Job Description
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Business Development Strategy & Policy
- Participate in the development of strategy/business plan for the Business Development Unit and monitor its implementation.
- Develop for review and approval policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), work plan and other support systems including monitoring mechanisms in managing the Business Development Unit to achieve targeted objectives.
- Monitor the implementation of comprehensive strategy and tactical plan for business development, income generation and awareness-creation for the Centre.
Market & Business Analysis
- Coordinate and monitor the implementation of approved marketing plans to maintain and increase existing business and capture new markets/opportunities.
- Participate in the development of comprehensive sales and marketing strategies, including pricing models to meet the Centre’s targeted objective and business plan.
- Research on existing markets and competitors to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the Centre and recommend for approval measures to minimize the impact of threats and to take advantage of identified opportunities.
- Review internal and external data to understand trends and discover opportunities for cost savings and income generation for the Centre’s business.
- Lead research/studies and formulate market/business analysis for each identified business model and opportunity for the Centre.
- Research and analyse key business drivers, market changes/influences, customer behavior, opportunities and competitor activities and come up with new products and services for approval and implementation.
- Direct sales forecasting activities and set performance goals accordingly for Supervisor’s approval.
Business Development Initiatives
- Conceptualize and formulate new business ideas into saleable products/services and identify potential investors/partners for off-taker agreements in line with the Centre’s long-term vision and business strategy.
- Stay abreast with current government policy interventions on emerging bi-lateral and multi-lateral economic/social development initiatives and provide advice on potential business opportunities for the Centre.
- Conduct studies on operating business lines/markets of the Centre and government’s development agenda regarding private sector participation and/or initiative and submit findings indicating business opportunities for approval and implementation.
- Identify potential new business opportunities to pursue in close collaboration with all stakeholders and identify avenues for project financing and implementation.
- Propose innovative ideas and approaches for developing the Centre’s businesses and projects.
- Prepare proposals on new business initiatives and ideas highlighting financial/economic viabilities for consideration and implementation.
- Participate in the preparation of bid documents to facilitate business initiatives and projects.
- Supervise and coordinate the Business Development Team in the implementation of new business initiatives in line with the Centre’s overall business strategy.
- Responsible for exploring/prospecting new business opportunities for the Centre.
- Lead in developing and executing product and service launch plans/strategies.
- Develop for approval product positioning and messaging in a manner that differentiates the Centre’s products from others in the market.
Monitoring & Evaluation
- Responsible for setting standards/targets to monitor the performance of Business Development Team to ensure consistency and compliance with approved policies and guidelines.
Stakeholder Relations & Management
- Maintain professional relationship and liaise closely with government officials, MDAs and other business executives to explore business opportunities.
- Liaise with key stakeholders and other organizations (NGOs, private companies and government) to generate ideas, create partnerships and implement business models as approved.
Financial Management
- Participate in the preparation of the annual budget for the Business Development Unit and implement same.
- Analyse sales performance reports against budgets, targets/standards and propose new business initiatives/directions for exploitation.
- Certify and recommend for payment invoices, claims, receipts etc.
Information & Reporting
- Stay abreast with business-related legislations, rules and regulations in Ghana and countries of potential/current business partners and advise Supervisor as appropriate.
- Responsible for the maintenance and update of comprehensive data on potential, new and existing business development initiatives for easy retrieval and accessibility of information.
- Develop proposals, presentations and reports as required by Supervisor and/or Management.
- Review and analyse internal and external data to understand trends and discover opportunities for cost savings and income generation for the Centre’s business.
- Keep the General Manager informed of potential business initiatives/emerging trends and best practices in project financing and management.
- Prepare periodic/adhoc business development report(s) for Management decision making.
Employee Performance & Development
- Design and develop training/coaching programmes for the business development team in order to achieve high performance.
- Maintain a professional staff with sufficient knowledge, skills, competencies, experience and professional certification to meet the requirements of the company.
- Hold direct reports accountable for managing their assignments to ensure the Centre’s goals are achieved.
- Conduct performance reviews and provide input for career development and recommend performance incentives for direct reports.
REQUIRED COMPETENCIES
- Proven understanding of business strategic development.
- Ability to articulate, package and sell project/business initiatives and clinch deals.
- In-depth knowledge/understanding of the business environment of Ghana and other foreign countries of importance to the Company.
- Entrepreneurial drive, passion and ability to help shape the organization’s business development and market research strategy.
- Considerable knowledge/understanding of market segmentation value propositions and customer/client profiling.
- Good knowledge of Ghana’s Trade Policy, GIPC regulations and other regulatory bodies/agencies with regard to business operations and/or relations with foreign content.
- Excellent knowledge in market research and business analyses.
- Ability to build professional relationships relevant to the development of business potential /partnerships.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Good negotiation and conflict management skills.
- Good sound decision making based on thorough analyses of issues.
- Ability to use consultative approaches to influence others to support business objectives.
- Good knowledge and understanding of project management and administration.
- Ability to work under pressure in a target driven environment.
- Strong interpersonal skills.
- Strong commercial and financial awareness, monitoring, co-ordination and budget ownership.
- Strong leadership, managerial, coaching, mentoring and interpersonal skills in a "team" setting.
- Proficient in the use of MS Office suite and business development software/tools.
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE REQUIRED
- Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship, Business Administration, Marketing or an equivalent discipline with not less than seven (7) years relevant working experience and at least three (3) years in management.
- Must be a member of a recognised professional body.