HEAD OF SALES AND MARKETING

Job Title: HEAD OF SALES AND MARKETING

Sector: FMCG – Non-Alcoholic Beverages

Location: Rift Valley Region, with regular travel to Nairobi, other regions of Kenya and export markets

Reporting to: Managing Director

Direct Reports: Regional Sales Managers, Export Sales Managers, Brand and Marketing Manager, Trade Marketing Lead and Sales Operations Team

1. About the Organisation

Our client is an established manufacturer in the non-alcoholic beverages sector, serving domestic and international markets through a diverse portfolio of consumer products. The organisation is focused on strengthening its market position, expanding its customer base, developing new business opportunities and delivering sustainable commercial growth.

The company is seeking a commercially astute Head of Sales and Marketing to lead its next phase of growth through effective sales execution, strategic brand development, market expansion and improved customer engagement. The successful candidate will bring strong commercial leadership, data-driven decision-making, innovation and the ability to translate business strategy into measurable results.

2. Role Summary

The Head of Sales and Marketing will lead the organisation's commercial strategy across its non-alcoholic beverage portfolio and target markets. The role is accountable for revenue growth, sales volumes, market share, pricing, profitability, distribution, customer relationships and overall brand performance.

The position combines strategic sales leadership, marketing and brand management, business development, export growth and hands-on route-to-market execution. The successful candidate will manage the commercial budget, lead a multidisciplinary team and work closely with senior management and other business functions to achieve the organisation's strategic objectives.

The ideal candidate is a results-oriented FMCG leader with a strong understanding of consumer markets, proven experience managing national and regional sales operations, and the ability to build high-performing teams, strengthen customer relationships and deliver sustainable growth.

3. Key Responsibilities

A. Commercial Strategy and Business Growth

• Develop and implement sales and marketing strategies aligned with the organisation's business objectives and profitability targets.
• Drive revenue, volume, market share and margin growth across the non-alcoholic beverage portfolio and target markets.
• Manage the commercial budget, pricing strategy, product mix and promotional investments to maximise returns.
• Coordinate demand forecasting with Production, Finance and Supply Chain to ensure product availability and efficient inventory management.
• Identify opportunities for portfolio expansion, product innovation, market penetration and new revenue streams.
• Monitor competitor activity, market trends, customer preferences and industry developments to inform commercial decisions.
• Evaluate commercial performance and implement corrective measures to address gaps against agreed targets.

B. Sales and Route-to-Market Excellence

• Lead national and regional sales teams in achieving revenue, volume, distribution and profitability targets.
• Develop effective route-to-market strategies covering distributors, wholesalers, general trade, modern trade, supermarkets, hospitality, institutional customers and other relevant channels.
• Strengthen distributor performance, sales coverage, product availability and channel productivity.
• Establish clear sales KPIs, performance dashboards and regular business reviews to drive accountability.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with key accounts, distributors, retailers and institutional customers.
• Identify opportunities to improve sales force effectiveness, channel performance and cost efficiency.
• Develop territory and account plans to maximise market penetration and customer retention.
• Ensure effective sales forecasting, pipeline management and timely reporting of commercial results.

C. Export and Regional Business Development

• Develop and execute strategies to grow international sales and strengthen the organisation's presence in existing markets.
• Identify and assess new markets, distribution opportunities and potential business partnerships.
• Recruit, manage and evaluate international distributors, importers and commercial partners against agreed targets.
• Work with Finance, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain and Logistics teams to support export pricing, documentation, product compliance and timely deliveries.
• Monitor international market developments and identify opportunities to improve competitiveness and profitability.
• Develop market-specific sales and distribution plans to support sustainable international growth.
• Represent the organisation at relevant trade exhibitions, business forums and industry events.
• Monitor export performance and recommend strategies to improve market coverage, revenue and margins.

D. Marketing and Brand Management

• Develop and implement brand strategies that strengthen market positioning, customer loyalty and commercial performance.
• Lead integrated marketing campaigns across traditional media, digital platforms and other relevant communication channels.
• Use consumer insights and market research to identify opportunities for brand growth and product differentiation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams on product development, packaging, positioning and new product launches.
• Strengthen brand visibility, relevance and competitiveness across target consumer segments.
• Ensure marketing investments deliver measurable commercial outcomes through appropriate performance indicators.
• Oversee brand performance and recommend initiatives to improve awareness, customer preference and market share.
• Ensure consistency in brand messaging and positioning across all relevant marketing channels.

E. Trade Marketing and Channel Development

• Develop and implement trade marketing strategies to improve distribution, in-store visibility and sales conversion.
• Design channel-specific activation programmes for general trade, modern trade, hospitality, institutional customers and other relevant channels.
• Optimise promotions, pricing structures and product offerings to meet different customer needs and improve profitability.
• Monitor trade expenditure, promotional effectiveness and return on investment in collaboration with Finance and Sales Operations.
• Work with sales teams and channel partners to improve merchandising, product availability and execution standards.
• Develop initiatives that strengthen customer engagement and improve performance at the point of sale.
• Establish appropriate mechanisms to evaluate the effectiveness of trade promotions and marketing activities.
• Ensure trade marketing programmes support agreed sales, distribution and brand objectives.

F. Digital Transformation and Commercial Analytics

• Champion the use of CRM systems, business intelligence tools, sales force automation and digital reporting platforms.
• Use data analytics to inform pricing, customer segmentation, demand forecasting, promotional planning and sales performance.
• Monitor market intelligence, retail performance and consumer trends to identify emerging opportunities and risks.
• Strengthen digital marketing, online sales and electronic ordering channels to complement traditional distribution models.
• Establish reliable reporting systems to support timely, evidence-based commercial decisions.
• Use sales and market data to evaluate customer profitability, sales productivity and channel performance.
• Promote continuous improvement in commercial processes through technology and data-driven insights.

G. Leadership and Stakeholder Management

• Lead, mentor and develop high-performing sales, marketing, trade marketing and export teams.
• Establish clear performance objectives, accountability structures and professional development plans.
• Foster a culture of customer focus, collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with Production, Finance, Supply Chain, Quality Assurance, Human Resources, ICT and other relevant functions.
• Prepare and present regular commercial performance reports, forecasts and strategic recommendations to the Managing Director and senior leadership.
• Support succession planning, talent development and the continuous strengthening of commercial capabilities.
• Ensure all commercial activities comply with applicable laws, internal policies and ethical business standards.
• Build strong internal and external relationships that support business growth, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Requirements

4. Person Specification

A. Academic and Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Commerce, Economics or a related discipline from a recognised university.
• A Master's degree in Business Administration, Marketing or a related field will be an added advantage.
• A professional marketing qualification, such as CIM, and membership in a relevant professional body will be an added advantage.

B. Experience and Technical Competencies

• At least 10 years of progressive experience in sales and marketing within FMCG, including a minimum of five years in a senior management position leading substantial sales or marketing teams.
• Demonstrated success in growing revenue, market share, distribution and profitability for consumer-facing brands.
• Experience in non-alcoholic beverages, beverage manufacturing or related FMCG categories will be an added advantage.
• Strong practical experience in distributor management, key-account management, general and modern trade, route-to-market strategy and sales execution.
• Proven exposure to export sales, international business development and managing external commercial partners.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, including budgeting, pricing, margin management, forecasting and promotional expenditure analysis.
• Experience in brand management, category development, consumer marketing and new product launches.
• Proficiency in commercial analytics, CRM platforms, sales force automation and digital marketing tools.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and execute commercial strategies that deliver measurable business results.
• Experience managing commercial budgets and evaluating the financial performance of sales and marketing initiatives.
• Strong understanding of consumer behaviour, distribution networks and competitive dynamics in the FMCG sector.

C. Leadership and Personal Attributes

• Strong strategic thinking, commercial judgement and execution capability.
• Excellent negotiation, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and drive performance through clear objectives and accountability.
• High levels of integrity, professionalism and sound business judgement.
• Ability to operate effectively in a structured organisation with multiple stakeholders and cross-functional dependencies.
• Customer-focused, analytical and adaptable, with a strong orientation towards innovation and continuous improvement.
• Ability to balance strategic priorities with hands-on commercial execution.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to make sound decisions in a dynamic business environment.

5. Key Performance Expectations

The successful candidate will be expected to deliver measurable improvements in the following areas:

• Revenue growth and achievement of annual sales targets.
• Sales volume growth and market share expansion.
• Gross margins, pricing discipline and overall commercial profitability.
• Distribution coverage, product availability and route-to-market effectiveness.
• Export sales growth and expansion into new markets.
• Brand performance, consumer engagement and marketing return on investment.
• Distributor and key-account performance.
• Sales forecasting accuracy and commercial reporting effectiveness.
• Sales team productivity, employee development and performance accountability.
• Customer satisfaction, retention and long-term commercial relationships.

6. Core Competencies

• Strategic commercial leadership.
• Sales management and business development.
• Brand and category management.
• Export and international market development.
• Financial management and profitability analysis.
• Trade marketing and route-to-market execution.
• Commercial analytics and digital enablement.
• Negotiation and relationship management.
• Team leadership, coaching and talent development.
• Innovation, adaptability and results orientation.