Product Manager at Axiz (Pty) Ltd

About the position

Develop and manage a strategy, which will optimise the product/brand performance in the marketplace while achieving the objectives set by both the vendor and the company. This will necessitate the management of products from "cradle to grave" with specific focus on sales and marketing.

Key Responsibility Areas:

• Responsible for total sales number for product range.
• Drive sales team to grow vendor revenue in existing install base accounts and new accounts, through focused marketing strategies, campaigns, and end user enablement.
• Ensure that sales team is representing the interests of all the focused within each respective partner.
• Provide accurate and regular sales forecasts and business updates to management & to vendors.
• Work with sales team to ensure that each sales opportunity is driven as proactively as possible.
• Engage in collaborative, strategic, and tactical business planning with key partners:-

o Identify new markets
o Understand the partner sales process and develop a sales and marketing strategy to best suit the partner.
o Develop sales tools to assist partner sales and presales.
o Develop sales and marketing strategy to mine existing customer base
o Identify key new accounts and design a sales approach to bring new customers on board.
o Assist partner with broad-base marketing to promote their business
o Assist partner with customer reference sites
o Create and promote high impact and innovative marketing programs and initiatives within the partners to generate new opportunities
o Design partner enablement plans, to ensure partner resources are skilled in the marketing programs and products they are going to drive
o Develop enable programs for partners to drive into their existing and prospective base

• Use best practices for opportunity management, account planning and forecasting
• Key role in defining and implementing vendors overall strategy within Axiz
• Align vendors strategic focus to Axiz resources and structures
• Developing and managing the Vendor Relationship across a broad spectrum i.e. Local and international.
• Understanding the various target markets and mapping Axiz's focus to these markets
• Defining & developing partners focus by strategically aligning each partner to the objectives set out by the vendor, understanding how to develop partners and into what markets
• Implementing Go To Market Programs to drive focus products and solutions
• Assisting in the Recruiting and development of new vendor partners in the respective territories or markets.
• Managing the vendor partner program.
• Managing internal training and skills development for vendor products, ensuring that Axiz staff has the skill to represent the vendor's interests.
• Defining & executing skills development programs for partners.
• Working with partners to devise growth strategies and implementing these strategies
• Market products and manage the sales process:-

o Identify and implement market strategies
o Disseminate product information
o Grow market share
o Identify new business opportunities
o Position vendor product set

• Manage the profitability of products
• Understand and implement vendor strategy and policies
• Implement and drive vendor models e.g. pricing, rebates, reporting etc.
• Foster ISV relationships
• Manage output of Axiz branches
• Handle all channel related issues

Job Requirements:
Education and Experience:

• 2 - 3 years Product Management experience.
• Two years' experience in the IT industry
• Matric (Essential)
• Marketing or Commerce Degree or Diploma would be an advantage.
• Distribution Industry (preferred)
• Account management experience.

Technical Competencies:

• MS Office Suite (Intermediate - essential)
• Excel (Advanced)

Behavioural Competencies:

• Analytical Thinking and Decision Making.
• Business Acumen.
• Action Orientation.
• Drive for Results.
• Customer Focus.

Desired Skills:

• Product Management
• Distribution
• Account management
• Product Strategy
• Product Specialist

Desired Qualification Level:

• Grade 12 / Matric