Sales Manager CN/EN, Northern Africa

Requisition Number: 79005

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Corning’s businesses are ever-evolving to best serve our customers, industries, and consumers. Today, we accelerate and transform life sciences, mobile consumer electronics, optical communications, display, automotive, and solar markets. We are changing the world with:

Trusted products that accelerate drug discovery, development, and delivery to save lives

Damage-resistant cover glass to enhance the devices that keep us connected

Optical fiber, wireless technologies, and connectivity solutions to carry information and ideas at the speed of light

Precision glass for advanced displays to deliver richer experiences

Auto glass and ceramics to drive cleaner, safer, and smarter transportation

Solar polysilicon, wafers, and innovative photovoltaic modules, enabling low-cost solar energy solutions

Sales Manager CN/EN, Northern Africa

Job purpose

Working together with the Enterprise (EN) and Carrier (CN) EMEA commercial organizations to develop new businesses as well as to grow the existing business for these market segments, across the African continent. Focus will be on the datacenter market (for the Enterprise segment) and on the FTTH market, Long-Haul and Datacenter Interconnect.(for the Carrier segment). The role will be equally split: 50% Carrier Networks (CN), focused on FTTH and LH/DCI, and 50% Enterprise Networks (EN), focused on Data Centers.

Responsibilities

• Achieves and/or surpasses the assigned sales targets
• Develops and executes account and distribution plans that provide the customer(s) with a fully integrated set of product, process, service, and technical solutions which draw on Corning’s total value proposition to meet specific business needs
• Develop new businesses with a strong hunter mindset and build pipeline directly with telecom operators
• Maintains frequent contact with the customer and other ancillary companies (channels, contractors, OEMs, design companies, trade associations) to identify, build and strengthen the relationship. Continually assess Corning’s effectiveness in meeting the customer’s needs, and ultimately maximize account penetration and customer retention
• Maintains frequent contact with market trade associations to be aware of regional market developments
• Serves as an advocate for both Corning and the customer by creating value for both parties and balancing the needs and constraints of both parties
• Stays informed of customer requirements and key buying factors and uses this knowledge to pursue profitable selling opportunities for current or next generation products and to modify account plans as needed
• Collaborates with Pricing, Product Line Management, and other functions to negotiate favorable agreements with customers
• Commercial Negotiation and Issue Resolution: strong capability to address customer concerns, manage competing priorities, negotiate solutions and drive opportunities to closure.
• Proactively clarifies and executes contract terms and aligns customers’ expectations with the division’s ability to deliver
• Work with the customers on their solution and architectural designs, bringing to bear the necessary Corning expertise to support them
• Develop and manage relationships across the Data Center ecosystem, including owners/operators, colocation providers, hyperscalers, consultants, system integrators, contractors, distributors, and installers
• Identify and develop Data Center opportunities from early design and specification through tender, deployment, and expansion, translating customer requirements for density, scalability, deployment speed, reliability, and sustainability into differentiated optical connectivity solutions
• Coordinate responses to RFP and RFI as required, and generally respond to customer’s technical questions
• Lead technical-commercial responses for strategic tenders and projects.
• Coordinates cross-functional account services (with Applications Engineering, Customer Service, Systems Engineering, Technology) to lead the account and serve the customer with one, unified voice and to provide seamless support
• Collects market, customer, and competitor intelligence and insights and shares this knowledge with others, as appropriate, to inform sales, marketing, and technical strategies as well as the demand forecast and sales planning processes
• Collects sales information within the account to inform short-term and long-term sales forecasting (i.e., sales budget and 5-year plan) at the account and division level and inform inventory management efforts
• Customizes presentation / marketing collateral to fit the customer’s technical needs
• Assesses the overall cost of sales to ensure that resources are optimally allocated to align with the opportunities that are available
• Aligns the technical and sales capabilities of Corning’s resources with the customer’s needs and with consideration of individual interests, capabilities, and development needs
• Maintains updated the forecast information of opportunities registered in the CRM tool SFDC
• Travel Required: Up to 50% (mostly within the African continent, and also Europe)

Requirements

• Technical Degree or similar professional apprenticeship, engineering, sales or sciences qualifications
• Strong technical bias and understanding of fibre optic components, hardware and networks
• Experience gained from engineering/technical, or operational roles, or from selling to the telecommunication industry (datacenter/FTTH/long haul)
• Good understanding of Data Center architectures, structured cabling, high-density fibre connectivity, and applicable industry standards

Minimum 3 years work experience

Commercial acumen with a growth mindset, adept at long term relationship building

Resilience and determination, accustomed to both short and long term sales cycles.

Confident at engaging senior technical and engineering directors, business leaders, strong presentation skills

Negotiation, analytical and evaluation skills

Prior experience working with, or for, telecommunication service providers – mobile, satcom or fixed line is desired

A result-driven, proactive self-starter able to work independently and collaboratively with an entrepreneurial mindset.

Very good organization skills and structured approach.

The position holder must be able to work effectively from a home office or Corning office

Excellent French and English skills; additional other language skills would be a plus.

Corning is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and considers requests for reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable laws. Individuals with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs may request reasonable accommodations to participate in the application or interview process, perform essential job functions, or access other benefits and privileges of employment. To submit a request for reasonable accommodation related to disability or religion, please contact us at [email protected].