Cheslin Sass

• Strategic Business Development: Spearheading business growth initiatives for Unitrans' Petrochemical Division, identifying, and capitalizing on new opportunities within the petrochemical and logistics sectors.
• Market Analysis & Strategy: Conducting comprehensive market research and competitive analysis to develop actionable strategies that enhance market share and strengthen Unitrans' positioning in the petrochemical logistics industry.
• Client Acquisition & Relationship Management: Building and nurturing relationships with key stakeholders, including potential clients, suppliers, and partners, to drive new business, and ensure long-term client retention.
• Sales & Revenue Growth: Leading sales efforts for the division, implementing innovative strategies to boost revenue streams, and achieving sales targets, while enhancing profitability across the business.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborating with internal teams, including operations, logistics, and supply chain, to ensure seamless delivery of services, and client satisfaction.
• Contract Negotiation & Deal Closure: Managing end-to-end negotiation processes for new contracts, ensuring favorable terms for Unitrans, while maintaining strong client relationships.
• Project Management & Execution: Overseeing the execution of key projects within the division, ensuring alignment with business objectives, timelines, and client expectations.
• Budget & Financial Oversight: Managing the division's budget for business development activities, ensuring the effective allocation of resources to achieve revenue goals, and strategic targets.
• Reporting and Analysis: Providing senior management with regular updates on business development progress, pipeline forecasts, and key performance metrics, ensuring transparency and alignment with broader corporate goals.

• Market Intelligence & Brand Strategy: Led brand positioning and reputation management across diverse African markets, leveraging in-depth analysis of sentiment, competitor activity, and regional consumer behavior to inform strategic decision-making.
• Leadership & Cross-Functional Alignment: Provided executive-level direction to brand teams managing a multi-country portfolio, ensuring seamless integration of brand initiatives with corporate objectives across marketing, sales, and product teams.
• Asset Governance & Cultural Adaptation: Oversaw and approved all brand assets, ensuring alignment with corporate identity while adapting strategies to regional nuances and market-specific dynamics.
• Performance & Competitive Analysis: Conducted continuous assessment of brand performance metrics and competitor positioning, identifying opportunities for differentiation and market penetration.
• Stakeholder & Crisis Management: Acted as the primary liaison for brand-related inquiries and reputation management, implementing agile solutions to maintain a strong and consistent brand presence across African markets.
• Budget & Financial Oversight: Managed and optimized brand marketing expenditures, ensuring cost-effective execution while maintaining strategic impact.
• Training & Brand Advocacy: Developed and implemented training programs to reinforce brand values across regional teams, fostering internal alignment and cultural relevance.

• Project Leadership & Plant Launch: Led the end-to-end establishment of a new washing powder manufacturing plant, overseeing all operational, logistical, and strategic functions to ensure a successful start-up.
• Operations Management: Directed daily operations and developed processes to ensure seamless manufacturing workflows, supply chain management, and high production capacity from day one.
• Strategic Planning & Execution: Created and executed comprehensive operational plans, focusing on efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and quality control to meet production targets and business goals.
• Logistics & Supply Chain Management: Managed the logistics operations for sourcing raw materials, transportation, inventory management, and distribution networks across Zambia and the region.
• Budgeting & Financial Oversight: Developed and maintained budgets for operational expenditures, ensuring financial targets were met, and reporting on financial performance to senior stakeholders.
• Team Leadership & Staff Development: Recruited, trained, and mentored key staff, building a high-performing team to support the successful launch and long-term success of the plant.
• Compliance & Regulatory Management: Ensured strict adherence to local regulations, industry standards, and health and safety guidelines, maintaining operational compliance throughout the project.
• Supplier & Vendor Management: Oversaw the procurement of raw materials and established relationships with local and international suppliers to ensure consistent quality and supply chain resilience.
• Stakeholder Communication & Reporting: Regularly communicated with senior management and key stakeholders, providing updates on project milestones, risks, and operational performance.
• Risk Management & Problem Resolution: Identified potential risks, implemented mitigation strategies, and resolved issues swiftly to minimize disruptions to the plant’s operations and timelines.
• Market & Industry Analysis: Conducted market research and industry analysis to ensure the plant was positioned for success within the competitive landscape of the Zambian manufacturing sector.

• Strategic Leadership & Operations: Led national marketing and sales operations, ensuring seamless execution and operational excellence across all student accommodation properties.
• Team Leadership & Development: Supervised, trained, and mentored sales and marketing teams, setting clear objectives, providing constructive feedback, and fostering a high-performance culture.
• Sales Growth & Market Expansion: Managed and optimized sales strategies to drive customer acquisition, enhance brand awareness, and achieve revenue targets.
• Process & Performance Optimization: Established and implemented sales targets, processes, and performance metrics to improve efficiency and business outcomes.
• Customer Relationship Management: Developed strong relationships with key stakeholders, ensuring exceptional service, effective communication, and swift resolution of inquiries and complaints.
• Product Procurement & Supplier Management: Sourced and negotiated with suppliers, ensuring cost-effective procurement and high-quality product availability.
• Financial & Budgetary Control: Set and managed sales budgets, monitored expenditures, and provided regular financial reports to optimize resource allocation.
• Data & Analytics Management: Maintained meticulous records, analyzed market trends, and produced reports and presentations to inform strategic decision-making.
• Compliance & Governance: Enforced health, safety, and statutory regulations, ensuring adherence to quality standards and governance processes.

• Operations & Sales Leadership: Led daily operations and sales activities, ensuring efficiency and alignment with business objectives.
• Student Recruitment & Relationship Management: Oversaw full-time and part-time student recruitment, fostering strong relationships with prospective students and key stakeholders.
• Strategic Partnerships: Built and maintained strong relationships with schools and educational institutions to drive enrollment growth.
• Business Development & Market Expansion: Identified and developed new business opportunities, implementing targeted marketing strategies to expand market reach.
• Customer Relationship Management: Ensured a seamless student experience through effective engagement and ongoing support.
• Financial Oversight: Managed budgets, forecasts, and expenditure, ensuring financial targets were met.
• Performance Analysis & Reporting: Provided detailed reports on sales trends, competitor activity, and market insights to guide strategic decision-making.

• Leadership & Strategic Oversight: Directed daily operations across logistics, warehousing, and sales, ensuring optimal efficiency, client satisfaction, and adherence to business objectives.
• Key Account & Client Relationship Management: Managed key accounts, ensuring exceptional service delivery, contract compliance, and sustainable business growth across multiple markets.
• Team Leadership & Development: Supervised, coached, and mentored sales assistants, merchandisers, and operational staff, fostering a high-performance culture with clear expectations and feedback.
• Process & Systems Implementation: Established and refined operational systems, processes, and controls to ensure smooth logistics and inventory management, driving continuous improvements.
• Logistics & Supply Chain Management: Oversaw warehousing, inventory management, and export operations, ensuring the timely delivery of products to emerging markets such as Zambia and Namibia.
• Financial Management & Reporting: Managed sales forecasting, budgeting, and financial reporting, aligning expenditures with revenue goals and ensuring financial integrity.
• Sales Strategy & Market Expansion: Led sales initiatives to increase customer acquisition, enhance brand awareness, and expand market presence, while driving operational excellence across teams.

• Operational Leadership & Hotel Management: Led and coordinated all hotel divisions, ensuring seamless operations across departments including front office, housekeeping, food & beverage, sales, and maintenance.
• Strategic Oversight & Performance Management: Provided executive-level guidance to department heads, setting high-level goals, driving performance metrics, and ensuring alignment with the hotel’s vision and strategic objectives.
• Financial Management & Budgeting: Managed the hotel’s budgeting, forecasting, and financial reporting, optimizing cost control, revenue generation, and profit margins.
• Team Development & Leadership: Mentored and developed senior management, fostering a cohesive team environment focused on operational excellence, guest satisfaction, and achieving performance targets.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Communication: Facilitated effective communication and collaboration across all hotel departments, ensuring consistency in service delivery and operational efficiency.
• Compliance & Quality Assurance: Ensured adherence to Radisson Blu’s brand standards, health & safety regulations, and quality assurance processes, maintaining high operational and service standards.
• Marketing & Revenue Growth: Collaborated with marketing and sales teams to implement strategies that increased hotel occupancy, brand visibility, and guest retention.
• Crisis Management & Problem Solving: Acted as the primary point of contact for critical operational issues, swiftly implementing solutions to ensure business continuity and minimize guest disruptions.

Career Progression:

• Service Manager (2009)
• Assistant Front Office Manager (2010)
• Front Office Manager (Feb 2012)
• Rooms Division Manager (2012)
• Executive Assistant General Manager (2012 – 2013)