Job Advert Summary

Rand Water is looking for a candidate to lead and manage the Municipal Customer segment’s operations and customer relationships by assisting them in optimizing their operations and maintenance. Ensuring that customers and Rand Water comply with the contents of the general water supply conditions contract. Manage customer technical queries and account settlements. Submit invoices, relevant reports and information on monthly basis to customers

Minimum Requirements

• Minimum Education: Bachelor’s degree in business administration, marketing or finance from an accredited Degree Granting University
• Desired Education: Post graduate degree will be desirable
• At least 5 years’ knowledge and experience in bulk water infrastructure operations
• At least 5 years’ knowledge in dealing with water sector dynamics and process

Primary Duties

• Servicing customers by providing product/service information and resolving product and service problems
• Advising customers on how to optimize their water services operations and maintenance
• Advising customers on technical water related matters (by holding technical, finance and water quality related meetings with customers)
• Developing progress report and assisting customers to understand Rand Water technical reports
• Engaging with key customers by building and preserving trusting relationships
• Attracting potential customers by answering product and service questions and suggesting information about other products and services
• Conducting business reviews to determine customer’s satisfaction and use the findings to improve on areas of complaint
• Meeting with Managers within Rand Water to plan strategically on all customer related issues and ensure that the business and customers comply with the conditions of the Bulk Water Supply Contract
• Report variations (non-compliance) to customers and business and offer assistance to customers
• Negotiate account payment settlement with customers
• Open customer accounts, monitoring and managing customer payment and taking corrective action against defaulting customers in line with the Rand Water Credit Management Policy and PMFA, Bulk Water Supply Contract, PAJA and all relevant Legislation
• Comply with Rand Water Credit Management Policy by following up on outstanding customer accounts in line with the Finance internal service level agreement on account receivable notes.
• Reduce debtor days in line with Rand Water’s corporate key performance indicators by ensuring that all customers pay within the contractual period
• Development of Municipal Customer business plan and performance monitoring
• Performance management by aligning strategic objectives with deliverables of key account management

Knowledge

• Knowledge and experience dealing with bulk water infrastructure operations and maintenance
• Knowledge of water sector dynamics and processes
• A good knowledge of project management, and ability to manage the budgeting process
• Knowledge of strategic objectives that goes beyond short term gains
• Proven ability to manage multi-stakeholder relationships, most importantly at technical level
• Proficient in all Microsoft applications
• Key account management

Skills

• Be able to develop business proposals professional, written and verbal communication
• Must be able to coordinate marketing and operations
• Skill in Integrating customer relationships, operations and financial knowledge to achieve organizational objectives.
• Superior presentation and excellent oral and written communication skills
• Exceptional customer service skills
• High commercial acumen and a record of confidence dealing with senior and middle managers

Attitude

• A technical specialist in the water sector operations and maintenance
• A pro-active self-starter who can operate both individually and as part of a team
• Work well under pressure and be able to deal with difficult customers
• A professional negotiator and mediator
• Be prepared to travel