SUMMARY:
Senior Market Advisor - Tech - Business Development - Sub Saharan Africa - Connecting the Continent
POSITION INFO:
Role Purpose:
The purpose of this role in the Johannesburg office is to work with a portfolio of client companies to support them to achieve significant growth in their exports into Sub Saharan Africa (the primary focus markets being South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya). The role will involve working with a range of client companies who have the capability to enter and/or scale in these markets.
The successful candidate will be required to initiate and implement a range of business development activities, develop strong networking and consultancy skills, to identify opportunities and facilitate introductions for Irish client companies to achieve sales and exports into the Sub Saharan African market.
The role will involve working closely with the senior management of a range of Irish companies at different growth stages, and at different levels of engagement (from first entry to significant scaling) with the markets, in order to develop real business opportunities. Focus sectors for this role within the Johannesburg office include (non-exhaustive): Information & Communication Technologies (ICT), BPO & IT Services, Fintech and Digital Transformation Technologies.
The candidate appointed will work as a core member of a dynamic team; proactively working with Irish businesses to ensure they grow their exports to SSA.
Key Deliverables:
The focus of this Senior Market Adviser is to support Irish companies in building export sales in the Sub Saharan Africa markets;
 Help drive export growth by supporting Irish client companies already exporting to these markets to grow sales.
 Work with Irish client companies with the potential to export to these markets and support their market entry.
 Contribute to the SSA team metric targets by assisting these companies to win new customers, deals & strategic partnerships in the market, thus contributing to the SSA targets of export growth.
 Leverage a network of buyers & decision makers in target companies in the priority SSA markets that can be introduced to Irish companies.
 Pro-actively identifying opportunities for Irish companies through market intelligence, while leveraging the cross-sectoral expertise of the team in SSA and the wider IMEA region.
 Act as an innovator identifying new areas of opportunity for Irish companies.
 Engage with the management of client companies relevant to the priority SSA markets and position the opportunities in these markets to them.
 Contribute to and coordinate some SSA or wider IMEA projects.
 Draw up a yearly sector strategy and events plan. Initiate and manage project/events in market and in Ireland to facilitate introductions between Irish companies and potential partners from the region.
 Support the team and local manager on office initiatives, Ministerial programs and cross-sectoral events.
 Working with Head Office colleagues to deepen understanding of the client portfolio; champion regional opportunities; influencing client companies to come to the Region/market and diversify from existing export markets.
 Working closely with interagency colleagues, such as the Department of Foreign Affairs (Embassies), the Industrial Development Authority, Bord Bia (Irish Food Board) and the various Irish Business Networks operating in SSA.
In order to deliver on targets, the following projects and plans are in place, with set objectives and deliverables;
 Implementation of a process and tools to optimise client engagement – ability to learn and adopt internal systems for CRM and reporting.
 Review portfolio of current exporters in the determined sectors to identify clients capable of gaining further market share, including clients with whom we have not yet engaged meaningfully.
 As part of above review, identify the priority sub-sectors or end-market clusters with the most potential for Irish companies.
 Identify clients capable of entering the SSA markets who have not yet done so.
 Identify where there are mini capability or end market clusters which could benefit from a group approach.
Functional Competencies:
Essential
 Excellent understanding of the technology landscape in SSA with the capacity to identify key areas of opportunity for Irish clients.
 Have a network in the SSA markets which can be leveraged by Irish companies seeking to export to these markets; demonstrate capability to build networks in Ireland.
 Have excellent knowledge and understanding of business development, consulting skills and the ability to assess and challenge market plans of clients to help them best grow their business in these markets.
 Recent commercial/business development experience in SSA is a must; with knowledge and understanding of target sector routes to market in the technology sector, including (channel) partner options for clients in SSA.
Desirable
 As the role involves working with clients with a broad variety of product offerings, the ideal candidate should possess a good business acumen and the ability to communicate with executives from a variety of business disciplines (senior management, project management, R&D, engineering, procurement etc.) and at various decision-making and management levels within a corporation.
 Demonstrated capacity to rapidly assimilate the key drivers in business sub-sectors and niches.
 Ability to work on own initiative and to initiate and manage projects/events as well as working within and contributing to a team.
 Has a good knowledge/understanding of the different cultures and the major issues impacting business competitiveness of Irish companies in SSA.
 Results orientation, dedication to clients and a “can-do” attitude is essential.
 Ability to influence and build credibility with clients and target companies.
 Clear ability to increase in-market delivery capability through the identification and management of third-party collaborators.
 Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills.
 Fluency in English is a requirement.
Behavioural Competencies
Results Focused
The ability to remain outcome and results focused with regard to business priorities and organisational goals, monitoring progress and adjusting approach ensuring delivery against the appropriate timescales.
Innovation and Risk-Taking
Actively encourages new ideas, experimentation and measured risk-taking, while always being on the look out for opportunities to continuously improve business processes and efficiencies within the business and client organisations.
Problem Solving and Decision-Making
The ability to be decisive and take tough decisions about clients, people and costs to deliver sustainable results, using the analysis of information and situations to make logical and sound decisions.
Client Focused
The ability to provide an excellent client service focusing on client needs and building and maintaining effective personal and business relationships to advance clients objectives and company strategy.
Communicating with Impact to Influence Others
Communicates in a manner that will persuade, convince and influence their own staff and others, both internally and externally, in order to motivate, inspire or encourage them to follow a particular course of action.
Team working
Co-operates with colleagues, shares information and respects the opinions and values of staff members. Understands the skills, experience and knowledge of staff members and maximises how these can be utilised to the benefit of the department, the organisation and the client.
Embracing & Leading Change
Understands the business agenda of the business and embraces changes for area of responsibility and for external and internal clients.
Acting / Leading with Integrity
Lives the company purpose and values, acting genuinely and with integrity, in a manner that builds trust and engages and motivates others, placing the genuine needs of the client, the organisation, and staff ahead of personal agendas
Developing Yourself & Others
Creates an environment that enables others to excel in terms of job performance.
Salary +- R800 - R-----p.a CTC
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