Sales Manager Job Vacancy in Kenya - Leading Multinational FMCG Subsidiary

Sales Manager Job Vacancy in Kenya - Leading Multinational FMCG Subsidiary
The Organisation
Over the last 6 years the Company has successfully leveraged on its household name by implementing an aggressive marketing strategy, which has resulted in improved top-of-mind awareness, depth of distribution and an impressive sales growth.

Competing in a highly competitive market, this innovative organization has pushed the boundaries to expand both its product range as well as its markets. Harnessing its global brands it has segmented the market and offers a range of products through well-established trade channels in the region.
To this end, our client is looking to recruit a dynamic and passionate Sales Manager who will lead its customer-focused sales team, improve route-to-market efficiencies as well as drive the implementation of its long-term strategic growth.

The Location: Nairobi, Kenya.
The Position
The Sales Manager is responsible for providing on the ground leadership to maintain and grow our client’s prominent market presence in line with the organisation’s vision of strong leadership positions across categories and markets.

The Jobholder will be responsible for providing strategic direction in the development of an efficient and effective management with a view to growing and protecting volume sales, market share and profit, controlling and influencing of key retail outlets, making in roads in new markets and maintaining the preferred supplier status through customer service excellence.

The Sales Manager will be responsible for the attainment of the brand volume and value objectives, distribution and visibility objectives and training and development of the distributor sales team in the region. Of key importance will be the design and implementation of new sales channels in non-traditional markets in order to grow sales within existing markets.

As a key member of the executive team, the Jobholder will work closely with the marketing, finance and operations functions to improve route-to-market efficiencies and trade marketing effectiveness.

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the Sales Manager’s key focus, are as follows:

    * Research, brand positioning and product development
      .
    * Sales team leadership.
    * Distribution channel management.
    * Management reporting and strategy formulation.

Key Responsibilities

Key responsibilities include:

Research, Brand Positioning & Product Development
:    * Carrying out market research, competitor and customer surveys.
    * Managing research & development and new product development.
    * Developing ideas and creating offers for direct Customers.
    * Determining price points and discount rates for range of products being sold.
    * Analysing sales statistics to determine sales potential, inventory requirements and customer preferences.
    * Representing the company at trade exhibitions, events and demonstrations and actively act as project manager for these opportunities.
    * Proactively developing the corporate image, reputation and brand of the compay.
    * Developing and maintaining visibility across all channels.
    * Consulting with department heads and other stakeholders to plan advertising and other campaigns.
    * Extensive monitoring of customer preferences to determine the focus of sales efforts

Sales Team Leadership
    * Recruiting, training, coaching and motivating sales team.
    * Enhancing functional competence across all levels of in-house and distributor teams.
    * Managing sales targets on an annual, quarterly and monthly basis.
    * Planning and managing sales resources according to agreed budgets.
    * Delivering of rewarding incentive programs and motivate exceptional success.
    * Managing the internal communications and awareness of the company’s direction, mission and objectives.
    * Ensuring clear and consistent communication between the Sales and Production team to ensure accurate delivery on targets.

Distribution channel management:
    * Establishing effective route-to-market strategies.
    * Developing and managing key account relationships.
    * Coordinating sales distribution by establishing sales territories and goals.
    * Monitoring actual distribution or movement of a product to the customer.
    * Advising stockists and distributors on policies and operating procedures to ensure functional effectiveness of the business.
    * Selecting and managing external agencies.
    * Researching and networking to expand the distribution network into new territories.
    * Exploring and researching new export markets and the governance parameters related to these to set up new distribution channels.

Management reporting & strategy formulation

    * Contributing to the formulation of policy and strategy,
    * Maintaining and enhancing administration and relevant reporting and planning systems.
    * Providing accurate financial and management information to leadership to enhance decision making and business processes.
    * Preparing budgets and approval of expenditures.

Experience & Background Needed
    * A Graduate with a minimum of five years experience in senior management sales/marketing/trade-marketing in an aggressive, distribution-oriented FMCG environment.
    * A Postgraduate qualification in sales/marketing will be an added advantage.
 * Excellent communication skills – both written and verbal. Fluency in both English and Swahili languages
    * Complete familiarity with MS Office packages, Excel and PowerPoint.
    * Proven track record of consistent, high performance in sales, with strong leadership qualities.
    * Strong business management skills and strategic planning skills.
    * A good understanding of brand management/market research.
    * Cross-cultural management skills.
    * Excellent negotiation skills.
    * Excellent resource management skills.
    * Strong motivation/coaching skills.
    * Strong communication and networking skills.

Other Vital Qualities

    * Ability to analyze market and competition; identify external threats and opportunities and adapt strategies to changing conditions.
    * Ability to work in a dynamic environment in a small team and enjoy multi-tasking.
    * A leader who can inspire and motivate others to perform well and effectively influence actions and opinions of others.
    * A practical, hands on results oriented manager who believes in being a role model in order to gain respect.
    * Credibility and flexibility to deal with people at a variety of levels.
    * Ability to strive to achieve high quality results with persistently positive in the face of challenges and setbacks.
    * A proactive, results oriented leader with an initiative to be innovative.
    * Strong commercial acumen and ability to see the big picture.
    * Strong interpersonal and influencing skills; ability to engage decision makers at different levels as well as develop effective working relationships with trade partners and other third parties.
    * Culturally sensitive.
    * Must be a highly adaptable and versatile individual, able to handle ambiguity and work unsupervised in an unstructured environment.

Send your CV to mycv@myjobseye.com and cc monica@myjobseye.com while stating your current and expected salary.