Overview
Business Development Manager Jobs in Cotonou, Littoral, Benin at Saint-Gobain Africa
Title: Business Development Manager
Company: Saint-Gobain Africa
Location: Cotonou, Littoral, Benin
We are seeking a bilingual, detail-oriented Business Development Manager to maximise commercial key accounts performance, in line with Company objectives and strategy, working as part of the sales team to drive product proposition to Developers, Main Contractors, Sub-Contractors and Specialist Distributors to develop customer satisfaction and to facilitate specification vs order closure.
This role will be responsible to achieve maximum sales profitability, growth and account penetration within an assigned territory and/or market segment by effectively being responsible for the customer satisfaction and market share within the assigned territory with possible oversight of Sierra Leone, Togo, Nigeria and Burkina Faso.
The role will be based in Cotonou, Benin.
Key responsibilities:
- Identify and drive business growth opportunities across markets, including new product introductions and promotional platforms
- Develop and expand markets for new and existing products to achieve sustainable revenue growth
- Analyze market trends, growth drivers, and business performance to identify opportunities and improve route-to-market effectiveness
- Build, manage, and strengthen key account relationships to enhance customer retention and revenue
- Execute business development initiatives within key accounts and across the broader customer base
- Collaborate with internal stakeholders to deliver effective customer solutions and high service levels
- Drive route-to-market strategies across distributors, contractors, and end-user segments
- Articulate the company’s value proposition and provide technical expertise to support product positioning and specification
- Support product launches, marketing initiatives, and customer training to drive product adoption
- Track and manage project opportunities across the full value chain to ensure successful conversion
- Maintain accurate CRM reporting, demand forecasting, and pipeline management
- Deliver against key commercial KPIs, including revenue, volume, market share, and pricing
- Monitor competitor activity and market dynamics to inform strategic decision-making
- Ensure effective debt management and contribute to overall supply chain collaboration and performance
Minimum requirements:
- Diploma/Degree in Business/Sales/Strategy
- Diploma/Degree in Civil Engineering is advantageous
- At least 3 years’ experience working in a sales role with proven track record of achieving sales targets
- Previous experience in the construction industry
- The ability to articulate a high degree of technical knowledge to key stakeholders (external and internal) to enable translation of opportunity into commercial benefit
- Strong negotiation and persuasion skills
- Resilient and able to work under pressure
- Analytical thinking and problem-solving logic
- Language proficiency in French and English
- Willing to travel regularly (locally and internationally)
- Commercial awareness – ability to identify opportunities and action
- Operating in business to business environment
- Broader understanding of economic drivers
- Success at selling new concepts and products
- Ownership of and engagement with continuous self development
- Proven technical competence – understanding of technical concepts and ability to translate for commercial benefit
- Thorough knowledge of business process (forecasting, sales reports, presentation skills and supply chain)
- Experience in market research (market trends and competition) for the annual budget process
- Thorough knowledge of business process (forecasting, sales reports, presentation skills and supply chain)
- Computer literate (MS Office, Excel, Power BI experience would be advantageous)
- Driver's license preferable
"We value the importance of a diverse workforce as a cornerstone of our business success. Our primary focus in selecting the most suitable candidates for our roles is based on their skills, qualifications, and experience. We wholeheartedly embrace the principle of equal opportunity in our employment processes and are committed to eliminating any unlawful discrimination in our hiring practices."