Route to Market Director SSA at AstraZeneca

Position Purpose

This position will be responsible for leading, developing and coordinate the primary and/or secondary distribution activities in order to assure timely delivery of high quality products meeting the customer service requirements and the predefined departmental performance criteria.

Develop and lead a first class effective and cohesive Distribution network team and provide ongoing motivation and engagement across the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

Furthermore, this role will be responsible for the management of the Sub-Saharan Africa’s Distributors, Demand Planning, Market Access & Pricing as directed by the overall AstraZeneca SSA strategy.

Key Performance Areas

Manage team effectiveness and engagement

• Appoint, build and maintain a first class effective and cohesive Route to Market Network team and provide ongoing motivation to a diversely representative team of individuals
• Agree team and team member roles, performance criteria, objectives and standards of work execution and monitor performance on an ongoing basis.
• Articulate the organisational vision and resource requirements and demonstrate the courage and conviction required to drive large scale change initiatives to drive results
• Develop and manage a clear talent and succession plan with identified critical positions and successors
• Proactively invest in long-term development of team members by providing challenging cross-functional development opportunities and stretch assignments to prepare them for future roles and build broad AstraZeneca SSA capability.
• Facilitate interdepartmental participation, collaboration, interaction, communication and support. Address blockers that inhibit effective collaboration

Implement supply plan as per business strategies

• Develop and implement a functional business plan for Supply flow of products that reflects the business objectives of AstraZeneca Sub Saharan Africa markets and aligns with SSA brand marketing strategies
• Coordinate the achievement of Supply chain deliverables and ensure the delivery of business critical Supply Chain needs within agreed timelines
• Successfully communicate the Supply Chain business plan as agreed to SSA markets to align team members and business partners with company goals; ensure that Supply Chain objectives and standards of performance are understood and owned by all stakeholders
• Proactively identify issues and manage risk, taking appropriate action as required on supply issues in collaboration with the Supply: Senior Manager, Regional Heads and MCP
• Ensure the evolution of work processes and organisation for own area of responsibility: identify opportunities, challenge existing approaches and develop defensible alternatives where appropriate
• Drive Demand Planning process within the cross-functional team and drive a robust stock in and order review discussions to enable robust forecasts
• Define pricing strategies to support commercial channel opportunities identified by CM/RH
• Strengthen governance systems & processes around pricing implementation gaps and drive better penetration in Public Procurement through Tender Excellence
• Assess & review channel opportunities to derive new channel strategies
• With CMs/RHs & Access Team - evaluate access barriers for strategic brands & develop appropriate strategies
• Develop PSPs to address specific access barriers, and that will maximize patient access

Supplier/Distributor Management

• Ensure all contracted suppliers/distributors meet AZ SSA expectations within the stipulated distributor agreement and/or contract stipulations as well as define Distributor Agreements
• Contract management and timeous negotiation of contract modifications with distributors as well as negotiate and retain suitable distributor control costs, incurred for distribution, by appointed the “correct” distributor models
• Deal with distributors on rectification of performance issues and
• implementation & rollout of DMF
• Build strategic partnerships with distributors by regularly liaising with key distributors and conducting distributors assessments/appraisals
• Develop, coordinate and manage the RTM strategy and ensure that the sales & distribution models are in line with company strategies
• Drive distributor performance management by defining KPIs (incl. eg. customer service level, market coverage, customer insight sharing, information sharing, market trends reporting, timeous stock & sales reporting)
• Derive new Supply Flow/Distribution models in line with business development needs, considering alternative business models & future distribution needs
• Develop distributor capabilities – evaluate partner’s capabilities in strategic channels to identify gaps - developing and implementing distributor training initiatives for individual distributors ensuring the required skill within partners & building stronger partnership through adding value
• Analysing the distributor landscape, finding potential and ideal distributors
• Manage distribution partner relationships at above country level (eg. IHS holding company, EcoHealth, etc.)
• Establish common purpose with distributors & manage objectives

Logistics and Financial Management

Manage supply to AstraZeneca customers from AstraZeneca SSA suppliers by embedding consistent and value-adding processes:

• Understanding the needs and requirements of customers
• Understanding the operational capability of external suppliers
• Agreeing and implementing supply chain plans that meet customers’ needs whilst maximising efficiency
• Manage the operational interface with each supplier to exceed customer expectation
• Ensure stock levels are controlled to agreed levels with minimum lead time, costs and effective use of resources
• Ensure minimum “stock outs” on all AstraZeneca products
• Manage financial compliance across the Supply Chain in accordance with AZ Global supply, procurement and corporate governance policies
• Stock reconciliations
• Stock auditing
• Account management controls and expense controls
• Purchasing controls
• Exception reports
• Manage supply policies and practices that maximise value and ensure full compliance with AstraZeneca and SHE standards
• Effectively and accurately measure and report key performance metrics supporting the delivery of business objectives; pro-actively identify areas of concern and take appropriate action to resolve
• Keep abreast of latest position of import duties and surcharges affecting AstraZeneca and advise accordingly to maximise business performance
• Provide timeous resolution to customer concerns or refer to the Purchasing and Supply Senior manager (if outside jurisdiction)

Financial budgeting and control

• Work with Regional Heads/Commercial Managers to ensure proper management of resources with the aim of optimising investment and creating maximum return
• Consolidate feedback and forecasts from Regional Heads/Commercial Managers and provide quarterly forecasts on the budget and projected year end spend, re-evaluating the budget in line with priorities, market conditions and a thorough understanding the market place
• Collate monthly feedback report for division on finance, strategy achievement and implementation issues

Optimise Stakeholder relationships & Distribution Network

• Develop and maintain relationships with key internal customers and maintain visibility and accessibility, working in close collaboration with them to realise AstraZeneca’s long-term objectives
• Provide input into the development and co-ordination of an integrated customer relation management approach in close collaboration with other departments
• Build relationships with Key Stakeholders to optimise current and future sales and marketing initiatives and gain their support on overall business strategy
• Ensure that the distribution channel is operated according to all AstraZeneca SHE, GDP, SOX, Code of conduct and group policies and requirements
• Follow-up the operational performance of the Logistic Service Provider w.r.t inbound logistics and inventory management.
• Follow-up the operational performance of the QC Laboratories w.r.t. Distribution Management Framework (DMF)
• Ensure that new product launches are monitored and LSP is prepared to receive new products.
• Represent AstraZeneca to key stakeholders across the value chain

Minimum Requirements

• 10 years’ experience of which 5 years’ logistics and/or distribution management experience at management level (industry experience a distinct advantage) with three years’ senior management experience and proven track record
• Bachelor's degree in Logistics or B-Com Marketing or a relevant tertiary qualification an advantage
• Experience and knowledge of business within SSA
• Experience in negotiating with 3rd party distributors and ability to deliver both ex-Factory and in-Market sales
• Ability to travel and operate in SSA
• Proven capability of team development
• Ability to assess credit, risk and finance
• Good knowledge and understanding of GDP and applicable pharmaceutical regulations
• Demonstrated capability on strong governance and compliance

Competencies

• Leadership Skills
• Networking/Relationship Building
• Strategic Thinking
• Action orientated/ Sense of urgency
• Excellence and Integrity
• Strong initiative
• Results orientated
• Strong analytical ability
• Active listening & Problem solving skills
• Ability to drive high performance culture
• Innovation