Manager - Device and Inventory.Enterprise Business Unit at MTN

Mission/ Core purpose of the Job

• Working closely with the MTN Executive Leadership Team and the Opco CEOs, the Executive: Group

Mission/ Core purpose of the Job

• To drive efficient and effective management of devices, ensure optimum levels of stock aligned to products and solutions campaigns devised by EBU and to set the targets for sales incentives, both for MTN sales incentive schemes as well as for OEM incentive schemes, in order to drive sales and stock turnover within the channels and regions.

Context (Global influences, environmental / industry demands, organisational mission etc.)

Highly regulated environment

• Rapidly changing technology, products and services and the need to plan for Business niche products
• A strong need to comply and align with standards, legislation and best practices
• Stringent monthly deadline-driven environment
• Participative environment – highly diverse and team-focused
• Operating within regional socio-economic conditions and context
• Operating within the channel structure and strategy
• The provision of innovative solutions and service excellence
• Operating with a highly dynamic, competitive and fluctuating market/ industry
• Fluid complexities of expectations and demands
• Total customer experience for MTN brand
• Work with a culturally diverse team
• Results driven execution sometimes requiring extra effort to go beyond the norm & even on weekends to support stores.

Key Performance Areas: Core, essential responsibilities / outputs of the position (KPA's)

Key Deliverables

Tactical Alignment

• Align all operational activities undertaken in the department to the AMBITION 2025 strategy objectives
• Drive best practice, iterative improvement and innovation at a strategic deployment level
• Ensure effective implementation of sub-divisional strategy by means of providing expert advice, direction, structure, business plans and support

Device Management

• Keep up to date with the various channels sales and marketing initiatives and campaigns, including sales forecasts, in order to understand the volume of devices required across regions and channels
• Manage devices stock across regions and channels to ensure optimum stock levels, aligned to the solutions/products that are being marketed within EBU
• Manage the database of device inventory and run forecasts on stock quantities to facilitate accurate reporting
• Work closely with the bids team to stay informed of current bids, including winning probability and ensure that adequate devices are secured for EBU to deliver on the terms of the bid
• Manage the relationship with approved suppliers, in order to ensure adequacy of orders, taking into account lead times
• Liaise with Supply Chain Management to ensure stocks are replenished as required
• Provide continuous reporting on slow moving stock to marketing and sales, so that they can devise strategies to incorporate these into their solutions/products
• Work closely with the pricing and products team to ensure accurate and suitable pricing tools are incorporated, and accurate stock levels
• Provide training to the sales team on new devices introduced to the market, to ensure that the sales team has a good understanding of the new devices and can provide sound advice to customers

Incentives Management

• Work closely with Finance to set the targets for the sales incentive schemes deployed for EBU, to ensure they are adequately stretched to ensure line of sight and drive sales
• Manage the incentive programmes from OEM suppliers, to ensure that the sales team can leverage from these, driving sales and opportunities for growth
• Monitor target sales and provide continuous reporting to business, to ensure that the sales team is kept informed of the actuals vs targets and can devise action plans to achieve targets
• Provide support to the sales team by modelling incentive pay-outs, based on targets set and performance levels, providing line of sight
• Collaborate with the sales team in order to manage their targets, monitor and track their incentives periodically
• Stay up to date with industry practice around incentive structures and performance drivers

Stakeholder Management

• Manage relationships with suppliers, sales teams, bids team and other relevant stakeholders in order to understand stock level requirements and sales performance indicators
• Train sales team around new devices entering the market

Tactical meetings

• Set up / contribute in adhoc and operational meetings
• Participate and provide input into tactical meetings
   

Escalations

• Manage and resolve escalations that have impact on critical path of service delivery
• Escalate complex issues that will result in significant time, scope, employee/customer or cost impacts if not resolved

Reporting

• Report on an ad hoc basis on specific projects as and when necessary

Budget Management

• Monitor expenses related to the area within the relevant budget required for MTN SA’s EBU Commercial function
• Manage and optimise the budget, ensuring all expenditure is in line with the agreed budget
• Maintain cost effectiveness through effective monitoring of costs and determine initiatives to optimize resources
• Base annual budgets on the identification of trends and patterns within the current operations and extrapolate these over the next planning cycle, taking any known changes in new products or services into consideration

Job Requirements (Education, Experience and Competencies)

Education:

• Minimum of 3 year tertiary degree / diploma

Experience:

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in an area of specialisation with experience in supervising/ managing others
• Experience working in a medium to large organisation

Competencies:

• Conceptual Thinker
• Problem Solver
• Improvement Driver
• Culture and Change Champion
• Supportive People Manager
• Relationship Builder
• Results Achiever
• Operationally Astute

Training:

• Industry and company required training

Industry / Certifications

• Relevant certification / accreditation / membership with professional body as required for role

Other:

• Attitude of Innovation, Inventiveness and thought leadership
• MS Office (Word, Excel, and Outlook)
• Worked across diverse cultures and geographies
• Knowledge of device leading practices and trends
• Knowledge of incentive structures within the Telcos industry