Customer Relations Manager – Southern Africa – East Rand

Salary offer: TCOE: R 940 000 – R 1 300 000, inclusive of basic salary, car allowance, company contribution to medical aid and provident fund.

Job Summary:

Direct Reports 1 x Customer Service Manager, Products and Exports

1 x Customer Service Manager, Lubrication, Services & Solutions

1 x CX Digital Support Representative

Job purpose:

• To lead, direct and drive the strategic and operational development activities within customer service in Southern Africa.
• The role requires the implementation of a delivery network, operational targets, activities, performance, delivery and execution of meeting the customer expectations that is aligned to the corporate business strategy for Southern Africa.
• Leading, actively coaching the customer service managers and customer service representatives with effective and efficient support that contributes to the achievement of the business objectives and growth.
• Proactively support the sales team in driving sales targets, take part in leads and opportunity generation for sales and sales campaigns
• Implementing effective business processes, guidelines, and strategies to increase the efficiency of customer service and business operations jointly with the leadership team and with the extended management team.
• Harnessing a working environment which encourages teamwork, purposeful action taking, energy and creativity.

Experience and Knowledge:

• A minimum of 8-10 years with proven customer service management within a multi-national company.
• A minimum of 5-7 years in a generalist management role with proven leadership experience within a multi-national company.
• Extensive knowledge of ERP systems including DOH, COH, and Syspro.
• Knowledge of customer service principles and practices.
• Ability to develop processes and systems to improve operational efficiencies.
• A systematic, logical, analytical approach to problem solving and decision making.
• Ability to present findings and recommendations to leadership team, management team, regional management team and structures within an international group matrix.
• General business unit management / staff management experience, with the ability to be flexible to manage direct reports and their subordinates when required.
• Strong customer orientation (both internally and externally) to drive business, string negotiation skills, Strong performance management and strategic planning.
• Confidentiality, tact, and discretion in dealing with people.
• Excellent planning, organisational and administrative skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills – English.
• Leadership skills and must have the ability to motivate and team building ability.
• Sound interpersonal skills and must have the ability to interact with staff at all levels with influence, persuasion, and ability to command respect.
• Desirable
• Experience of working in a multi-national environment.
• Product and industry knowledge advantageous.
• Ability to analyse and interpret relatively complex data in a logical manner.

Qualifications and traits:

• Minimum - A formal tertiary qualification in Business Management is essential.
• Ability to manage managers and the operations team
• Results orientated
• Emotionally intelligent
• Self-starter/demonstrates initiative
• Hands-on attitude
• Ability to represent organisation positively
• Attention to detail
• Accountability for actions
• Integrity

Mental demands:

• High levels of concentration required where the workload will vary every day.
• The ability to go from one topic to another and be conversant is essential.
• Required to be self-motivated and be able to make decisions within delegated responsibility.
• Routinely concentrate for long periods of time in order to correctly analyse data/information.
• Will be expected to react to unpredictable operational requirements of an ad-hoc nature.
• Ability to multi-task and have the ability to manage stress and pressure.
• Must be able to adapt, show initiative, be a team player and have the ability to work under
• little or no supervision.
• Physical demands
• Domestic and from time to time cross-border travel will be required to engage with
• customers.
• Occasional international travel to attend meetings and/or training.
• Will spend time at a desk working on a computer and attending meetings.
• Will be required to work extended hours including over weekends.
• Health and safety/ exposure to risk
• Occasionally exposed to some risk whilst travelling.

Description of duties / Primary functional objectives of the role:

• To achieve continuous, accurate and timely product supply to customers and to ensure Southern Africa is well positioned to enable & achieve significant sales growth.
• Accountable for developing & supporting execution of operational strategy whilst ensuring governance and looking at initiatives to significantly improve the value chain within Southern Africa.
• To introduce tools, dashboards, and processes to ensure predictable and sustainable results across the region to maintain outstanding performance in terms of deliverables.
• Define an organised and controlled environment that will support the Southern Africa go to market strategy with all related operational activities in Southern Africa. Lead the strategy with the relevant
• stakeholders, develop the strategy and implement the strategy.
• Set targets to measure and manage customer service.
• Identify causes of problems, bottlenecks and non-value added activities and initiate corrective and preventative actions.
• Responsible for the overall complying and adjusting of working capacity to meet customer expectations, business requirements and targets.
• Prepare, present and submit management reporting to managing director and other key stakeholders globally.
• Ensure that the department adheres to audit requirements, compliance, quality and EHS regulatory requirements.
• Customer Service responsibilities.
• Be in-charge of delivering a seamless customer experience across all stages, touchpoints in the customer journey whilst supporting and driving global initiatives to improve customer experience.
• Leverage on the existing and relevant technologies for tracking key metrics across the complete management of the customer experience within Southern Africa.
• Establish performance metrics, quality of order book management, analysis of credit notes, building trends and implementing corrective action, service levels, correcting any deviations, on-going digital improvements and objectively measure service levels and team’s performance.
• Work closely with OEM and distribution network to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Collaboration with commercial team to implement the appropriate operational strategies to support the business whilst consistently improving the customer experience and focusing on high-quality customer interactions.
• Implement measures to capture and track customer satisfaction and establish a customer-centric culture within Southern Africa.
• Continuously support, advise, and guide the team as needed to achieve
• required departmental and operational objectives.
• Continuously support and manage the cross-departmental interaction, communication and relationships to achieve of the set objectives for the business.

Other Key Duties:

• System owner of Company Common Systems and managing Common System access reviews for Southern Africa and Zambia.
• Releasing of bank payments and authorised signatory on the bank account.
• Interact with both internal and external auditors.
• Responsible for the overall managing, leading and coaching of employees and talents within the department to increase engagement and execute appropriate talent development plans.

Responsibilities:

• Demonstrate the Values of Curiosity, Courage, Collaboration and Care.
• Significant responsibility for the maintenance of stakeholder relationships.
• Foster a good working climate and strong teamwork.
• Manage direct report(s) regarding development, process adherence, incentives, performance management and coaching.
• Drive a high-performance culture, continuously provide feedback, challenge direct reports, and encourage good behaviours.
• Develop team targets and strategy.
• Motivate and empower people to drive change and accelerate growth.
• Decision making
• Always required to communicate and escalate where appropriate business critical information gleaned from customers, distribution network and to the sales team.
• Analysis of data in order to make day-to-day job-related decision and to prioritize and work in line with operational requirements.
• Required to direct the decision-making process of cross-functional colleagues to support customer requirements and required service levels.
• Required to make quick decisions and anticipate needs and have the ability to react to operational situations in a timely and appropriate manner.
• Required at all times to adhere to the limits of authority. Communication
• Excellent communication skills are required as the position will be expected to negotiate and influence at all levels.
• Objective, assertive, and on-going communication is required both externally and to the internal organisation.
• Required to attend meetings and present analytical information and make recommendations to management in order to influence future processes and procedures that will improve performance and or profitability.
• Communication extends further than the day-to-day routine exchanges of data and statistical information. Must understand and then deliver the key message effectively and competently to influence others.
• Ability to present findings and recommendations to sales team and customers.
• Strong emphasis to collate and articulate effective feedback from the stakeholder group to identify trends, weaknesses and business opportunities that may exist in Southern Africa.
• Confident, highly motivated, energised, must be tactful when dealing with people and must treat people with respect.