Head of Sales

Swift Human Resources; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 1 200 000 - 1 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm in South Africa seeks a Head of Sales to shape and execute the company's commercial strategy while driving revenue growth. This senior role requires overseeing sales and marketing functions and setting ambitious targets. Candidates should have 5-10 years of B2B/B2G sales experience in industrial sectors and demonstrate strong leadership and analytical skills. The position offers significant strategic input at the executive level and involves travel across Southern Africa.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5–10 years B2B/B2G sales experience in the valve, pump, or industrial equipment sector, with at least 5 years in a senior management role.
• Demonstrated experience in leading and developing a sales team and managing performance.

Responsibilities

• Drive company’s commercial strategy and revenue growth.
• Set ambitious but achievable sales targets and optimize the sales pipeline.
• Expand into new markets and foster a high-performance sales culture.

Skills

Sales & Business Development

Team Leadership

Channel / Distribution Management

Analytical Skills

Project Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Civil), Sales, Marketing, or Business Administration

Job description

SUMMARY:

As a member of the Executive Committee (EXCO), the Head of Sales is accountable for shaping and executing the company’s commercial strategy, driving sustainable revenue growth, and ensuring the company’s competitive market position. The role provides strategic leadership across all sales and marketing functions, aligning the sales organization with the broader business objectives and corporate vision. The Head of Sales is responsible for setting ambitious but achievable sales targets, optimizing the sales pipeline, expanding into new markets and customer segments, and fostering a high‑performance sales culture. Additionally, the role represents the commercial perspective at the highest level of decision‑making, collaborating with other EXCO members to influence company strategy, resource allocation, and long‑term business planning.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Civil), Sales, Marketing, or Business Administration.
• Industry Experience: Minimum 5–10 years’ B2B/B2G sales experience in the valve, pump, or industrial equipment sector, with a minimum of 5 years in a senior management role.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of valves, fittings, and process control products, and the ability to interpret technical documentation and customer requirements, a good understanding of plant processes and the impact of valves in the customers’ applications.
• Certifications: Relevant product or technical sales certifications are advantageous. Licenses: Valid driver’s license.
• Travel: Willingness and ability to travel frequently within the Southern Africa region, and occasionally internationally as required.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Sales & Business Development: Proven track record of achieving and exceeding revenue and margin targets, building and managing a quality sales pipeline, and developing strategic customer and channel relationships in technical B2B/B2G environments.
• Team Leadership: Demonstrated experience in leading, developing and performance‑managing a sales team, including recruitment, coaching, performance reviews and succession planning.
• Segment & Application Focus: Ability to move the organisation toward a structured, segment‑and‑application‑driven model, based on deep understanding of customer processes and needs.
• Channel / Distribution: Experience managing distribution and channel partners across South Africa and Southern Africa, including setting objectives, monitoring performance and driving joint market activities.
• Export & Regional Sales: Experience in selling into African markets and managing cross‑border customers, agents and distributors.
• Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English; proficiency in additional South African languages is beneficial. Strong negotiation, presentation and business writing abilities.
• Market Knowledge: In‑depth understanding of the South African and regional industrial and water sectors, including Water Supply, Wastewater Treatment, Energy, Industrial Process and Mining applications.
• Commercial Acumen: Strong understanding of commercial terms and conditions, pricing strategies, margin management and contract negotiation, including exposure to NEC/FIDIC or similar contractual frameworks.
• Analytical Skills: Proficiency with sales reporting, CRM systems and data analysis tools, with the ability to interpret conversion rates, forecast accurately, budget effectively and set realistic yet stretching targets.
• Sales Operations & CRM Discipline: Demonstrated ability to implement and enforce discipline in CRM usage, data quality and pipeline management, and to use insights to improve sales effectiveness and decision‑making.
• Project Management: Ability to manage multiple accounts, projects and deadlines concurrently, and to coordinate internal stakeholders to deliver on complex opportunities.

POSITION INFO:

Kindly apply if you meet the minimum requirements. Should you not hear back from us within 2 weeks consider your application as unsuccessful.