Commercial / Sales

The business manager plays a fully-fledged coordinating role throughout the project life cycle, from customer requirements analysis through to technical and commercial proposal-writing and project delivery.

Business development

• Responds to calls for tenders and analyses and reviews customer requirements
• Detects business opportunities and develops proposals
• Contributes to feasibility studies (technical solutions)
• Prepares commercial proposals and pitches them to the customer
• Designs performance indicators

Project management and operational monitoring

• Monitors and coordinates projects to ensure they are executed according to plan (costs, lead times, quality, delivery, entry into service)
• Provides functional and technical support to teams, and to production teams in particular
• Manages customer satisfaction by responding to technical and commercial questions
• Supports after-sales training for project roll-out
• Tracks overdue payments and potential disputes

Keeps abreast of latest technological advances

• Monitors relevant market (portfolio) and targets companies for news, challenges, requirements and decision-makers
• Reports back on trends and developments
• Tracks and keeps pace with products and services on the market (especially those offered by competitors)

Team leadership

• Coordinates and oversees the work of team
• Assesses and identifies demand for new hires
• Manages team staffing (absences, paid leave, days off, replacements, etc.)
• Encourages skills development (training, internal job mobility, etc.)

Special working arrangements: This role involves frequent travel

The project manager uses agile methods to manage a project or set of projects from start to finish – from scoping through to delivery – while meeting cost, quality and lead time imperatives.

Scoping and requirements analysis

• Works with the customer to scope the requirements of the project

• Determines requirements in terms of human resources and technical skills
• Prepares cost calculations and/or invoices
• Sets a budget based on the project’s complexity
• Assesses risks that could arise during the project

Project management, monitoring and coordination

• Set up the project structures and establish the terms of operation (methods, steering tools, indicators, agile ceremonies, etc.)
• Sets targets and deliverable deadlines
• Selects and allocates resources in accordance with project constraints
• Tracks and measures progress (creating scorecards, selecting indicators, scheduling steering committee meetings, etc.)
• Supervises and coordinates the work of all internal and/or external players
• Issues warnings about risks arising during the project
• Approves the deliverables

Customer relations management

• Organises and leads steering committee meetings
• Shares project progress scorecards with the customer on a regular basis

Testing and going live

• Tests the deliverables as required
• Hands over the deliverables
• Provides post-delivery service

Training and change management

• Writes user documentation
• Trains users
• Provides change-management support

Upgrading and corrective maintenance

• Supports post-delivery monitoring, upgrading and corrective maintenance for the deployed solutions (tools, applications, specific developments, etc.)

Competitive intelligence/technology watch

• Carries out competitive intelligence/technology watch within the scope

The sales representative approaches potential customers (individuals and businesses in the public and private sectors) and builds a loyal customer portfolio in order to gain market share and boost the company’s sales. Acts as an ambassador for the company.

Sales target-setting

• Uses databases and professional networks to identify potential customers
• Helps prepare the commercial action plan, set targets and determines the associated methods (multichannel prospecting, field visits, documentation and marketing intelligence)

Prospecting

• Reaches out to potential new customers through field visits and remote contact
• Adjusts products and services to potential customers’ stated requirements
• Negotiates prices, lead times and volumes with customers
• Prepares commercial proposals and develops financing solutions

Business development and monitoring

• Monitors customers in order to build their loyalty through field visits and/or remote contact
• Replies to customer requests, writes commercial proposals and negotiates terms
• Closes the sale (purchase orders and/or sales contracts signed)
• Ensures that contractual terms are honoured and maintains customer satisfaction

Customer relations management

• Keeps the customer database up to date in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system
• Carries out marketing intelligence (monitoring products, trends and competitors)
• Carries out a competitive analysis
• Tracks indicators and analyses sales figures

The sales outlet manager is responsible for operational management and customer care within the sales outlet, with a focus on growing sales and boosting service quality.

Advertising and promotion

• Organise l’accueil de la clientèle et participe à la vente
• Ensures that the sales outlet is clean, tidy and well-presented
• Makes best use of the retail space in line with the company’s principles and guidelines
• Oversees the roll-out of advertising and promotional campaigns and prepares the associated action plans
• Carries out routine competitive intelligence

Administrative and logistics management

• Tracks and analyses business indicators (sales figures, conversion rate, footfall, etc.)
• Organises re-supply and stock-taking tasks
• Reviews cash flows and banks the sales outlet’s takings
• Plans staffing schedules and adjusts worktime arrangements in line with daily and seasonal fluctuations in business
• Ensures that employment law is complied with (employment contracts, payslips, etc.)

Management

• Helps recruit and onboard new employees
• Leads regular team meetings
• Ensures staff are aware of the sales strategy
• Sets sales targets and shares performance figures
• Identifies skills gaps and development opportunities and devises appropriate training for employees

Special working arrangements: This role involves working at weekends and on public holidays