Sales Support Assistant Manager

Job description / Role

Responsible for the provision of office based sales support services to complement and support the external sales force, to progress pricing and other sales queries direct with customers, and to provide information, statistics and other analysis in order to manage the sales performance of the agency.

Responsibilities:
- Manage the allocation of sales support resources between the various customer sales teams, to ensure adequate resources are provided to support each team, adjusting as required
- Ensure that support is provided to the sales team for all pricing related activity for which the sales support team is responsible, as follows:
- Provide quotations to customers based on published/tariff rates
- Propose quotations in accordance with discretionary tariff, and associated procedures, and obtain authorization as required
- Submit Special Rate Requests to Trade Management (Pricing and Yield Team) when required. If approved provide quotations to customer
- Ensure all non-tariff quotations/rate requests are first validated against contribution/yield data to justify proposed rate level
- Review customer response/outcome of all rates offered, and take follow up action as needed
- Ensure that general support is provided to the sales team, including:
- Acting as liaison between sales team and rest of organisation (in agency and cluster/overseas)
- Provide commercial in house back up for outside sales
- Taking follow up action as a result of sales calls/customer contact
- Maintaining liaison with regular/known customers periodically, and soliciting bookings/additional business
- Manage the production of bookings/ forecast reports by voyage; review against allocation (also involving commercial manager and sales team leaders)
- Submit bookings/forecasts to Cluster Capacity Management as per required timetable
- Agree follow up action and initiate/oversee required action e.g. request/release allocation; regular advice to sales team on build up for current voyages; telephone calls to regular accounts to seek bookings
- Oversee the generation of sales leads, and the maintenance of centralised customer lists
- Manage the small volume accounts which are not assigned to External, Key account or Telesales team
- Ensure proper liaison between sales team and rest of organisation (in agency and cluster/overseas)
- Collate internal and external market intelligence e.g. economic activity, commodity/ industry developments, export/import business won, competitors activities (services, announcements, intelligence on rate levels) and circulate internally and if appropriate to cluster management.
- Periodically review the scope and quantum of local charges in conjunction with cluster sales management, and implement changes as necessary, subject to approval by the Commercial Manager, and cluster management
- Manage sales promotions activities in the country (as agreed with the Commercial Manager), and monitor expenditure and effectiveness
- Agree KPIs for the performance of Sales Support functions with the Commercial Manager, and monitor performance to ensure they are being achieved
- Encourage the personal development of the staff in the department, through use of the appraisal system, and providing the required support and training
- Responsible for ensuring the sales minimum standards are met i.e. pipeline planning/ CFAs etc.
- Drive efficiencies on SRR vs loaded ratio.
- Drive market mapping.

Requirements

- Graduate level or equivalent is an advantage, with relevant experience and evidence of successful delivery of sales support activities is a must.
- At least five years experience in a customer facing role, in an international liner/logistics business, with at least two years in a management position

Job-Specific Skills:
- Highly customer service oriented
- Extensive knowledge of local shipping environment, customers, competition in the relevant trades
- Ability to manage quotations/rate request processes, and to assess required rate levels
- Team leading skills

About the Company

United Arab Shipping Company was established in July 1976; jointly by the six shareholding states from the Arabian Gulf (Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and U.A.E). The head office is located in the State of Kuwait.

As the National line of the Arabian Gulf states, UASC\\'s primary mission is to serve the shipping needs of the Arabian Gulf region

UASC also aims to expand into global trades, where commercially feasible, to strengthen our operations and provide a wider service network to our customers.

UASC is one of the largest ocean carrier of dry cargo to the Middle East. UASC has assumed this position on merit as a carrier providing first class service to its customers, which has been maintained, despite ups and downs, in the market.