Chief Strategy Officer

Position CSO – Location Kinshasa (DRC)
Reporting to Reporting to the SBU Head/GM, the CSO will be responsible to effectively implement and manage planning, business performance, strategic initiatives to ensure Company's success.
Position Objective & Responsibilities
• Partner with Company's executive leadership to formulate and articulate strategic vision and business priorities, including review of the competitive environment and prioritization of financial/non-financial resources

• Develop strategy and key growth initiatives, with the support of other stakeholders, necessary to realize the strategic vision and build sustainable competitive advantage

• Act as a trusted advisor by providing value-added strategic insight, counsel, and management support Company's & Corporate Office's executive leadership

• Drive alignment around strategic plan, including Business Strategic Outlooks, Channel Strategic Plans, Annual Operating Plans, and other key activities

• Provide strategic oversight of business performance, customer analytics, including benchmarking, KPIs, competitor analysis, and execution monitoring, to ensure delivery of established business objectives

• Conduct strategic reviews of businesses, products, segments, and operations to identify opportunities and issues and recommend solutions that improve long term competitiveness

• Complete regular market, industry, and competitor analysis to support strategic planning

• Lead and implement strategic, cross-business projects, initiatives and processes, based on the LEAN/AGILE framework, that underpin the strategic direction of the business and operations

• Support identification, assessment and management of strategic partnerships, joint venture, acquisition, and/or disposal opportunities which support the strategic direction of the business, as required

• Optimize and lead, with appropriate processes and approvals, a disciplined proposal and offer management.
Leadership & Teamwork:

• Role is influence-based, placing an emphasis on working effectively with others in a leadership role through indirect influence and collaboration

• As required, lead working teams and develop both partners and team members through candor, communication, and coaching

• The job holder has substantial autonomy and authority and ensures that tough questions are raised and answered in a constructive environment focused on business success.

• Define and implement leadership governance, processes and frameworks

• Establish program-level routines that track these milestones and objectives, communicate progress, and help identify issues early without adding undue burdens or usurping the businesses and functions executing the work.

• Support senior managers on new processes that need to be implemented or existing processes that need to be changed to deliver against key milestones or metrics.

• Work with other internal resources to provide organization-wide understanding of and support for the capabilities required to deliver on strategic change initiatives. Actively consult with senior managers to build organization-wide support for and commitment to strategic initiative implementation and change management as a real competitive differentiator

• Manage, coach and grow highly skilled team members to ensure business, departmental and personal objectives are realized
Impact on the Business:

• Develop, maintain, and enhance business strategy in partnership and collaboration with key business stakeholders, including identifying key opportunities and threats, developing strategic initiatives, and facilitating a disciplined strategic planning process

• Support executive management, in particular the GM, as a strategic advisor to help ensure successful execution of business strategy, including:
o Track and evaluate business performance against financial targets, performance milestones, and external benchmarks
o Provide insight about business performance and outlook through routine strategic reviews of operations, competitors, and markets
o Serve as an independent voice in governance forums to support successful execution through critical challenge and holding leaders accountable to commitments
o Provide active guidance and input to business teams to support disciplined planning and execution of key initiatives and activities
o Work behind scenes to foster alignment and effective collaboration between businesses, functions, and operations at all levels
o Act as a center of excellence for strategic planning and decision-making embedded within businesses
o Become a trusted advisor to key business stakeholders and embed as a value-added contributor in key business governance forums
o Lead disciplined bid management practices
Qualification MBA
Experience Minimum of 10 years proven and progressive business, operational, and/or strategy management experience, relevant industry experience across the following areas: Strategic Planning, Product Management, Sales, Sales Operations, Marketing
Key Competencies:

• Self-starter, motivated and takes initiative;

• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills;

• Able to work collaboratively with all levels of staff to resolve problems and external partners to maximize performance, creativity, problem solving and results.

• Seek, learn, and apply new skills/knowledge to perform job responsibilities.

• Attentive to detail with a high level of accuracy; exercise sound judgment and strong project management skills.

• Resourceful, diplomatic and professional;

• Deliver outstanding customer service while managing relationships;

• A can-do attitude and work style that supports teamwork and lead teams when necessary, collaboration and positive relationships.

• Adaptable, be able to shift priorities and focus as departmental and/or business demands change including, but not limited to early/late hours and/or weekend hours.

• Strong analytical skills and organized; completes tasks ahead of schedule.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including excellent listening skills and presentation skills to communicate clearly, concisely and effectively.
Requirements
• Knowledge of profit and loss, balance sheet and cash flow management and general finance and budgeting.

• Ability to build consensus and relationships among executives, partners, and the workforce.

• Understanding of human resources and personnel management.

• Experience with corporate governance.

• Proven negotiation skills.

• Ability to understand new issues quickly and make wise decisions.

• Ability to inspire confidence and create trust.

• Ability to work under pressure, plan personal workload effectively and delegate.