Head of Commercial Operations

About the role

Sulzer's Services business in Africa provides overhaul, maintenance, repair and upgrade of rotating equipment such as pumps, motors, compressors, turbines and generators, supporting mining, power generation, water and industrial manufacturing. Sulzer is looking for an experienced, commercially astute Head of Commercial Operations to lead tendering, sales support and commercial governance across the Sub-Saharan Africa region. This is a senior leadership position based in Johannesburg.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and develop the regional Tendering and Sales Support teams, and deputise for the Regional Sales Director when required.
• Drive commercial excellence across tenders, proposals and quotations, and review enquiries to support bid/no-bid decisions.
• Ensure tender submissions are commercially robust, competitive and compliant, and partner with Sales, Engineering, Operations and Procurement to win tenders.
• Support contract negotiations and new customer agreements, and oversee project handovers from sales to execution.
• Maintain governance, approval processes and commercial controls across the SSA region, and drive continuous improvement and team training.

Required profile

• Technical university degree or equivalent engineering qualification.
• At least 10 years' experience in a commercial, tendering, sales support or technical sales leadership environment.
• Demonstrated experience managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Experience in engineering services, rotating equipment, industrial maintenance or related technical industries.
• Proven track record managing complex tenders and commercial proposals, and negotiating contracts.
• Understanding of risk management, pricing strategies and commercial governance.

Required skills

• Advanced tendering and proposal development.
• SAP and Salesforce experience.
• Strong computer literacy, reporting capability and written and verbal communication skills.

What we offer

• Competitive market-related salary.
• Medical aid with company contribution and Provident Fund with employer contribution.
• Annual personal bonus scheme based on company and personal performance.
• Employee Assistance Programme, generous annual leave and learning and career progression opportunities.
• Exposure to regional and international projects across Sub-Saharan Africa.