You as a Senior Sales Manager will be part of Hitachi Energy business based in Johannesburg, South Africa. You will be planning and ensuring execution of the Substation Automation Systems sales strategy for Southern Africa, to achieve both qualitative and quantitative targets in a profitable way. Responsible for leading and developing and coaching the Sales organization proactively, to exceed the sales targets through high performance to ensure high levels of customer satisfaction.

Your responsibilities

• Creating, planning, and implementing sales strategy, and strategic sales and business development initiatives, in alignment with global sales strategy. Achieving sales targets in respect of both budgets and sales efficiency. Supporting, maintaining, and growing existing accounts. Developing customer relationships within the territory to win new customers and gain recurring revenue from existing customers. Partner with other HITACHI ENERGY sales organizations to build pipeline for HITACHI ENERGY Substation Automation Systems and to increase overall brand value of HITACHI ENERGY. Training and co-selling with HITACHI ENERGY sales teams as appropriate.
• Establishing sales targets and ensuring sales achievement through regular oversight and definition and implementation of improvement plans as needed. Developing pipeline in an organized approach to target list of prospects in identified segment and territory. Working with other HITACHI ENERGY organizations and 3rd party resellers to meet or exceed quota.
• Identifying opportunities at existing and potential new customers within the defined geographical areas and determines plans for acquisition and allocates resources. Partner with HITACHI ENERGY Product managers and Marketing to ensure winning go-to-market plans. Providing customer and market feedback on market segment intelligence and needs. Participating in training provided by technical and product management to have the latest go-to-market plan. Providing feedback on trade events and marketing needs from sales.
• Coordinating the flow of information for sales activities and transactions, including leads, billings, orders, contracts, etc. and evaluating data to ensure achievement of goals. Monitoring and providing reports to the Marketing and Sales organization on market intelligence.
• Supporting the development of strong relationships with key customers. Building and maintaining strong relationships with key decision makers. Ensuring efficient marketing communications.
• Ensuring achievement of sales volume and product mix targets by setting appropriate price and margin for sales. Participating on negotiations of key contracts. Managing ongoing costs. Leadership of all sales activities, administrative duties, account relationship, forecasting, delivery oversight, strategic account management, pre-sales activities, opportunity development, tracking, RFP response, customer budget cycles. Management of sales opportunity from initial customer contact through successful award and contracting, building of a quality sales pipeline.
• Using sales tools to plan, track, and communicate plan to meet or exceed quota including sales quote tools, Salesforce CRM, etc.
• Monitoring client financial status and reporting any changes regarding risk to relevant internal HITACHI ENERGY teams.
• Identifying and managing potential risks relating to contract agreements across customers or channels.
• Taking ownership of the sales processes, and all relevant training and development plans, actions and programs. Team with Sales Engineering to respond to customer and partner technical needs as part of sales process. Coordinating sales efforts closely with Sales Engineering. Partner with HITACHI ENERGY Substation Automation Product Management to execute sales plan to ensure wins. Providing customer and partner feedback to Product Management to ensure clear communications of requirements. Participating in training provided by Product Management to be current on the latest product and pricing information.
• Ensuring (with HR Manager support) that the area of responsibility is properly organized, staffed, skilled and directed. Coaches, motivates, and develops indirect subordinates within HR policies. Driving and ensuring know-how sharing and cross-collaboration.
• Living Hitachi Energy's core values of safety and integrity, which means taking responsibility for your own actions while caring for your colleagues and the business.

• A bachelor's degree in engineering or related field, MBA is an asset.
• 10 years of Substation Automation experience, or alternatively, a special combination of education and experience and/or demonstrated accomplishments.
• Strong selling skills are required to evaluate a wide variety of complex information, develop imaginative sales strategies, and lead related sales efforts.
• Ability to negotiate and successfully conclude deals.
• Proficiency in both spoken & written English language is required