Head of Salesforce Business Unit Dach

Company Description:
**We Dream. We Do. We Deliver.**

**As a full-service, data-driven customer experience transformation, **we partner with Top 500 companies in the DACH region and in Eastern Europe. Originally from Switzerland, Merkle DACH was created out of a merger Namics and Isobar - two leading full-service digital agencies.

**Our 1200+ digital enthusiasts **are innovating the way brands are built, through providing expertise in Digital Transformation strategy, MarTech platforms, Creativity, UX, CRM, Data, Commerce, Mobile, Social Media, Intranet and CMS. We are part of the global **Merkle** brand, the largest brand within the dentsu group, who shares with us a network of over 66,000 passionate individuals in 146 countries

**Job Description**:
**Role Outline**:
Salesforce (SF) is the largest business unit within Merkle DACH comprising of a 600+ team of developers and consulting specialists across Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Portugal, Czech Republic, Serbia, Morocco and Italy. It has an annual revenue of around 56 million CHF+ and 30% organic growth year over year. The SF business unit delivers **fully integrated solutions **that provide consolidated intelligent consumer views, allowing Merkle’s clients to accurately activate and personalize initiatives to increase their revenue and efficiency. Being Merkle, **THE Global Salesforce Partner**, the SF business unit members are leaders in designing, implementing and operating Salesforce clouds. As Head of SF, you will be fully responsible for the profit & loss of the business unit.

With **a people focus**, you'll oversee all personnel planning including recruiting, training, staffing, evaluation, promotion, and compensation. Your teams mainly include CRM, Marketing, Commerce, Services, Communities and Integration specialists.

With **commercial and alliances focus**, you'll lead the go to market strategy, and rollout of new service offerings and growing the partnership with Salesforce, in collaboration with the EMEA and Global Salesforce leadership at Merkle. With **client focus**, you are responsible for smooth operations and service delivery on 60+ accounts.

You'll report directly to the CSO and be a member of the Merkle DACH leadership team.

**Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities**
- Lead the SF Business Unit on a differentiated, sustained and healthy growth path, outpacing the market
- Drive a strong people and cultural agenda and foster a context of success for all teams, in line with the excellence of talent development company strategy
- Expand Salesforce partnership to a prime position in the whole of DACH and actively contribute to its evolution in EMEA and Globally
- Play a key role as a thought leader in the Salesforce space and as an executive ambassador of Merkle
- Manage the BU P&L and budget
- Assist the accounting and finance department with the creation of the department’s budget
- Must review the budget often and complete variance reports for any unusual or unexpected expenses
- Assist and mentor the SF business unit Cluster Directors on resources & operations management and business development
- Manage the BU communication internally and towards the market
- Ensure that the teams are properly trained and prepared for their work, in accordance also with the certification targets given by Salesforce
- Manage turnover and vacancies through proper selection and motivation procedures
- Manage alongside with the team dedicated to alliance partnerships, the success of the partnership we have and the fulfilment of the requirements to keep the partnership
- Responsible for fostering positive relationships with the team and clients
- Lead and support business development activities
- Support resolving all client or customer complaints and problems
- Must establish an evaluative process for evaluating progress toward the goal, for both team and individual progress and performance reviews

Qualifications:
**Skills and Experience**
- Significant proven experience in the field or in a related area, including a substantial track record as a successful people leader
- Expertise in digital and CXM, with demonstrable accomplishments in creating value-adding propositions around the Salesforce eco-system
- Deep understanding of Salesforce & their products with extensive experience in growing a partner-based business
- Exceptional communication skills, with a thought leadership track record a plus
- Proven excellence in client leadership
- Some working knowledge of Merkle’s service offering specific to its SF contribution is desirable but not essential
- Effective and proven communication in English (mandatory) and local languages (advantageous)
- University degree preferred but not essential

**Core Competencies**
- Outstanding knowledge on digital and ability to think strategically on its evolution
- Ability to interact with customers (from all spectrum, from C-Level to technical architect or marketing manager) so as to ensure that th