Business Development Specialist – Lusaka Full Time

Job description

Location: Lusaka, Zambia

Are you a changemaker who wants to play a pivotal role in restoring vision for millions of people in low-income settings across Zambia?

VisionSpring, an international social enterprise, seeks a Business Development Specialist to develop new customer relationships and drive the sale of eyeglasses across various sectors. While the Business Development Specialist will pursue sales directly by approaching hospitals, eye hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers, s/he will also increase the depth and breadth of eyeglass distribution channels by growing a national network of channel partners, uncovering untapped customer demand for eyeglasses at workplaces within the region, and work with Government partners who serve low-income communities. S/he will work with an Optical Technical Advisor, who will also be based in Lusaka, to find and close new business opportunities. The Specialist will foster and manage key accounts, grow sales across multiple optical product categories (reading glasses, frames, sunglasses, etc.), and seamlessly execute all aspects of the sales process. The successful candidate will report to our VP of Global Sales and Institutional Partnerships.

This role is a contract-based, full-time position. As with other contractors with whom we have worked for many years, we expect the successful candidate to be willing to be a long-term contractor for VisionSpring.

About You

• You want to build a socially oriented business. You are accustomed to being a top performer in in a high-growth environment. Nothing feels better than achieving your targets using a pro-active work ethic.
• You know how to find new partners, increase reach across the region, and improve accessibility to affordable eyeglasses using direct sales routes and a channel partner network.
• You are self-motivated, and are constantly seeking new and creative ways to reach your target market.
• You are adept at business-to-business and institutional sales and fully understand the sales management cycle. You are particularly adept at wholesale sales, and have a knack for expanding the distribution of physical products.

• You are strategic in your approach to new territories, actively networking to identify new partners and nurture key accounts. To deepen market penetration, you leverage direct sales, tender routes, and channel partner networks.

• You have a special talent for negotiating with partners for a win-win closure of deals.

• You have the experience, maturity, and confidence, as well as the communication skills, to interact with people in senior positions. You can get others excited about what they are going to do.
• You work effectively alongside sales team partners.

What You’ll DoNew Business Development

• Conduct research to identify and pursue new opportunities to grow partnerships with eye hospitals, clinics, and other health service providers, and assist them in introducing or expanding their optical services.

• Meet and surpass monthly, quarterly, and annual sales targets by winning new and repeat orders.

• Grow and manage the channel partner network. Use your creativity to find new paths, and expand existing ones, to bring eyeglasses to our target population.

• Contact and consistently follow up with existing and new accounts, deliver the highest levels of customer service and engagement.

• Faithfully and accurately enter all sales activity—calls, conversations, meetings, etc.—into a customer relations management (CRM) system provided by VisionSpring.

• Explore the possibility of expanding into mass market retail channels that serve our target population.

• Network and cold-call to find sales opportunities. Pro-actively identify high-potential partners.
• Represent VisionSpring at local industry forums and in peer groups. Attend educational and market development events, such as partner workshops, seminars, conferences, trainings, etc.

Key Account Management

• Map and manage key accounts. Maintain existing close relationship and assure that we are building new relationships that will last.

• Strengthen relationships with all key opinion makers and stakeholders.

• Periodically affirm that VisionSpring is reaching our target population by reviewing customer data and KPIs.

• Liaise with the supply chain team for seamless placement, production, and dispatch of orders

• Regularly follow up with customers for pre- and post-sale documentation and payments.

What’s Required

• Master’s degree, preferably in business.

• Minimum of five years of professional experience in business-to-business and institutional sales.

• Willingness to travel up to 50% of the time within Zambia.

• Excellent written and spoken communication skills in English, as well as Bemba and/or Nyanja.

• Optional Experience: Insitutional sales within healthcare or pharma sector, Logistics and supply chain for products with geographically disparate points of sale, Knowledge of visioncare and optical services, Exisiting rolodex of contacts in healthcare/pharma/visioncare sector, and Comfort using a CRM.

Compensation

• Salary based on experience and education
• Commission based on unit sales
• Exciting performance-based bonuses
• Monthly budget for expenses

To Apply

• Please submit an application including a thoughtful cover letter and a CV to: talent@visionspring.org.

• Include your last name and “Business Development Specialist, Zambia” in the subject line.

• Only candidates to be interviewed will be contacted.

VisionSpring is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

How to Apply

Follow instruction on this link