationale

· Excellent people management , coaching & development skills, including a track record of successfully leading large commercial sales teams

· Excellent & Solid Business Development understanding with specific focus to sales optimization as well as performance drive of Commercial Advisors

· A Proven track record of your sales experience and your ability to lead a team of successful face to face sales staff.

Competencies

· Self starter

· Influential, concise, rational and practical communicator

· Creative flair and innovative thinker

· Sound understanding of business

· Incredibly well spoken with strong interpersonal and negotiation skills

· Relationship management

· Strategy and project management skills

· The ability to manage multiple projects within tight deadlines

· Self-motivated team player, able to inspire colleagues

Responsibilities:

Targets and Business Management

· Facilitate achievement of set targets in the region and by driving sales performance at all

times.

· Communication of agreed targets

· Report, to the advisors , changes in strategic direction, structures and operating models

in order to ensure transparent communication and effective operation within the region

· Explain and agree targets with individual advisors , communicate to all levels and take

accountability for the overall achievement of performance objectives in the business area

in terms of employee satisfaction, customer experience, cost performance and return on

investment

· Provide clear direction to team members on the Commercial Advisors strategic plan and

key focus areas and ensure their understanding and buy-in by explaining their expected

contribution to achievement of business objectives

· Manage and drive the turnaround time in terms of targets to ensure a high sales

performance within the region

· Manage the delivery of deviance reporting to the General Manager Sales monthly/as and when

requested in order to provide recommendations and mitigating solution to deviances that

have occurred (e.g. sales targets not met etc.)

· Review performance against balanced score card components as prescribed by the General Manager

Sales , discuss gaps and agree action plans to close gaps

· Assist advisors, as necessary, by interacting with clients in order to facilitate sales and/or

client concerns/complaints

Coaching

· Coaching all Commercial Advisors within the region to promote a

productive sales environment to ensure sales targets are reached

· Meet with Commercial Advisors s in the regional team on a regular basis in on a one on one basis

to coach them on best practice sales processes

· Coach Commercial Advisors on issues and challenges they are experiencing in the

region and provide guidance to them on resolving the issues by e.g. brainstorming around

the issues / challenges or creating support network for the Commercial Advisors to align to

· Coach Commercial Advisors on how to use the relevant

distribution systems and advise them on diary management in

order to upgrade their sales skills

· Coach Commercial Advisors in instances where new projects, campaigns and products are

launched into the regions and provide them with all relevant, updated information to enable

them to produce sales

· Coach Commercial Advisors on all compliance-related processes, procedures and

documentation and monitor their adherence to the same

People Management

· Actively participate in the recruitment and selection process of all Commercial Advisors

by interviewing new team members including determining appropriate compensation

levels per the relevant remuneration model for Commercial Advisors

· Establish and maintain a succession plan for the regional team Commercial Advisors

by seeking and attracting agents / advisors on an ongoing basis

· Create effective workforce plans and recruitment demand plans for own region to ensure that

current and future business requirements can be met. Plans should be revised at least twice a

year or as and when required

· Work with Commercial Advisors in the team to achieve excellent business results through

continuous people development and mentoring activities

· Conduct meaningful performance development discussions with Commercial Advisors and ensure

that agreed action plans are implemented

· Determine and analyze training and development needs for Commercial Advisors . Ensure that

identified training is budgeted for and executed

· Motivate Commercial Advisors in allocated regions and ensure that their efforts are recognized

· Ensure that poor performance is addressed and that continued poor performance is dealt

with in line with the company/department standards

· Approve leave requests for Commercial Advisors s and manage the leave

planning for own team of Commercial Advisors effectively

· Act as first level escalation point for all grievances raised by Commercial Advisors in the region

Risk management

· Communicate processes, control requirements and risk management frameworks that impact

the sales process in own region and provide documented support to ensure understanding

and for reference by Commercial Advisors

· Coach team members on all the processes and controls that they have to execute in their

daily work and ensure that they understand the reasons for the controls and the

consequences for failing to adhere to the prescribed processes

· Ensure that Commercial Advisors in own region complete all required compliance exams and

attestations within specified timeframes.

· Ensure that all regulatory requirements are adhered to by facilitating knowledge acquisition

by Commercial Advisors. Provide information on all changes to policies, processes and

procedures that are being planned and ensure that team members read circulars that are

relevant to the area and answer questions they may have

Identify Business Opportunities

· Identify and manage the creation of new business opportunities for the region in order to

expand the market size for Commercial Advisors

· Identify new business offerings for the Commercial Advisors in order to provide additional sales

opportunities

Transformation:

· Ensure that all operations are in line with the company-wide’s transformation policies