Strategic Partner / Portfolio Manager

Mygwork - Lgbtq+ Business Community; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 500 000 - 700 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail company in Johannesburg is seeking a seasoned Partner Manager to lead account strategies and executions. This role involves developing team capabilities, managing relationships with key stakeholders, and driving strategic initiatives to enhance market share. The ideal candidate has strong retail acumen, excellent leadership skills, and a passion for serving consumers. A full-time position with a focus on business development and sales in the sporting goods industry.

Qualifications

• Strong retail acumen and understanding of consumer trends.
• Extensive experience in managing and developing teams.
• Deep industry knowledge and a strong leadership track record.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop your team in line with the company's strategy.
• Manage account relationships at CEO / Director level.
• Drive implementation of account-specific strategies.

Skills

Retail acumen

Leadership

Relationship-building

Strategic thinking

Communication skills

Problem-solving

Job description

OverviewSouth Africa Marketplace – Partner Manager – (Strategic Partner / Portfolio Manager)

We are looking for a seasoned Partner Manager to own account strategies and executions in South Africa.

Based in Johannesburg, your objective will be to grow and claim #1 marketshare for your consumer across categories with your account and through your team by creating and executing the strategy, landing the seasonal stories and right assortment (breadth and depth) to serve your target consumer. We are looking for a retailer with an unwavering curiosity for our consumers and a proven leader of people who can build relationships across all levels of the organization and navigate through complex situations including problem solving.

You should embody the values of our company and contribute to a diverse and inclusive team culture where everyone can be themselves.

What Will You Work On

In this role you create and drive the account vision and strategy with a focus on Lifestyle or Performance throughout the pre and in-season offense.

You are the commercial voice for the marketplace, storytelling throughout the go-to-market process and a team leader guiding and steering your direct reports and cross-functional stakeholders.

You will be a key member and leader of the Marketplace function on the ground in South Africa and report directly into the Marketplace Director for South Africa.

You Will Be Accountable For

Lead and develop your team and account / business in-line with the GEO / Global and Nike SA strategy. Own and lead the account relationships on CEO / Director level. Create and develop account-specific strategies and drive implementation, buy-in and action across the team, account and cross-functionally. Lead and plan your account's business: forecasts and scenario plans using category, consumer, partner, brand and marketplace knowledge. Manage the partner and the marketplace: ensure best presentation of stories and products at your account (digital & B&M) aligned with the Nike Marketplace strategy. Build a premium seamless consumer experience, scaling online-to-offline.

Own product launch journeys across the account platform ecosystem. Contribute to net revenue growth and net contribution of your account by managing the end-to-end business with your account. Manage teams, projects / programs, and / or external customers; accountable for meeting short-term to medium-term targets that impact the department or team. Responsible for performance management, pay and resourcing decisions for direct reports. Implement and lead account strategy complementing Nike Marketplace. Lead set accounts to contribute to net revenue growth. Build annual trade terms aligned to central direction while driving positive account behaviour with business and account strategies, tracking and ensuring necessary compliance is maintained. Execute and influence where needed the business season requirements (incl. dates and gates) with your account end to end. Be an effective leader, team player and positive influence, leading by example.

You will work cross-functionally with key partners such as Merchandising, Planning, Marketing, Finance, Operations, and the Nike SA leadership team to deliver on our strategy. You must be collaborative and maximise the effectiveness of the cross-functional team, in service of the consumer. The environment requires an agile approach; every teammate is expected to meet the work where it is and contribute to projects or business needs as defined by the Marketplace Leader and/or the Country Leader of South Africa when required.

What You Bring To Nike

A successful candidate will clearly demonstrate the essential requirements below; candidates meeting these criteria will be assessed based on the competencies outlined.

Essential Requirements

• Strong retail acumen and understanding Nike products and consumer trends.
• Extensive experience and track record of managing, building and developing people / teams.
• Deep industry knowledge and strong leadership track record.
• Partner management at CEO / Director level.
• Excellent relationship-building skills.
• Knowledge across retail, merchandising, planning to drive end-to-end improvements.
• Visionary, strategic and innovative.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• A desire to better serve consumers with best-in‑class retail journeys across sport performance and lifestyle.
• Prior cross‑functional experience and internal / external stakeholder management.
• Self‑driven with passion to serve consumers and motivated by the retail landscape.
• Leadership Defined Key Competencies

Leadership Defined Key Competencies

• Instills trust by gaining confidence and trust through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
• Acts with courage and openness to take on the unknown.
• Fosters effective teamwork and a cohesive culture, leveraging diverse skills and perspectives.
• Ensures accountability for commitments.
• Values differences and creates an environment where differences are embraced and incorporated.
• Leads and embraces change with an agile mindset, including external partners.
• Communicates clear vision and strategy that motivates others to action; compelling storytelling.
• Thinks strategically and takes a long‑term view based on understanding of the consumer.

Seniority level: Mid‑Senior level

Employment type: Full‑time

Job function: Business Development and Sales

Industries: Sporting Goods