Business Development Manager

Waterleau Group; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 1,500,000 - 2,300,000; Full time

Job summary

Waterleau Group is seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to drive revenue growth across strategic clients in English-speaking Africa. You will own the full sales lifecycle—from relationship management and renewals to pursuing capital expansions and defending market position against competitors.

You will manage a mixed revenue model including recurring SLA/OM contracts, capital equipment sales, and maintenance services, while coordinating with technical teams to ensure alignment on

Qualifications

• 8+ years in B2B sales management within industrial, water treatment, energy, or similar.
• Proven track record: closed multi-million contracts and grew accounts.
• Experience with recurring revenue models (SLA/OM) and contract management.
• Data-driven with CRM, Excel, forecasting and KPI tracking.

Responsibilities

• Manage and grow revenue across strategic accounts in English-speaking Africa.
• Develop annual account plans and identify upsell opportunities.
• Lead contract renewals and defend market position against competitors.
• Build executive relationships with operations and procurement.
• Conduct quarterly business reviews and forecast revenue with high accuracy.
• Drive pipeline, close deals, and manage sales cycle from lead to signature.
• Coordinate with technical teams to align scope, pricing and delivery.
• Represent Waterleau at client events and industry forums.
• Contribute to annual business planning and sales strategy.

Skills

B2B sales management

Revenue growth

Account management

Negotiation & contracts

CRM & forecasting

Data-driven decision making

English fluency

Travel readiness

Tools

CRM

Excel

Forecasting

KPI tracking

Job description

Waterleau seeks an experienced Business Development Manager to lead revenue growth across a strategic portfolio of key industrial clients across English-speaking Africa. This role owns the full sales lifecycle - from relationship management and contract renewals to identifying capital expansion opportunities and defending market position against competitive threats. You will manage a mixed revenue model: recurring SLA/O&M contracts, capital equipment sales, and maintenance services.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Account Management & Growth

• Manage €1-3M in annual recurring revenue
• Develop and execute annual account plans for each client; identify upsell and cross-sell opportunities
• Drive contract renewals; secure commitment from clients before competitive bids are invited
• Build and maintain executive-level relationships with operations and procurement contacts
• Quarterly business reviews with each major account to assess performance, identify issues, and plan growth
• Pipeline management: track all open opportunities, forecast revenue with 90%+ accuracy
• Lead pursuit of capital opportunities (new installations, expansions, technology upgrades)
• Prepare RFQ responses, technical proposals, and commercial terms; negotiate contracts
• Collaborate with technical team to ensure scope, pricing, and delivery are aligned
• Close deals; manage sales cycle from lead to contract signature
• Generate €7 million in annual project sales (capital and new installations)
• Generate €300 thousand of recurring opportunities per month in the CRM
• Generate €2 million of non-recurring project leads per month in the CRM
• Monitor competitive activity; identify threats and opportunities
• Present counter-evidence to competitive claims; support sales team with credible, factual messaging
• Recommend pricing strategy, contract terms, and product positioning based on market dynamics
• Track win/loss analysis; feed insights into product and strategy decisions

Operational & Strategic

• Maintain accurate CRM data; provide monthly/quarterly sales reports and forecasts
• Support marketing with case studies, customer testimonials, and win stories
• Represent Waterleau at client events, conferences, and industry forums
• Contribute to annual business planning and sales strategy

QUALIFICATIONS

• 8+ years in B2B sales management (industrial, water treatment, energy, or similar)
• Proven track record: closed €1M+ in annual contracts; managed teams; grew accounts by 20%+
• Experience with recurring revenue models (SLA, O&M, maintenance contracts)
• Strong negotiation and contract management skillsData-driven: comfort with CRM, Excel, forecasting and KPI tracking
• Fluency in English (regional language a plus)
• Ability to travel 30–40% within assigned region

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Background in water treatment, wastewater, or industrial process technology
• Experience with beverage, brewery, or FMCG clients
• Familiarity with African markets and supply chain dynamics
• Knowledge of SLA and O&M contract structures

KEY SUCCESS METRICS

• Revenue: Achieve 100%+ of annual recurring and capital sales targets
• Project Sales: Generate €7 million in annual project sales (capital and new installations)
• Forecast accuracy: Achieve 90%+ accuracy in monthly/quarterly forecasts

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