Description
Channel Partner Manager
The Channel Manager owns the recruitment, onboarding, commercial management, operational performance, and customer experience of the physical counter partner network (retail/agent drop-off & pick-up points, kiosks, storefronts). Drive coverage, throughput, service quality, cash control, and contribution margin while ensuring scalable operations, compliance, and excellent frontline customer experience. The role is responsible for the full lifecycle of partner channel management, including strategy, onboarding, commercial agreements, operational performance, and continuous improvement that directly impacts revenue, margins, and cost efficiency through the management of partner networks.
This role collaborates cross-functionally with Operations, Commercial, Finance, Legal, and Customer Service to ensure seamless execution of partner strategies and provides strategic insights and recommendations to senior management regarding partner network optimization, capacity planning, and cost-to-serve strategies. It plays a key role in building new counter networks and defining the supporting structures to sustain them
Duties and Responsibilities:
Counter Strategy Model and Pricing:
Conduct detailed market and competitive analysis to support the development of the counter strategy including but not limited to partner capabilities, competitor networks, and emerging logistics models.
Determine coverage targets, partner mix, ideal hours of operations and requirements for footprint optimisation.
Develop and continuously refine the partner channel strategy aligned to corporate growth, profitability, and service positioning with approval of Executive: Commercial
Build short and medium term plans to expand coverage and improve match between demand and counter capacity.
Design partner commercial models (per transaction fees, commission tiers, performance incentives).
Pricing & Margin Stewardship: Collaborate with Commercial and Finance teams to set pricing strategies, manage cost inputs, and protect contribution margins.
Evaluate cost to serve drivers and negotiate improvements or recoveries through partner agreements
Build predictive margin models.
Gross margin per channel
Cost-to-serve reduction %
Revenue contribution per partner
Establish onboarding governance framework including compliance, risk, operational, and financial due diligence
Develop a structured Partner Scorecard Framework to set and manage performance expectations.
Commercial and Contracts:
Assess potential partners for capabilities such as technical maturity, operational excellence, geographic coverage, workforce capability, and cultural fit
Evaluate, and onboard high fit counter partners (retailers, agents, kiosks) that align with the company’s service, cost, scalability, and long‑term growth priorities.
Conduct rigorous vetting including authority, compliance, insurance, and operational capability checks.
Negotiate commercial terms (fees, commissions, min volumes, incentives, SLAs) and finalize contracts.
Lead partner onboarding (site setup, signage, POS/devices, SOPs, KYC, cash handling setup)
SOPS, Performance and Compliance:
Develop and enforce SOPs for transactions, returns, cash handling, reconciliation, claims and exception handling.
Work with counter partners and marketing teams to drive promotions that will increase counter utilisation rates
Ensure partner compliance with regulatory requirements (KYC, AML where applicable), safety and brand guidelines.
Run structured performance reviews, root cause analysis sessions, and corrective action programs to drive continuous improvement.
Conduct Monthly and/ or Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs).
Conduct field audits and mystery shop programs.
Implement fraud and risk controls
Relationship and Stakeholder Management:
Maintain strategic, trust‑based relationships with counter partners
Facilitate proactive communication, resolve escalations quickly, and champion collaborative improvement programs, including technology adoption and process refinement.
Develop executive-level engagement plans with key partners.
Lead conflict resolution and escalation governance.
Co-develop innovation pilots (automation, tracking tech, sustainability initiatives).
Customer Experience:
Own counter customer experience: reduce wait time, improve accuracy, and manage complaints escalation.
Partner with product/ops to implement improvements that reduce friction and boost retention.
Capture frontline feedback and run pilots/experiments to improve processes, layout, or tech.
Collaboration with Manager: Product, Customer Experience and other key players that impact the customer user journey to improve the CX
Technology Integration:
Provide enablement: POS, scanners, printed materials, playbooks, training programs and field support.
Own integration and data exchange requirements (POS/TMS/partner apps, scanning standards, tracking).
Ensure real time visibility and reconciliations in the TMS/OMS.
Ensure systems support real‑time updates, data accuracy, and automation that reduce manual friction and enhance customer experience.
Own partner digital maturity roadmap.
Ensure EDI/API integration coverage across 100% strategic partners.
Implement tracking visibility dashboards.
Reduce manual processing touchpoints.
Improve data quality governance.
Analytics and Reporting:
Own partner‑related analytics: cost‑to‑serve, lead‑time trends, partner scorecards, exception analytics, SLA adherence, and network efficiency.
Use insights to optimise counter partner network footprint and performance
Develop executive dashboards and reports
Key Requirements
• Education & Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain, Logistics, Business Management, Transport Economics, or related field (Essential)
5–7 years in logistics, last-mile operations, channel management, or retail operations (Essential)
Minimum 2–3 years in partner/vendor management and commercial negotiations (Essential)
Valid driver’s license & own vehicle (Essential)
• Skills & Competencies:
Proven track record managing agent/counter networks, franchisees, or retail partnerships
Operational rigor and process management
Financial management, including cash handling, reconciliation, and cost control
Commercial negotiation, contract management, and SLA enforcement
Strong data-driven decision-making, analytics, and reporting
Leadership, stakeholder engagement, and team enablement
Strategic thinking and results orientation with a customer-centric mindset
Salary: R1 - 1.4 mill pa CTC
Send cv to cindy@toptalentps.co.za