Sales Team Leader : Aviation and Specialities

The Aviation and Specialities Sales Team Lead is responsible for leading and delivering the Jet A-1 and Specialities sales portfolios, driving sustainable and profitable growth across these customer segments. The role is accountable for achieving volume, margin, and market share objectives through the acquisition, retention, and development of customers, while strengthening customer relationships and increasing share of wallet through disciplined sales execution and high-quality customer engagement.
The incumbent translates the Commercial & Industrial (C&I) strategy into clear sales priorities and execution plans, leading and developing a team of Account Managers to deliver superior commercial outcomes. The role oversees sales performance, opportunity pipeline management, forecasting accuracy, and customer portfolio performance, while ensuring effective cross-functional coordination to consistently meet customer requirements.
In addition, the role is responsible for prudent credit and operating cost management, effective risk management, and the maintenance of strong governance and compliance standards. The Aviation and Specialities Sales Team Lead builds a high-performing, engaged, and diverse sales team that delivers on Astron Energy's commercial, customer, safety, and operational objectives.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Sales strategy and execution

• Translate the C&I strategy and business plan into a clear sales plan, with priorities, targets and accountabilities.
• Set direction for growth across target sectors, territories and customer segments.
• Lead disciplined execution of the sales plan through regular pipeline, account, territory and performance reviews.
• Identify market opportunities, competitive risks and changing customer needs, and adjust sales priorities accordingly.
• Maintain focus on the sales activities and opportunities most likely to deliver profitable, sustainable growth.

2. Revenue, volume and margin management

• Deliver the approved business plan volume, revenue, unit-margin and total-margin objectives.
• Monitor sales and profitability performance by customer, product, sector and territory; identify variances and initiate corrective action.
• Balance volume growth with pricing discipline, cost-to-serve, credit risk and long-term account value.
• Use commercial and financial insight to guide negotiations, resource allocation and account decisions.
• Manage channel operating expenditure and capital requirements within approved plans, ensuring investments deliver the intended commercial return.

3. Customer growth and retention

• Lead the acquisition of profitable new business in priority C&I segments.
• Drive strategic account planning to increase customer penetration and share of wallet across fuels, lubricants and related offers.
• Build and maintain senior relationships with key customers, supporting the resolution of complex commercial or service issues.
• Establish a structured approach to customer retention, identify churn risks early and sponsor recovery plans.
• Use customer feedback, satisfaction measures and market insight to improve the customer proposition and sales approach.

4. Sales performance and pipeline oversight

• Define and maintain a consistent sales-management rhythm, including performance scorecards, pipeline reviews, forecasts and action tracking.
• Ensure sales targets are translated into clear team and individual objectives.
• Assess pipeline quality, conversion, sales-cycle progress and forecast confidence; challenge assumptions and remove obstacles to delivery.
• Ensure accurate, timely sales reporting and provide clear performance insight to the General Manager and other governance forums.
• Hold the team accountable for agreed actions, standards and results.

5. Cross-functional customer delivery

• Coordinate with Supply, Logistics, Technical, Lubricants, Marketing, Finance, FP&A, Credit, Legal, Compliance, HES, HR, Sales Enablement, PCP, COPS and other support functions to deliver viable customer solutions.
• Align internal stakeholders on customer commitments, commercial terms, service requirements and delivery priorities.
• Escalate and resolve constraints that threaten customer service, revenue, margin or reputation.
• Ensure sales commitments are operationally feasible and comply with applicable commercial, safety, legal and governance requirements.
• Collaborate with ESD/CSI consultants and other external partners where required to support customer, supplier-development and social-investment requirements.

6. Forecasting, credit and commercial controls

• Ensure demand forecasts are accurate, timely and informed by credible customer and pipeline data.
• Work with Credit and Finance to manage customer exposure, credit-facility use, overdue risk and adherence to approved credit terms.
• Maintain appropriate oversight of pricing, contracts, discounts, customer commitments and commercial approvals.
• Drive PCP look-back reviews and post-decision reviews to test commercial assumptions, identify lessons and improve future decisions.
• Ensure sales activity complies with company policies, delegated authorities and relevant legal, regulatory and HES requirements.

7. People leadership and capability development

• Lead, coach and develop the Sales Team Leads, providing clear direction, priorities and performance expectations.
• Build sales-management, negotiation, account-planning, commercial and analytical capability across the Aviation and Specialities team.
• Conduct meaningful performance and development discussions and ensure individual development plans are implemented.
• Proactively manage underperformance and support performance-improvement actions where required.
• Drive the employment value proposition, workplace skills plan, transformation and employment-equity priorities for the Direct Channel team.
• Create an inclusive, high-performance environment that supports engagement, accountability, collaboration and delivery of Astron Energy’s values.

Application deadline:

30 October 2026