General Sales & Marketing Specialist Professional - French Speaker required

About the opportunity

• We are seeking an experienced Sales & Marketing Specialist Professional to drive business growth and strengthen our market presence across French-speaking African countries, with a strong focus on Grid Integration, High Voltage (HV) Substations, Power Quality Solutions, and Service offerings.

• The ideal candidate is a fluent French speaker with 10–15 years of proven sales and business development experience within the power transmission, grid infrastructure, utilities, or energy sectors. The successful candidate will possess strong commercial acumen, a solid technical understanding of electrical power systems, and an established network within Francophone Africa.

• This role combines strategic sales execution, market development, customer relationship management, and commercial leadership while serving as a recognized expert within the organization.

How will you make an impact

Sales & Business Development

• Drive face-to-face and remote sales activities with new and existing customers across Francophone African markets.
• Identify customer needs and develop tailored solutions leveraging Grid Integration, HV Substations, Power Quality, and Service portfolios.
• Develop and maintain a robust sales pipeline to achieve and exceed annual order intake, revenue, and profitability targets.
• Lead commercial negotiations and manage complex sales opportunities from qualification through contract award.
• Build and strengthen long-term relationships with utilities, EPC contractors, consultants, industrial customers, and key stakeholders.
• Identify new business opportunities and develop strategies to increase market share across the assigned region.
• Contribute to strategic account planning and customer engagement initiatives.
• Support business strategy development and market expansion activities across Francophone Africa.

Marketing & Market Development

• Develop and execute market-specific sales and marketing strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Support product positioning, go-to-market initiatives, and brand development within Francophone Africa.
• Monitor market trends, customer requirements, investment plans, and competitor activities to identify growth opportunities.
• Represent the company at industry conferences, exhibitions, customer workshops, and business forums.
• Promote the company's value proposition and strengthen market visibility across the region.

Customer Support & Stakeholder Engagement

• Provide high-quality customer support related to product information, quotations, pricing, delivery schedules, and issue resolution.
• Act as a trusted advisor to customers on technical and commercial matters related to electrical power and Grid Integration solutions.
• Collaborate closely with engineering, tendering, operations, project management, finance, and service teams to deliver customer-focused solutions.
• Ensure high levels of customer satisfaction and long-term business partnerships.
• Maintain effective relationships with key external stakeholders and industry influencers.

Leadership & Expertise

• Serve as a recognized sales and marketing expert within the Grid Integration, Power Quality Solutions, and Service business across Francophone Africa.
• Manage large and complex opportunities and business processes with limited supervision.
• Support and mentor junior sales and marketing professionals when required.
• Handle complex business challenges requiring advanced commercial judgment and analytical skills.
• Provide market intelligence and strategic recommendations to business leadership.
• Lead strategic customer engagements and contribute to long-term business planning.

Your Background

• Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, Power Engineering, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• 10–15 years of experience in sales, business development, account management, or commercial roles within the electrical power, transmission, distribution, grid infrastructure, energy, or industrial sectors.
• Minimum 5 years of direct experience in Grid Integration, HV Substations, Power Quality Solutions, Power Systems, FACTS, or related utility infrastructure projects.
• Proven experience developing business and managing customers across French-speaking African countries.
• Fluent French and English (written and spoken) is mandatory.
• Demonstrated success in achieving and exceeding sales targets within technical and project-based environments.
• Strong understanding of electrical power systems, substations, transmission networks, Grid Integration, and utility business models.
• Strong existing network and established relationships with utilities, transmission companies, EPC contractors, consultants, government entities, and industrial customers across Francophone Africa.
• Proven ability to leverage professional relationships and market knowledge to identify opportunities, develop business, influence customer decisions, and secure new orders and strategic projects.
• Proven track record of winning complex utility, infrastructure, or industrial projects.
• Ability to work effectively within multicultural and geographically diverse environments.

Preferred Skills & Competencies

• Strong commercial negotiation, influencing, and contract management skills.
• Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder management capabilities.
• Proven track record of developing strategic accounts and capturing large utility and infrastructure projects.
• Deep understanding of market dynamics across Francophone Africa.
• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and execution capabilities.
• Strong analytical and financial skills, including budgeting, forecasting, and business case development.
• Excellent presentation, communication, and executive engagement skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and complex sales cycles simultaneously.
• Self-motivated, proactive, customer-focused, and results-oriented.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively across Africa as required.