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The Sales Head for SADC & Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is responsible for the development and execution of Baxter Kidney Care (Vantive) Kidney Care sales and growth strategies in the region. This role requires leading the sales and marketing teams, both within Baxter Kidney Care (Vantive) and with key distributors, ensuring the success of Baxter Kidney Care (Vantive)’s product portfolio, including Acute, PD (Peritoneal Dialysis), and HD (Hemodialysis) therapies. The Sales Head will manage significant regional projects and is tasked with meeting ambitious sales and profitability goals in a fast-evolving healthcare landscape. This includes ensuring distributor relationships, market penetration, and compliance with Baxter Kidney Care (Vantive)’s strategic goals. The yearly sales target starts from USD 30M onward.

Key Accountabilities

Develop and execute strategies to drive profitable growth for Baxter Kidney Care (Vantive)’s product portfolio, including PD, HD, and Acute therapies.

Manage and optimize distributor relationships, ensuring high-performance outcomes and alignment with company objectives.

Lead the regional organization in meeting both short- and long-term P&L objectives, driving market expansion, sales, and profitability.

Identify new business opportunities, including opening new markets and expanding product offerings in key areas of SADC and SSA.

Oversee large-scale projects, including distributor transitions), ensuring successful implementation and sustainable growth.

Engage with key opinion leaders (KOLs), medical societies, and stakeholders to drive product acceptance and adoption in healthcare systems across the region.

Ensure regulatory compliance, ethical business practices, and adherence to internal policies.

Drive improvements in market access, pricing, and reimbursement frameworks, particularly in government and private healthcare sectors.

Support digital transformation initiatives, including the use of tools like TrueVue Analytics and Sharesource for PD monitoring and optimization.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to streamline processes, manage costs, and maximize resource utilization.

Projects and strategic focus

Distributor Management: Lead and manage large-scale distributor transitions, including strategies to grow market share and improve efficiencies in key regions.

Market Expansion: Drive efforts to expand Baxter Kidney Care (Vantive)’s footprint in SADC and SSA, with a specific focus on PD and Acute therapy penetration, particularly in underdeveloped markets.

New Product Launches: Support the launch and growth of strategic products such as Citrate and Extraneal, focusing on maximizing sales in key markets.

Regional Projects: Oversee key initiatives (Projects) and other strategic initiatives aimed at boosting Baxter Kidney Care (Vantive)’s regional influence.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field. An MBA or other advanced degrees would be an advantage.

Experience: 15-20 years of experience in sales and marketing within the healthcare or pharmaceutical industry, with a focus on the SADC and SSA regions.

Distributor Management Expertise: Proven track record of managing distributor relationships and leading large-scale regional projects.

Leadership: Strong ability to lead cross-functional teams, mentor staff, and inspire high-performance across diverse regions.

Market Knowledge: Deep understanding of market trends, pricing structures, and healthcare dynamics in the SADC & SSA regions.

Regulatory Compliance: Familiarity with regional healthcare regulations, pricing, and reimbursement frameworks.

Communication: Fluent in written and spoken English. Additional languages spoken in the region are a plus.

Travel: Ability to travel extensively within the assigned region to meet with stakeholders, manage projects, and ensure business continuity.

Strategic Leadership

Proven ability to develop and execute growth strategies aligned with company objectives.

Experience leading cross-functional teams to achieve regional and organizational goals.

Sales and Marketing Expertise

Deep understanding of sales strategies, market dynamics, and commercial operations within the healthcare, medical device, or pharmaceutical industries.

Ability to drive sales growth across diverse markets, with a focus on Acute, PD, and HD therapies.

Distributor and Stakeholder Management

Expertise in managing high-performance distributor relationships, including contract negotiation, performance tracking, and KPI management.

Strong ability to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including distributors, KOLs, and healthcare providers.

Financial Acumen

Strong understanding of financial metrics such as sales growth, profitability, and cost control.

Ability to analyze P&L statements, manage budgets, and drive cost-effective growth strategies.

Project Management

Experience leading and executing large-scale regional projects, such as distributor transitions and market expansion initiatives.

Strong organizational and time management skills to oversee multiple projects simultaneously.

Market Knowledge

In-depth knowledge of the SADC and Sub-Saharan Africa healthcare markets, including local regulations, healthcare systems, and market trends.

Expertise in market access, pricing, and reimbursement processes within the region.

Communication and Negotiation

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to engage and influence a wide range of stakeholders.

Strong negotiation skills, particularly in managing distributor contracts and ensuring alignment with company objectives.

Analytical Skills

Ability to assess market trends, financial data, customer needs, and competitive intelligence to inform business decisions.

Proficiency in using data analytics tools to drive decision-making and optimize sales performance.

Digital and Technological Proficiency

Familiarity with digital tools like TrueVue Analytics, Sharesource PD Tools, and other cloud-based solutions to drive efficiency and performance in the sales process.

Problem-Solving and Innovation

Ability to identify business challenges and provide innovative solutions to drive growth.

Demonstrated experience in implementing process improvements and simplifications to enhance business performance.

Knowledge & Experience

The ideal candidate for the Sales Head SADC & SSA role should have extensive experience in sales, business development, and leadership within the healthcare, pharmaceutical, or medical device industries. They must possess a deep understanding of the healthcare market dynamics in the SADC and Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) regions, including regulations, reimbursement systems, and healthcare delivery models. The candidate should have substantial experience managing distributor relationships, negotiating contracts, and driving high-performance results in complex, multi-market environments. Strong financial acumen is required, with the ability to manage P&L, budgets, and financial metrics like Net Sales and Standard Gross Profit (SGP), ensuring profitability and cost control. They should be well-versed in Baxter Kidney Care (Vantive)’s product portfolio, particularly Acute, Peritoneal Dialysis (PD), and Hemodialysis (HD) therapies, and knowledgeable about key products such as Citrate and Extraneal. Experience with market access strategies and engaging with key opinion leaders, regulatory bodies, and healthcare providers is essential. The candidate must also demonstrate leadership in managing large-scale regional projects, like distributor transitions, and have a proven track record in expanding market reach, launching new products, and driving regional growth strategies. Familiarity with digital tools like TrueVue Analytics and Sharesource, as well as experience in optimizing sales processes and leveraging digital marketing, is a strong advantage. They should also be equipped with strong project management skills and experience leading cross-functional teams to drive strategic business initiatives and ensure compliance with both regional and corporate standards.

As of February 1, Baxter has completed the sale of its Kidney Care business, which will now operate as Vantive. Today, this job is within a
Vantive deferred market, which means that the employer of record for this role will initially be Baxter. When the applicable legal entity in
country goes live, the employer of record for the role will transition to Vantive. Vantive builds upon on our nearly 70-year legacy in acute
therapies and home and in-center dialysis to provide best-in-class care to the people we serve. We believe Vantive will continue to lead in
the kidney care space and offer meaningful work to those who join us. If you have any questions, please review with the recruiter and/or
hiring manager.

Reasonable Accommodations

Baxter is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities globally. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or interview process, please click on the link here and let us know the nature of your request along with your contact information.

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