The Senior Business Development Manager is the amongst the most senior managers, entrusted by the Managing Directors, to ensure the management of the company in line with the strategic goals set. The Business Development Manager (BDM) is responsible for the determination of company strategy as it pertains to certain areas, and the execution of that strategy in support of achieving the overall goals of the company and ensuring financial viability.

While the BDM has middle managers to reporting to him/her, responsible for the execution of plans and programmes, the BDM still overall responsibility for the following areas:

• Legal compliance and matters
• Financial matters
• Infrastructure and related services
• Information Technology
• Knowledge Management
• Project Management
• Day to day operations that support the reservations processes

Legal Representation & Responsibilities

The BDM is the legal representative of the company. S/he will act on the behalf of the Directors before judicial, administrative, labour, municipal, political and police authorities. Legal responsibilities include:

• Articulation and clarification of legal considerations of running business for Managing Directors
• After consultation with Directors, management of legal risks even if the immediate portfolio does not fall under the BDM. This will require delegation and monitoring to relevant managers within the company
• Reporting of risk management of legal considerations to the Directors on a bi-annual basis. This reporting includes the provision of data related to risks, analysis of risks and recommendations to manage risk
• Representation of the company before relevant legal entities
• Ensure the ongoing viability of legal contracts and where appropriate, enter and sign company agreements within the parameters of authorisation laid down by the Managing Directors
• Delegate relevant legal authority where appropriate e.g. the signing of employment contracts to the HR Manager
• Determine authorisation levels for various aspects of the business
• Authorise the assignment, withdrawals, transferrals, disposal of funds, incomes, stocks etc or the order of payments or the disposal of property and assets within the parameters laid down by the Managing Directors with the delegation to the Finance Manager where appropriate for standard transactions
• Submit matters to mediation or arbitration as is appropriate
• Promotes ethical and fair business practices

Strategic Management

Together with the Managing Directors, determine the annual strategic management plans, providing key input on issues related to HR, Infrastructure, Information Technology, Knowledge Management and Finance. Strategic management responsibilities include:

• Preparing data required to analyse company historical performance, identifying trends (opportunities and risks) to the short-term and long-term viability of the company
• Ensuring contribution of plans from functional areas reporting to BDM to feed into strategic plans
• Advising on the availability of funds for strategic plans
• Ensuring the preparation of budgets related to the strategic plans
• Determining performance indicators to monitor company performance and reporting on these indicators at required intervals
• Monitoring and reporting of progress against strategic plans

Financial Strategic Management

There is a Finance Manager responsible for operational management of the Finance Department and to implement the financial strategy of the company. The responsibilities of the BDM include:

• Formulating, implementing and reviewing of the overall financial strategy of the company. The Finance Manager will assist with this
• Together with the Finance Manager, developing, ensuring implementation and review of the financial plans, policies and processes
• Directing the financial planning for the company as well as the financial reporting requirements
• With the assistance of the Finance Manager, reporting on financial performance to the Managing Directors every quarter, identifying potential risks and problems
• Formulating, implementing and reviewing financial improvement as well as cost reduction strategies
• Conducting of benchmarking studies and competitors analyses so as to inform the above strategic activities

Operational Management

The BDM is responsible for ensuring the smooth running of the following functional areas: Operations, Finance and Infrastructure and Services e.g. cleaning, gardening, IT ,receptionist services. Operational management responsibilities include:

• Ensuring that relevant risks are identified in the functional areas by the managers and appropriate risk management strategies put in place
• Ensuring that the relevant areas determine annual strategic plans that support the overall company business and strategic plans
• Monitoring the delivery on these plans
• Providing guidance to the respective managers to achieve their strategic plans
• Ensuring that each area is running optimally with the resources it has. This requires holding the respective managers accountable for this, and putting in place appropriate measurements
• Ensuring that the relevant areas are providing the required service and outputs to other areas of the company
• Ensuring that the Managing Directors are provided with the relevant reports timeously to monitor the effectiveness of various areas of the business
• Ensuring that the policies and procedures set down by the company are followed in respective areas
• Driving the knowledge management agenda to ensure that policies procedural documents or other support materials exist to support the effective running of the company. Ensure that this knowledge management takes place within functional areas reporting to him/her

People Management

The Senior Business Development Manager will have a team of middle managers reporting to him/her each with their respective functional areas. This KRA relates to the BDM’s management of this team of middle managers.

• Working with HR to ensure an optimal resourcing support exists for the Senior Business Development Manager and that each manager in the team in turn ensures an optional structure for his/her team, that accurate job profiles exist for each job with clear standards for performance
• Working with HR in developing of management staff ensuring that:
  • New managers receive appropriate induction and training on the job
  • Training needs are identified for each person’s current job
  • Appropriate strategies for training are found e.g. formal training, coaching and/or on the job training
  • The career aspirations of staff are understood, negotiated and where feasible, supported
• Managing of performance of managers including:
  • Setting of realistic performance standards
  • Ensuring that the staff understand these standards and work in meeting these standards
  • Supporting staff to achieve the necessary work outcomes and standards
  • Providing feedback to staff, both formally and informally
  • Recognising the contribution and hard work of staff
  • Addressing problems where work outcomes and standards are not being met
• Dealing with issues of misconduct of staff
• Communicating with your team ensuring that:
  • They understand the purpose and direction of the company and that they communicate this to their team
  • Communications from other teams is understood and followed through on
  • There are regular meetings with your staff
  • That staff have communication channels and opportunities to raise their concerns
  • You represent staff interests and concerns
• Ensuring that a positive work climate is fostered, implementing the company’s staff initiatives within your own team, dealing with conflict and grievances

Project Management

While Project Managers will be appointed for large scale projects, this person will be responsible for the oversight of these projects including:

• Ensuring the appropriate scoping of projects (outcomes required, time-frame, resources, technology and systems requirements, people requirements etc)
• Guiding the Project Manager as regards the strategic positioning of the project
• Ensuring that the required progress is being made by the Project Manager and that reporting is taking place timeously
• Ensuring the resolution of problems encountered in the execution of the project

• A three year tertiary qualification with majors in relevant business areas is required e.g. accounting, management, business planning etc. At least 10 years of relevant experience is required of which at least 5 years has been at the middle management level of a moderately sized organisation. Experience at senior management level will be an advantage.

Relevant experience includes:

• Middle management experience including managing his/her own team of at least 5 staff; managing processes and systems; managing budgets
• Excellent Financial management experience including determination of budgets, budgetary control, budgetary reconciliation, determination of financial indicators and financial reporting
• Some risk management including identification of risks and solutions to manage risks and the implementation of monitoring of this
• Fair legal experience including administrative handling of diverse contracts
• Excellent people management experience in terms of managing own team of staff including the determination of strategic plans; supporting managers in achievement of goals; monitoring of progress; dealing with problems; finding solutions; the performance management of staff; training of these staff; disciplinary of staff is required
• Experience in the travel and tourism industry
• Track record of excellent performance, service delivery and continuous improvement
• Track record of being able to handle multiple demands under pressure
• Track record of using technology to enhance efficiency and effectiveness
• Track record of providing leadership in change initiatives

Competencies:

• Ability and commitment to learn quickly on the job. Where the person does not have any people management experience, s/he will be expected to learn this on the job
• Strong interpersonal skills (treating others with respect and dignity, diplomatic while assertive, able to instil confidence in others, listen effectively
• Able and committed to speaking English at the level required for the job
• Strong work ethic (acts with integrity and high moral standards; has a strong sense of responsibility towards protecting the well-being of SD and to do a good job; is disciplined in own work; is committed to working with others to find solutions; produces work of a high quality)
• Service orientation (predisposition to be helpful, thoughtful, considerate and cooperative)
• Legal competence (ability to interpret relevant law)
• High level financial skills
• Excellent computer literacy skills (Microsoft Suite type skills) having used Excel in sophisticated ways; experience of working with databases and able to learn the database reservations system of the company
• Knowledge of the industry

For your application to be considered please:

• Submit a detailed letter of motivation that reflects on how you meet the job requirements (competencies, educational and experience requirements for the post) plus details of your experience relative to the KRAs of the job profile. E.g: For the Performance Management KRA – what staff (numbers, levels) have you managed, what people responsibilities have you had and any achievements you have accomplished in this area etc. A good motivation letter would typically be 3-5 pages long
• Submit a detailed CV ensuring that your work experience (past and present) includes employers’ name, location, detail of the kind and size of business, specific dates of employment (e.g. MM/YYYY) and reasons for leaving previous employers
• Your CV must contain your letter of motivation to make it one document because the system only allows 1 document to be attached

Deadline: Sunday 16 July 2017