Commercial Manager - Enterprise (Marketing)

Airtel Africa; Gurugram District; On-site; INR 3,500,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Airtel Africa is seeking a Commercial Manager to lead complex multi‑service bid efforts and ensure pricing, terms, and financial structures align with corporate objectives. You will coordinate with Sales, Legal, Finance and Solutions teams to deliver validated customer solutions and mitigate risk.

The role requires deep experience in negotiating terms, managing bids from qualification through to contract, and delivering financially sound proposals that meet Airtel Business objectives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in relevant area.
• MBA or equivalent preferred.
• Training in contracts and negotiations.
• 10+ years of business experience with at least 5 years in commercial management, bid & operations.

Responsibilities

• Act as Commercial representative with bid teams and customers, presenting pricing and terms to internal and external stakeholders.
• Structure and negotiate commercial, financial and risk terms from qualification to proposal submission and contract signature.
• Develop semi-bespoke commercial structures: customer discovery, revenue commitments, third‑party flow, penalties, liability and change management.
• Develop semi-bespoke financial structures: cost design, capex/leasing, pricing, revenue assurance, billing, finance terms.

Skills

Commercial management

Bid & operations

Telecom/IT knowledge

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor Degree in relevant area

Master of Business Administration or equivalent

Training in contracts and negotiations

Job description

Job Title: Commercial Manager

Location: HQ Gurgaon, India

Function/Department: Airtel Business

Reports To: Head, Operations

Job Summary

Manage commercial activates for complex multi-service bids meeting corporate financial objectives in an independent and unbiased manner. In a support role to sales, create structure and negotiate commercial and financial structure of bids with minimal residual risk, to address customer needs as well as Airtel Business financial and business objectives, in conjunction with policy requirements. This resource will be allocated to a complex bid through the strategic deal go/no go process.

Key Responsibilities

Act as the Commercial representative, internally with bid teams and externally with the customer, including reviews and presentations to internal and external management. Outcome: Clearly presented overview of pricing and commercial terms to customers as well as business case and onerous terms and risk to internal management to support the decision process.

In support of Sales, and in coordination with Legal, Finance and Solutions teams, create, structure and negotiate (internally and externally) commercial, financial and risk structure of bids from qualification through to customer proposal submission, negotiation and contract signature. Outcome: Customer solutions that have been validated by the various stakeholders resulting in improved customer satisfaction through anticipated and deliverable services.

In support of semi-bespoke commercial structure inclusive of: Customer and opportunity discovery and assessment, Revenue commitments, Third party flow down/up, Technology refresh, Penalties and liability, Change management. Outcome: Key terms and conditions that meet customer and internal business objectives and are aligned with the objectives of the financial business case. Competitive solutions that are validated by key stakeholders whilst ensuring the customers business needs are fulfilled.

In support of semi-bespoke financial structure inclusive of: Design to cost, Capex and leasing, Optimum pricing and structure for growth, Revenue assurance and benchmarking, Billing, currency, and payment terms, Taxation and Treasury. Outcome: Creative financial solutions that meet both internal and customer business objectives. Deal financials that meet corporate and business unit financial objectives.

In support of risk evaluation inclusive of: Risk management, Mitigation action planning & accountability, Financial accounting of residual risk. Outcome: Risk is understood, document and mitigated.

Review and evaluate an opportunitys commercial structure and risk (including a complete financial understanding), as well as issues related to contractual, regulatory, delivery and life cycle. Define and negotiate terms to mitigate risk. Outcome: Identified and evaluated risk with recommended terms to mitigate such risk.

Recommend optimum commercial & financial structure to meet internal and external win themes at minimum risk. Outcome: Creative customer solutions that are operationally and financially sound.

Ensure residual risk is minimized, reported and financially accounted. Outcome: Internal deal P&L visibility to support the decision process and transition of business case to Finance for contract delivery P&L

Possess strong financial skills and attention to detail to coordinate / execute bids with Financial Architect. Outcome: Terms that are aligned with the business case.

Champion commercial bid support with management from all functions. Outcome: Well-coordinated bids with cross functional stakeholders.

Ensure technical solutions are: viable (internally and externally with customer/partners/third parties), in concert with commercial requirements, deliverable from a technical and financial perspective. Outcome: Solutions are validated through scorecards ensuring risks are identified and mitigated resulting in improved customer satisfaction.

Prepare and present internal deal collateral providing deal overview and key sales, technical, commercial and financial proposal details and associated risks. Outcome: Clearly presented deal overview to include business case, business terms, and risk assessment to support the decision process.

Coordinate timely bid to contract transition of all commercial requirements, with key stakeholders identified, to optimize contract start up and performance. Outcome: Bids that transition into successfully deliverable solutions and meet the anticipated financial objectives.

Single point of contract for conflict escalation and resolution on all commercial issues. Outcome: A well-coordinated bid process and quick resolution to customer issues.

Ensure compliance with company regulations, including bid process, Schedule of Authority, human resources (local employment law) and investment guidelines. Outcome: A well-coordinated bid process and compliance with corporate governance.

Travel Required

Significant travel required

Dimensions

Financial does not have individual revenue or order targets

People Management - does not have direct reports, but has responsibility for management direction of bid team members from a commercial perspective.

Education

• Bachelor Degree in relevant area.
• Other Desirable:
  • Master of Business Administration or equivalent
  • Training in contracts and negotiations

Experience

• 10+ years of business experience
  • at least 5 years of commercial management bid and operations experience in the telecommunications / IT environment working on large, complex and outsourcing deals for large multinational companies
• Experience in creating and negotiating deviations to standard terms and conditions that are supported by a sound financial analysis and risk strategy and mitigation plan.
• Broad technical knowledge of managed data networks and associated services including Mobility, NaaS, Cloud, Security, Hosting, IPT, Voice & Mobile, Convergence and Integration Services
• Strong communications skills, particularly related to articulating specific corporate strategy and commercial solution for complex multi-service customer proposals to both internal and customer management and decision makers.

Key Competencies

• engage and partner with customers, vendors and third parties to create winning financial and business solutions in a competitive marketplace.
• customer face, develop and negotiate commercially and financially sound contracts that provide high value to both Airtel Business and the customer throughout the full life cycle of the contract with accommodations for growth
• understand risk and risk mitigation techniques for medium complexity, multi-service deals.
• medium complexity deviations to standard terms in financial skills

Why Commercial Financial Manager?

• Well respected and trusted advisor to both Sales and key stakeholders.
• Customer facing and interacting in the leading edge and most competitive business proposals.
• Crafting solutions that meet both customer and internal business objectives.
• Career advancement into the companys large and complex deals including interacting with both customer and internal Executive Board decision makers.
• As a Commercial Manager, you have opportunity for career advancement within your established track or you can look for career growth outside the commercial arena.
• Your position in Commercial Management has provided you with a broad spectrum of experience, which enhances your ability to find a position in a number of other areas within Airtel Business.
• Finance, Sales, BSG, CX, Network & IT are but a few of the organizations that could avail themselves of your skills while providing you with both growth opportunity and a challenging work environment

Why Join Airtel Business/Enterprise division?

• Opportunity to work with cutting-edge products and pioneering new solutions in Africa
• Collaborative and inclusive company culture
• Strong focus on continuous skills development
• Growth and development opportunities within and outside the Airtel Business