Commercial Manager at APM Terminals

Organization and stakeholders

• Reports to the CCO.
• Geographical scope is Eastern Region, which consists of terminal in Onne. The position is based out of the WACT office in Onne, and requires ongoing presence, visibility and engagement across the locations, including regular travel.
• Is a critical member of the Terminal Leadership Team, which consists of other heads of functions and the terminal managing director reporting to the CEO.
• Is a leader with four direct reports, based in Onne.
• Works in close contact with the Terminal Managing Directors and Leadership teams in Nigeria
• Is a key member of the regional and global Commercial community. Is expected to leverage and share relevant business opportunities, best practices and learnings across the organisation. Proactively engages, collaborates, spars and aligns with a broad network of diverse stakeholders and colleagues, to deliver exceptional business results.

Critical external stakeholders

• Customers, shipping lines and landside cargo owners
• Relevant authorities, e.g., government, port authorities
• (potential) partners / suppliers of logistic solutions

Critical Accountabilities :

The Commercial Manager is responsible for driving the commercial activities in the Easten region of Nigeria to include the development of business opportunities and performance in all Commercial activities to include the sales function, customer care, financial and non-financial targets.

Strategic Support

• Establish business priorities to meet the customer’s requirements.
• Develop and execute Commercial programs to achieve stated objectives regarding revenue, profitability and market share.
• Maintain positive relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, to create and maintain APM Terminals visibility in the market.
• Manage the translation of the Commercial strategy into business targets, budgets and tangible plans.
• Partner with business managers to drive Commercial performance. 
• Develops departmental plans and Commercial priorities. 

Customer Care.

• Manage and maintain highly professional relationships with the various decisions makers within the customer’s organisation.
• Foster and develop relationships with new prospective customers, whilst identifying the customer’s needs and requirements.
• Manage the maintenance of a detailed customer data base to include the customers company profile.
• Establish business priorities to meet the customer requirements and take ownership for developing the NPS score.
• Drive and manage the customer value proposition to secure growth and a profitable sales development.
• Co-ordinates customer issues and complaints with relevant department & maintains a one-point customer contact.
• Manage and maintain relationships with key accounts, Landside and Seaside.
• Consistently ensure that customer care of the highest quality is delivered to customers.

Sales

• Drive and manage the customer value proposition to secure growth and profitable sales development.
• Drive sales development through an analysis of Commercial opportunities.
• Drive the implementation and continuous application of the APM Terminals Sales Process.
• Drive, develop and deploy best practices within Sales & Marketing.
• Analyses marketing programs and take action/adjust plans to increase sales effectiveness.
• Prospect and secure new customers and/or new opportunities within existing accounts. 
• Develop a successful sales campaign which maximises APM Terminals win rate.
• Maintain a database of pipeline opportunities including pipeline forecasts and recording of opportunity plans.
• Drive the balance between short term gain and long-term growth for all opportunities and initiatives to achieve/exceed sales targets.

Analysis

• Produce Commercial evaluations of potential initiatives, advising on if they will be commercially viable and beneficial.
• Develop & maintain an intimate knowledge of the trading environment for the business commodities and ensure management is kept abreast of trends impacting on, or likely to impact on the business.
• Provide market intelligence and market research. Monitor competitor activity and recommend action where necessary.

LSC & Product Development

• Drive and oversee the development of new products and services, through the identification, development, marketing of such products and services.
• Identify opportunity for terminal to generate additional income via land revenues.

Performance Management

• Develop volume and revenue targets and work proactively to ensure these are met.
• Measure & display commercial results, including periodic forecasting.
• Track SLA’s, KPIs and targets whilst reporting deviations, developing improvement actions where necessary.
• Support the Global Commercial Operating System and maintain regular contact with peers from other APMT terminals.
• Accountable for the management and improvement of local NPS.
• Resolves all Commercial issues as they arise.

Resource Management

• Manage Commercial resource requirements.
• Efficiently deploy the procedures and people function necessary to accomplish local Commercial objectives.
• Work closely with the APMT global and local People Function Department to obtain clarification, direction, and consultation regarding employee related matters.

People/Leadership

• Provide effective overall management, coaching, mentoring and support for all direct reports.
• Create and sustain an environment that is supportive of learning, training and development, whilst facilitating open dialogue and communications so that the terminal Commercial activities can run effectively and efficiently.
• Reinforce ABS, APM Group culture, values & reputation and ensure compliance with APM Group policies, standards and procedures.

Experience & Expertise

• The position requires a professional standard of knowledge to lead teams through functional/general expertise in the Commercial and associated functions.
• Minimum university degree in business, marketing or related discipline. 
• Detailed understanding of the various links with other functional areas.
• Excellent sales negotiation and relationship building skills on all levels.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to communicate across the organization.
• Trustworthy, and able to work highly independently and in teams.
• Ability to provide leadership, obtain cooperation and promote a team environment to meet objectives.
• Requires excellent analytical skills, including the ability to interpret data and problem solving capabilities
• Must be able to exercise discretion and good judgment, with an ability to understand the effect of decisions overall in the company.
• Must be able to handle company information with confidentiality and discretion.
• A broad and international experience and a proven track record within B2B Sales.
• Proven ability to work in a matrix organization.
• Excellent stakeholder management, both internal and external.
• An understanding of LEAN tools and methodologies.

Leadership

• Is an exceptional leader who can inspire, engage and influence diverse people and capabilities to achieve extraordinary results.
• Co-creates purpose and meaning, and achieves outcomes in collaboration with the team and others.
• Has a compelling presence, and motivates and energises the organisation.
• Manages change and uncertainty well in a complex environment, and supports others to excel in such conditions.
• Is passionate about and excels in growing and developing people.

Culture Fit & Impact

• Thrives in a global matrix organisation, adeptly connecting opportunities and navigating across functions, managing local and global requirements and building relationships at all levels.
• Has exceptional communication and stakeholder management, building trust and partnerships.
• Is ambitious and self-motivated with high ownership, accountability and drive for results.
• Is committed to lifelong learning for self and others, continuously rethinking how we can improve.
• Embraces and sees the opportunities in change and challenges, pivoting quickly to come up with practical solutions and engage people behind the same. Exemplifies resilience and positivity.
• Has strong interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity; is a team player and proactively shares knowledge and experience, provides support and develops and improves others.

Learning & career opportunities

• Visibility and exposure to terminal, regional and global management
• Commercial leadership
• Corporate decision making
• Top line responsibility
• Experience in strategy implementation
• Leadership skills
• Transformation