Area Sales Manager, East Africa at Ingredion Incorporated

As Area Sales Manager, East Africa, you will drive profitable growth across East Africa and selected English-speaking West African markets. You will develop new business, grow strategic accounts, manage distributors, lead three customer-facing employees and coordinate the local delivery of a complex cross-functional programme supporting Ingredion's long-term regional growth strategy. 

What you will do: 

• Lead and develop the team: Set clear direction, coach performance and build accountability across two Sales Representatives and one Customer Service Representative. 
• Drive profitable new business: Build and execute growth plans, win new customers and expand share of wallet across Texture and Healthful Solutions, with a focus on solution selling rather than account maintenance. 
• Lead local programme execution: Coordinate cross-functional stakeholders and implementation activities for a major capability investment in Kenya, managing milestones, timelines, risks and delivery outcomes. 
• Own commercial performance: Deliver net sales, gross profit, margin and volume objectives, using data to guide pricing, product mix, forecasting, pipeline priorities and resource deployment. 
• Grow strategic customers and channels: Manage selected regional and global key accounts, lead negotiations and develop distributors serving small and medium-sized customers. 
• Advance priority markets: Drive growth in Kenya, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Ghana while supporting opportunities in Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. 
• Coordinate cross-functional delivery: Partner with Technical Service, Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing and Customer Service to accelerate customer projects and support relevant office and site responsibilities. 

What you will bring: 

• Education and industry knowledge: Bachelor's degree in business, food science, food technology or a related field, or equivalent experience, combined with knowledge of food ingredients, processes and applications. 
• Commercial growth experience: Strong B2B sales and new-business development experience in food ingredients, flavours, beverage ingredients or a comparable solution-based ingredient business. 
• Proven people leadership: Direct experience leading and developing a commercial or customer-facing team. This is essential for the role. 
• Commercial ownership: Experience managing strategic or global key accounts and distributors, with a strong understanding of pricing, gross profit, margins, net sales and product mix. 
• Project execution and mobility: Demonstrated success leading complex cross-functional projects with multiple stakeholders, timelines and deliverables, plus fluent English and willingness to travel regularly across the region. 

Who you are: 

• Growth-driven: You create new opportunities and move beyond maintaining established accounts. 
• A proven people leader: You set expectations, coach experienced employees and create accountability. 
• Commercially astute: You understand how pricing, mix and customer decisions affect profitable growth. 
• A disciplined project leader: You align stakeholders, manage milestones and translate strategy into successful execution. 
• Collaborative and culturally aware: You build credible relationships across customers, functions, distributors and countries. 

Why Join Ingredion? 

Discover why Ingredion is the ideal place to advance your career with our exceptional rewards and benefits package designed to help you thrive. Create the future with us and enjoy: 

• Total Rewards Package: Competitive salary and performance-based pay recognizing your contributions to our success. 
• Comprehensive Benefits & Wellness Support: Health, long-term savings, and resources for your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. 
• Flexible Work Arrangements: We value flexibility to support you both professionally and personally. 
• Career Growth: Learning, training, and development opportunities. 
• Employee Recognition Program: A culture of real-time appreciation, with personalized recognition rewards globally. 
• Employee Referral Program: Refer top talent and earn a bonus if they are hired.