Channel Distribution Manager- East Africa at Schneider Electric

Job Purpose

Schneider Electric is leading the Digital Transformation of Energy Management and Automation in Homes, Buildings, Data Centres, Infrastructure, and Industries. With global presence in over 100 countries, Schneider is the undisputable leader in Power Management – Medium Voltage, Low Voltage and Secure Power, and in Automation Systems. We provide integrated efficiency solutions, combining energy, automation, and software. In our global Ecosystem, we collaborate with the largest Partner, Integrator and Developer Community on our Open Platform to deliver real-time control and operational efficiency.

The role of Channel Distribution Manager is to drive growth within the Distribution channel on East Africa level. It will involve developing strategies for the acquisition of new distributors and the management of the relationship with existing distributors to maximize profitability and revenues within the Distribution channel.

Principle Accountabilities

1. Develop in liaison with the regional teams (Export), the strategy for expansion of the Distribution channel in East Africa in line with the regional goals and strategy.
2. Develop and successfully execute sales strategies to exceed the sales and profitability targets.
3. Work closely with relevant functional leaders (Product Management, Customer Relations Centre, & Pricing Team).
4. Redefine, create, manage, and track specific business plans/actions through regular meetings and reviews.
5. Use of Schneider Electric internal tools to deliver highly accurate forecasts that identify revenue and timing of all projects, resulting in a qualified pipeline of prospects and detailed input.
6. Provide feedback regarding market trends, pricing and competition to commercial operations and P&L – including win/loss analysis.
7. Identify New Product Introduction and business development needs to penetrate new markets
8. Maintain strong cross-business selling initiatives, leveraging BU, sales forums, and local teams.
9. Leverage customer /partner/ internal Schneider Electric relationships.
10. Partners with Distributors to plan strategies, provide quality service, train customer's personnel, and provide the support necessary for the attainment of customers’ goals and objectives. Anticipates obstacles and identifies alternative strategies.
11. Maintains active relationships with Schneider Electric Distributors within the East Africa region. Negotiates discrepancies between customers’ and Schneider Electric's expectations.
12. Tier 2 Partner channel: Establish, develop, and maintain a business strategy to regularize top 50 resellers.
13. Sell-In and Sell-Out: Plan and organize sales strategy to maximize sell in by regular sell out activities across the channel. 

Qualifications
 
Education & Experience

1. A university degree in business and or commerce
2. BSc. Electrical Engineering will be an added advantage
3. MBA will be an added advantage

Experience

1. Knowledge/experience of low voltage and medium voltage equipment.
2. Experience in finding business partners, supporting onboarding, and managing new partners Supporting business partners selling into his/ her segment.
3. Experience in managing sales and orders targets and reporting in a matrix

Knowledge & skills

1. Flexibility, capacity to listen and learn, open-minded
2. Ability to work in network and in a group in an international environment, in a collaborative way
3. Well organized and well structured
4. Clear & synthetic communication
5. Strong business acumen