Job Details

The holder of this position will set up our new sales and service subsidiary from scratch and lead it with a strong focus on sales, service and marketing.

SMA is the world‘s largest manufacturer of solar inverters, a central component of every solar power system. SMA is headquartered in Germany and represented by twenty foreign companies on four continents. This group of companies employs more than 5,000 people and has been distinguished several times in previous years with awards for its excellent performance as an employer. We expects the solar market in South Africa to be fast growing and sustainable over the coming years. In order to provide innovative inverter solutions to the fast-growing number of South African customers, SMA will establish a sales & service subsidiary in Centurion in 2012. Be with us from the start as our


Sales-oriented Managing Director
Senior Management position for our new sales and service subsidiary in Centurion, South Africa

About the job:

Job objective:

In this role, the Managing Director will have full P&L accountability for the new sales and service subsidiary responsible for the South African market. The holder of this position will set up the subsidiary from scratch. He or she will lead the subsidiary with a strong focus on the sales, service and marketing departments and ensure the effective operation of initially-outsourced support such as HR, facility management, IT and finance. He or she will be part of SMA’s senior management and will be the first point of contact for any South Africa-related topic for internal parties (e.g. corporate headquarters) as well as external parties, including but not limited to customers, local authorities, utility companies, consultants and contractors.

Key responsibilities:

• Sets up and leads the subsidiary, primarily in the areas of sales, marketing and service, while continuously focusing on the company’s strategic goals
• Develops, formulates and implements the business plans for the subsidiary
• Displays charisma and through exemplary leadership, motivates and brings together employees in a continually changing environment with unforeseeable situations
• Responsible for the sales of the entire SMA product range, focussing especially on inverters for power plant solutions
• Maintains and develops existing business relationships as well as acquires new customers
• Cooperates closely with the German sales and product management department
• Monitors and analyzes sales and market trends

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Requires a master’s degree in Electrical or Industrial Engineering with experience in a commercial environment or a degree in Business Administration with experience in an electro-technical environment
• Has at least 10 years of experience in indirect sales, product management or technical marketing in the (power) electronics or hardware industry as well as experience in project management on the customer side
• Has proven experience developing and managing a fast-growing high-tech company, preferably in a multinational environment with a German/EU headquarters
• Has experience initiating, negotiating and closing contracts with key, small and medium business accounts
• Is a leader with strong interpersonal and communication skills and has a demonstrated ability to motivate, build trust, gain support and instil accountability in line with SMA’s Corporate Culture, including with external partners
• Brings a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a willingness to roll up his or her sleeves and do what is necessary to guarantee the success of the company
• Is fluent in English and Afrikaans, preferably with some German language ability
• Is willing to undergo further training and travel both domestically and internationally

 Training:

• Up to 4 weeks in our sales office in Krefeld, Germany, and at our headquarters in Niestetal, Germany

Reporting line:

• Reports to the Country Management Committee (a committee of Executive Vice Presidents of our SMA’s divisions)

Job type:

• Full-time
• Permanent

Would you like to learn more about your opportunities at SMA in South Africa? You will find detailed information on this and many more job openings at jobs.SMA-Solar.com. We look forward to receiving your application!

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