South Africa Marketplace – Partner Manager – (Strategic Partner/Portfolio Manager)

We are looking for a seasoned Partner Manager to own account strategies and executions in South Africa.  Based in Johannesburg, your objective will be grow and claim #1 marketshare for your consumer across categories with your account and thru your team by creating and executing the strategy, landing the seasonal stories and right assortment (breadth and depth) to serve your target consumer.

We are looking for

• An experienced retailer with an unwavering curiosity for our consumers, and an unrelenting desire to better serve them.
• A proven leader of people to work effectively towards a common goal
• A retailer with cross-functional experience and a proven track record of driving product strategy & business results.
• A leader that can build relationship across all levels of the organisation and navigate thru complex situations including problem solving.
• A teammate who embodies the values that our company holds dear and contributes to a diverse & inclusive team culture where everyone can be themself.

What will you work on

In this role you create and drive the account vision and strategy with a focus on Lifestyle or Performance throughout the pre and in-season offense. You are the commercial voice for the marketplace, storytelling throughout the go-to-market process and team leader guiding and steering your direct reports and crossfunctional stakeholders.

You are a key member and leader of the Marketplace function on the ground in South Africa and report directly into the Marketplace Director for South Africa.

You will be accountable for:

• Lead and develop your team and account/ business in-line with the GEO/Global and Nike SA strategy.
• Own and lead the account relationships on CEO/Director level.
• Create and develop account specific strategies and drive implementation, buy in and action across the team, account and x-functionally.

• Lead and plan your accounts business: forecasts and scenario plans for the account using category, consumer, partner, brand and marketplace knowledge.
• Manage the partner and the marketplace: Ensure best presentation of stories and products at your account (digital & B&M) aligned with the Nike Marketplace strategy. 
• Build a premium seamless consumer experience, scaling online-to-offline. Obsess product launch journeys across Account platform ecosystem 
• Contribute to net revenue growth and net contribution of your account by managing the end to end business with your account.

• Manages teams, projects/programs, and/or external customers Accountable for meeting short-term to medium-term targets that impact the department or team.
• Responsible for performance management, pay and resourcing decisions for direct reports.
• Implement and lead Account strategy complimenting Nike Marketplace.
• Lead set accounts to contribute to the net revenue growth.
• Build annual trade terms to align to central direction whilst driving positive account behaviour aligned with business and accounts strategies, tracking and ensuring necassery compliance is maintained.
• Execute and influence where needed, the business season requirements (incl dates and gates) with your account end to end.
• Be an effective leader, team player and positive influence, leading by example.

Who you will work with

In this role you will deliver the above core responsibilities.

You will also work cross-functionally with key partners such as Merchandising, Planning, Marketing, Finance, Operations, C and the Nike SA leadership team in service of our athletes and consumers, to deliver on our next % strategy. 

You must be collaborative and maximise the effectiveness of the cross-functional team, in service of the consumer.

The environment and the work requires an agile approach, every teammate is required to meet the work where it is, remain agile and ensure they contribute to any projects or business needs as defined by the Marketplace Leader and/or the Country Leader of South Africa when required.

What you bring to Nike

A successful candidate will be expected to clearly demonstrate and articulate experience of the below essential requirements to be considered.  Candidates that meet these criteria will then be assessed based on the competencies also outlined below.

Essential requirements

• Strong retail acumen and understanding Nike products and consumer trends.
• Extensive experience as well as track record of managing, building and developing people/teams.
• Deep industry knowledge and strong leadership track record.
• Partner management at CEO/ Director level.
• Excellent in relationship building.
• Knowledge across retail, merch, planning to drive E2E improvements
• Visionary, Strategic and Innovative.
• Strong communication and presentation skills.
• A desire to better serve consumer with best-in-class retail journeys across the dimensions of sport performance and lifestyle.
• Prior cross-functional experience, internal and external stakeholder management.
• Self-driven individual that has a passion to serve consumers and motivated about the retail landscape.

Leadership Defined Key Competencies

• Instils trust by gaining the confidence and trust of others quickly through honesty, integrity, and authenticity.
• Acts with courage Displays an openness to take on the unknown.
• Fosters effective teamwork contributes to a cohesive team culture and applies their diverse skills and perspectives to achieve common goals.
• Ensures accountability holds themself and others accountable to meet commitments.
• Values Differences and creates an environment in which differences are openly shared, embraced and incorporated into team activities.
• Lead & Embrace change work with an agile mindset, help lead others including external partners.
• Communicates clear vision and strategy that motivates others to action. Clear consistent communication, and inspirational product storytelling.
• Thinks strategically Thinks beyond the day to day, taking a long-term view of the business based on an understanding of our consumer.