Account Manager

The payments market is the most exciting technology market in the world today for good reason. McKinsey values it globally at over $2 trillion and it’s growing between 13-15% year-on-year. Some of the largest most dynamic brands are investing in this sector; Apple has ApplePay, Google has GooglePay, Amazon has AmazonPay, and it’s not just the Silicon Valley brands. Tencent owns WeChatPay, Alibaba owns Alipay and digital disruptors like Square, Stripe and Adyen all invest millions to grow the payments market.

Planet are a technology company that’s transforming payments by putting the customer experience first. We help our customers deliver a better experience for guests, shoppers, and consumers everywhere. We operate in a market that continues to evolve and expand, partnering with the world’s most prestigious brands across Retail and Hospitality, and with a network of Financial Services partners worldwide.

To meet consumer demands, payments must be simple, safe, and invisible. The only way to do this is to fully embed payments in the software that runs business. By combining software and payment technology, Planet’s creating a world of connected commerce, that makes payments feel good.

We’re growing organically, and with strong Private Equity investors, Advent International and Eurazeo, we’ve the financial capital and expertise to grow our capabilities and reach through acquisition.

Sales, Financial Partners:

We’re one of the main commercial areas of Planet’s business, accounting for around one-third of all revenue. Our focus is to drive revenue and growth for the business through working with acquirers, PSPs and ATM providers.

Our team of over 75 employees globally work with a network of global Financial Services Partners who serve merchants across a wide range of different verticals worldwide. We have relationships with over 100 partner banks, acquirers, processor and ATM providers across the world, and indirectly support millions of merchants and consumers through these relationships.

Our goal is to help our partners make the most of the connected commerce revolution, delivering better payments experiences for customers through our products and services that help them win new business, retain merchants, and grow their domestic and international revenue.

Role Overview

This is a hybrid role where you will be having relationship management role and business development tasks. An account manager for the assigned accounts under your remit. Responsible for delivering seamless experience to our customers. You will be responsible for revenue optimisation for the partners’ merchant portfolio by monitoring and reporting performance of the payment solutions we extend to the subject partner. Taking part in building strategies to maximize and expand revenues. The role will entail a mixture of back office work and on site-based work, including visits to clients and on-site Dynamic Currency conversion (DCC) trainings to the key accounts for the bank’s portfolio.

In addition to that, you will also be responsible for new business sales with primary focus on building strong relationships with decision makers in Acquiring institutions, with strong international acceptance on its network. The goal is to secure new customers to our core suite of products and services within South Africa region. The role holder will work directly with the VP Partners Middle East and Africa, and closely to the local Account Managers, Sales Support, Marketing, Product, Operations and wider teams to sell our Currency Conversion services to existing/new partners.

What you’ll be doing

• Develop and maintain good relationships with our acquiring partners and key merchants.
• Respond to customer / partners queries in a professional and timely manner.
• Grow portfolio sales volume and revenue.
• Improve portfolio profitability by completing the following:
• Monitor the daily/weekly/monthly performance reports.
• Analyse data and produce action plans with corrective strategies based on prioritization.
• Regular and ongoing bank review meetings. Prepare and present monthly review performance meetings with the partner’s key stakeholders.
• Provide reports to banks and key merchants.
• Conduct on-site training sessions for bank sales teams and key merchants on regular basis. Trainings from a key component to this role.
• Conduct necessary site visits to key merchants’ venues and properties to ensure and test our services and promote the benefits at the same time.
• Escalate and manage to resolution operational issues that are reported or identified through monitoring figures or bank /merchant discussions to internal functional units and follow up to ensure any issues are investigated, resolved and steps are taken to prevent re-occurrence.
• Provide monthly highlights and reports to line manager.
• Work closely with all internal functions to support with any request related to the assigned account (Ops, Products and teach teams, Finance, Compliance, etc)
• Ensure assigned targets for Gross profit are met on quarterly basis
• Build the knowledge around Planet the products and services we extend to new/existing partners.
• Assist and manage with all initiated opportunities with new PSP and financial institutions in SA.
• Manage initiated discussions for new opportunities with existing partners in the region.
• Market and prospect research of Acquiring institutions in South Africa, with international revenue potential to work with Planet.
• Establish new relations, with new possible partners for the company, Banks, Acquirers.
• Drive those relations to get the new partner integrated with Planet with core solutions provided by Planet
• Explore, and manage new BD opportunities (up-sell, cross sell opportunities for assigned partners in the region).
• Coordinate/Support the integration process in coordination with Project Management.
• Collaborate and introduce the local Planet teams, to handover the process, locally once the Bank is fully implemented. Doing a seamless process to avoid any impact to the new costumer noting that the Account Manager is the first point of contact for the customer.
• Provide reports to the Management on a Daily, weekly or monthly basis, according to the process and the costumer development.
• Identify new leads/prospects for new sales in the region & flag areas of support required.
• Develop and maintain a pipeline of business opportunities in conjunction with the line manager. Achieve and exceed quarterly and annual new business sales targets.
• Maximize revenue opportunities and ensure business is profitable.
• Accurately complete sales documentation which supports the sale of services that include required business cases, commercial discussions & proposals, participation in RFP process and Deal clinics process (internal approval process).
• Participate in legal contracts when needed to close the opportunity.
• Work and contribute within the broader sales team, creating and promoting ideas to assist colleagues in the achievement of set objectives.
• Work professionally, effectively and constructively to promote the company.

Who you are:

• SA driving license will be essential.
• 3-5 years’ experience in merchant acquiring or payments/fintech industry with involvement in customer service and account management.
• Must have excellent presentation skills with history of presenting to and/or training a medium to large audience.
• Must have proven experience in new business sales, preferably within the acquiring or related payments Industry.
• Proven track record in managing and the delivery of new business targets.
• A knowledge of the Acquiring industry or payments solutions would be an advantage.
• Knowledge of Card Acquiring, DCC, hospitality and retail payment solutions would be an advantage.
• Project and product management experience.
• Strong verbal and written communications skills.
• Good analytical and problem-solving skills; be confident in their ability to escalate issues and create viable resolution plans which maximize opportunities for Planet and its rapidly growing client base.
• Strong Microsoft Office knowledge (PowerPoint and Excel).

Planet is an equal opportunity employer where diversity is valued, and all employment is decided based on qualifications, merit, and business need.

Come and grow your career in the most exciting, fast paced technology market, with a business that delivers feel-good connected commerce. We would love to hear from you – Apply now.