Practice Manager – Intelligent Business Applications at Internet Solutions (IS)

JOB SUMMARY:

The Practice Manager, Intelligent Business Applications will be responsible of leading our IBA Business in East Africa and ensure alignment with the group strategy. She/he will take responsibility for creating business value for clients through our portfolio and the successful execution of the strategy in East Africa. The incumbent will also collaborate with the relevant internal stakeholders within the MEA IBA leadership and East Africa to ensure the country achievement of client-led, business value solutions. She/he will take responsibility for creating business value for clients through our portfolio and the successful execution of the strategy within East Africa.

What you’ll be doing

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategy

• The successful candidate will work closely with a variety of internal stakeholders to implement, enable, and execute the IBA strategy in East Africa.
• The incumbent will align business unit specific KPI metrics and reporting within East Africa and group.
• She/he will provide thought leadership and will continuously research and ensure the implementation of the latest, best practice methods and tools that will align to the achievement of the group and global GTM strategy. This employee will lead the solution development and go-to-market activities and will ensure

2.Operations and efficiency and Financial Management:

• The Practice Manager will ensure process efficiency and manage business operations to ensure the achievement of GEO goals.

• She/he will ensure the development of group aligned local policies and procedures and operating plans that will enable the achievement of the overall business unit strategy.

• This Employee will be responsible for the development of the budget for the GTM and ensure profitability and financial performance, including the management of partner rebates.

3.Business development:

• He/she will assume the role of “go-to-market” lead for the country business unit and align sales with key opportunities.
• The Practice Manager will work closely with Marketing and Sales to support group sales by providing training sessions to sales employees and assisting with the determination of pipeline necessary to achieve group targets, including the development of short-term incentive programs.
• This Employee designs and ensures the local implementation of deployment pipelines to achieve key strategic deals outcomes.
• She/he will directly support strategic deals and client engagement practices and mentor local teams, accordingly, providing subject matter expertise on RFPs/RFIs.
• This Employee will measure local business unit success and promote thought leadership by developing white papers and capturing and disseminating case studies with other countries within their region, as well as speaking at events.
• The incumbent will drive territory and ensure that they are equipped with the appropriate skills and ability to sell services.

Product management and demand generation

• This Individual will oversee the product/portfolio lifecycle and in so doing are responsible for the tactical activities required for product growth and management within the territory.
• She/he will use the market intelligence and insights they have gathered from a variety of stakeholders, including media, PR, industry analysts, vendors, etc. to influence product requirements.
• Specify market requirements for current and future products by conducting market research supported by client engagement sessions.

Partner and alliance management

• The individual will manage the partnership and alliance strategy for the relevant product or product portfolio, analyzing requirements for the particular product or product portfolio.
• He/she will develop joint solutions with the relevant strategic partners and the related go-to-market plans. They will take responsibility for account planning with the partner and develop investment plans that ensure business unit success.
• Will conduct regular business reviews to ensure compliance and governance in relation to contracted agreements with partners and alliances.

People management

• Act as a people manager for managers within the GTM while ensuring the full utilization of resources and provide leadership, motivating employees towards the fulfilment of the regional business unit and overall business goals.
• Contribute to the development and management of processes that enable the management group function as a team.
• Develop and maintain a viable succession plan that covers all critical management positions within the group business unit.

Requirements: Education, Training and Experience

• Bachelor’s (graduate) Degree in Business or Technology fields
• Previous experience in a technical role
• 4 years’ experience as a presale’s consultant, solution architect or in business consulting
• Must have analytical skills enabling quick and meaningful understanding of customer needs and goals.
• Good communications and presentation skills, with the ability to operate comfortably at and beyond client senior executive levels.
• Strong negotiating skills and ability to persuade and maintain multilevel relationships within prospects and clients.

Key Attributes:

• Good documentation skills – ability to write formal proposals which may include a demonstrable understanding of the business and an ability to articulate the ROI.
• Commitment to the concepts of technology enabled, value-added selling.
• Must be able to demonstrate business awareness.
• Experience managing and leading a team of technical and non-technical individuals
• Experience managing a budget
• Good knowledge of the business and products / solutions in IBA
• Proven success prospecting, building a pipeline, moving opportunities through the sales cycle; proposing, presenting and discussing solutions Technology Leads and other decision-makers