Country Manager France

Creating Peace of Mind by Pioneering Safety and Security

At Allegion, we help keep the people you know and love safe and secure where they live, work and visit. With more than 30 brands, 11,000+ employees globally and products sold in 130 countries, we specialize in security around the doorway and beyond. 

Background:

The American Allegion Group (12,000 employees, $3.4 billion in revenues) markets mechanical and electronic security products and solutions under 25 leading brands in 130 countries.

The Group in Europe is structured around several Business Units: Electronics, GPS (Global Portable Security), and Home and Work.

The Home and Work Division (€230 million sales in Europe) provides access security solutions for both Residential, and non-Residential sectors (hotels, healthcare, education, offices, transportation, industries, etc.).

The Home & Work business unit is made up of a number of leading brands operating across different markets in Europe. In France Home & Work is represented by Bricard:

• Bricard is a leading provider of security & safety solutions, protecting people and buildings and contributing to a safer world. Bricard has a strong legacy with more than 200 years of history. On the French market, Bricard has a sales turnover of 60M€ and encompasses a product portfolio made up of cylinders, locks, handles door-closers, panic-exit devices and other products around the doors. Its head office is based in Saint Thibault des Vignes in Ile de France.

Position Summary:

The France Country Manager is responsible for the development and implementation of the French entities sales & marketing strategies to generate profitable growth, expand margin and increase market share in the French market.

He/she will be responsible for territory and channel sales in his/her region; lead specification selling, the local marketing team and the customer service organization.

He/she will be driving transformation in the Go-to-Market Strategy in France towards a demand creation model.

He/she will be responsible for leading, transforming and engaging the internal and external sales organization.

He/she will be responsible for managing the complete P&L & operating cash flow for the French legal entities.

Reports to the H&W General Manager.

Keys Responsibilities:

The Country Manager will have to put in place initiatives to improve customer experience across all customer segments in France : installers, distributors, end users, influencers as well as focused vertical markets by efficiently organizing the commercial activity of the back office and front office as well as leveraging digital solutions where it makes sense in joint effort with the centralized customer experience group.

Below is a non-exhaustive list of the main responsibilities:

• Preparation of long-term plan (LRP) for the commercial organization and annual budgets (AOP) including sales and margin targets, as well as productivity and commercial efficiency targets.

• Lead the respective team and manage the resources to achieve the short, medium and long term objectives.

• Evaluate the current state of professional distribution network, channels, external sales teams and continuously work to optimize the business model.

• Increase the customer base by developing and executing commercial growth plans, setting up programs to measure and improve performance.

• Ensure market intelligence and customer needs are being fed back into the business and to actively participate in the NPI process, taking specific responsibility for the effective launch of new products into their region.

• In coordination with product management develop and implement a clear pricing strategy for their region that maximises margin improvement and sales growth.

• Coordinate with the product marketing management (PMM) and marketing department or other services if necessary the resolution of price issues, product specificities and guarantees.

• Responsible for Marketing Communication strategies.

• Develop leadership skills within the sales, customer service and marketing management organization and drive employee engagement.

• Establish sales planning and forecasting processes to ensure that sales and order fulfillment objectives are met monthly and / or quarterly, including customer management and visit planning, in order to develop a result-oriented culture.

• Responsible for Sales, Inventory, and Operations Planning (SIOP) process.

• Drive adoption and utilize CRM and other tools to drive business results.

• In lign with HR, recruit retain and develop a competent commercial team, including identification and development of training needs.

• Manage and lead the French CODIR composed of support functions: Finance, HR, Operations, IT, Sourcing in accordance with the Group's matrix organization.

• Ensure coordination between the Group's strategy and the challenges in France.

• Communicate on the French strategy in order to give visibility to the French teams and lead local communication sessions (Town Hall).

In addition to the commercial reponsibility for the region, the Country Manager will be facilitating cross functional alignment and specific local statutory decision making: this pertains to but is not limited to prioritization of resource allocation, employee and labour relations related questions like temporary layoffs, restructuring or legal statutory safety requirements or site closures in compliance with applicable french labour law.

Skills and Experience/Education Requirements:

• 15+ years of experience in commercial roles.

• 10 years of experience leading a team.

• Master Degree (Bac+5).

• Experience in driving and leading sales transformation, modelling new sales structures, business models and implementing them.

• Experience in influencing, managing and growing multiple channels (wholesale, distribution, specialized distribution, installation, eCommerce etc.).

• Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to drive a cross functional team to deliver on critical business priorities.

• Ability to effectively deploy resources in a fast-paced business environment.

• Demonstrated ability to influence senior management.

• Strong executive presence, change management and execution skills.

• Talent stewardship – proven ability to build organizational capability through people & processes.

• Experience in Security markets a plus.

• Effective personal and interpersonal skills (including the ability to influence others, lead cross-functional teams, and drive new capabilities and new ways of thinking into the organization).

• Effective communication skills (both oral and written) in French and English, additional European Language a plus.

• Strong business acumen and expertise in driving profitable growth through key performance indicators and financial figures.

• Solid understanding of end-to-end business processes to deliver excellent customer experience.

• Ability to effectively operate within a matrix environment and collaborate with others across all levels and functions.

Others:

• France based and french speaker

• High energy, passion, resilience & determination

• Comfortable working in a matrix organisation in a Multi National environment

• Fluent at least in English (written and spoken)

• Travel propensity: up to 30%

• Soft & interpersonal skills;

• Strong communication skills (written/oral);

• Conviction, sense of influence;

• Taste for change management;

• Business acumen, analytical;

• Organized, rigorous and methodical,

•  Curiosity of mind.

We Celebrate Who We Are! 

Allegion is committed to building and maintaining a diverse and inclusive workplace. Together, we embrace all differences and similarities among colleagues, as well as the differences and similarities within the relationships that we foster with customers, suppliers and the communities where we live and work. Whatever your background, experience, race, color, national origin, religion, age, gender, gender identity, disability status, sexual orientation, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law, we will make sure that you have every opportunity to impress us in your application and the opportunity to give your best at work, not because we’re required to, but because it’s the right thing to do. We are also committed to providing accommodations for persons with disabilities. If for any reason you cannot apply through our career site and require an accommodation or assistance, please contact our Talent Acquisition Team.

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Allegion is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer

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