Senior Account Manager/ Head of Ticketing
Groupon Middle East
Total years of experience :16 years, 10 Months
• Fully responsible for leading and setting up Groupon Tickets, hiring and managing a team, and going live with the platform in a matter of weeks. Acquired over 80% of business previously working with competitors to establish the page on par with other leading ticketing merchants across the country. Now running for 11 months, I have successfully acquired a partner base of over 100 clients while generating $200, 000 GP
• Manage team of 3 people to continue business development of portfolio through set KPI’s and achieve set departmental targets
• Initiate contact with merchants, across target industries predominantly within F& B, services and event management companies, to introduce the power of the Groupon concept and revolutionary marketing technique
• Develop a bespoke marketing plan for each partner (through the website, newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram campaigns) providing a consultative approach on deal strategies and structures to enable the deal to run successfully
• Negotiate business contracts, in line with company objectives to exceed company revenue targets
• Manage on-going relationship with business partner portfolio leading to repeat business at higher margins
• On-going liaison with inter-company departments to improve workflow systems, partner management, customer experience, client satisfaction and company profitability
ability
Strategically oversaw the membership and sales to 65 corporate accounts (including DU, Etisalat, Qtel, France Telecom, Telefonica, KPN Group, Telecom Italia) across Europe, the Middle East and Africa for the TM FORUM, the primary standards body within the Telco industry; achieved set targets (over $2million annually) and closed opportunities through designated/bespoke programs, consulting and training.
• Selling TM Forum products and services (Corporate Training, Industry Benchmarking based on TM Forum Metrics, Collaboration activities resulting in TM Forum Case Studies, Programs - Revenue Management, Customer Experience Management) allowing for operational efficiency and running efficient, agile and effective enterprises within the Telecoms Service Provider community
• Work with an international client base using a tailored account management approach to meet different market needs
• Analyse Business needs putting forward recommendations and bespoke proposals with the aim of selling portfolio of strategic products to achieve set sales target and KPI’s.
• Travel required 2 - 3 times a month to interface with department heads, along with the technical team, to present and successfully close sales opportunities and ensure the SME (Subject Matter Expert)
• Ensure adoption of Best Practices and set industry Standards (eTOM, SID, TAM) amongst key Service Provider Accounts and ensure ROI
• Coordinate Internally with different departments (Technical-Collaboration, Commercial Sales, Events) to ensure members are able to take advantage of the regularly updated TM Forum activities and Standards
• Establish and Grow the Number of Technical, Marketing and C level contacts across accounts
• Research and Build in-depth knowledge of complex processes and bespoke technologies
• Effectively Lead projects and offer vital advice within the Customer Decision Process
• Manage a team of 5 persons to oversee the supply chain for; SIM cards, scratch cards, wireless devices, handsets and promotional goods, for 11 Zain Operating companies (OpCo’s) across West and Central Africa
• Responsible for the commercial and financial performance with the Telecom Operator accounts
• Project managed the set up phase of the Centralisation project through monitoring of internal department progress and client
• Designed reporting tools in adherence with clients requests
• Managed interface between all 11 Zain Opco’s and Zain Group, whereby the main focus was structuring and developing the commercial relationship with a pro-active approach and understanding requirements
• Use of skills to build cross cultural relationships and gain understanding of variables (market needs & demand) between in country operational business models
• Analysis of OpCo inventory and forecast data to reduce cost through the selection of efficient shipping modes, optimal stock holdings, and consolidated purchasing
• Control costs, along with Opco, to ensure that expenditure is being managed in mind with budgets
• Own the responsibility of complaint handling intermediary between OpCo’s and vendors ensuring the implementation of corrective actions to address breaches of contract by either party
Worked in the contract IT Contracts sector, recruiting for Senior Level IT appointments including Heads of IT departments, Business Analysts and Project Managers. Top accounts won include Blue Chip companies such HSBC, UBS, Deutsche Bank, Barclays, News International, Sky, Camelot (National Lottery) acquiring new business and ensuring recruitment requirements were fulfilled - resulting in an 85% placement rate and billing over £250, 000, superseding set targets during my employment there.
Competences and Responsibilities:
• Full recruitment life cycle; matching client expectations with applicants' skills and qualities, identifying and interviewing suitable candidates, managing relationships between all parties concerned. Involved in visiting client sites and delivering presentations
• Designing a 6-month business plan detailing key elements of activity required to start to generate business
• Generation of considerable new business for company by exploiting established contacts, pursuing new leads, and continuously monitoring market trends and expectations
• Working under pressure to meet demanding monthly and quarterly targets, effective time management and organizational skills, capable of working significantly long hours when required
• Arranging client/candidate interviews, pre- interview prep work for candidates, follow up for feedback post interview
Graduated with Distinction - Thesis on the Importance of Managing Cultures in Mergers & Acquisitions to achieve Organisational Effectiveness
Completed a double degree in Human Resource Management, while also specialising in French