Channel Manager – Off Trade at Diageo

Context/Scope

• KBL is a customer-centric organization and has the ambition to be rated by its customers as the #1 Consumer Goods Company in Kenya. This will only be possible if everything we do is linked to the needs of our customers.
• This is done as we continuously excel in the provision of compelling shopper and customer propositions aligned with consumer needs.

Dimensions

Financial:

• Adapting brand strategies, SUP plans into channel programs that maximize customer profitability and drive positive ROI.
• The programs contribute to designated category/brands P&Ls and are critical to the performance of KBL and those of the categories and customers.
• Responsible for the in-outlet programs creation budget
• Measured against off-trade channels growth targets and the key battlegrounds related to the designated categories.

Complexity of Role:

• Requires a person who is extremely organized, dependable, and self-motivated with the ability to excel in a hands-on, fast paced environment.
• Disciplined & creative leader with the ability to bring to life Diageo’s world- class line of brands.
• Build strong relationships & expand influence to get things done at pace. This includes juggling numerous projects at one time and can flex their style based on the stakeholder/function you are interacting with.
• Ability to work within a complex matrix organization & handle ambiguity well.
• While this role does not have any direct reports, the ability to lead and influence decisions and decision makers is critical.

Responsibilities:

• Manages / executes the commercial off-trade calendar.
• Leads commercialization/ tailoring of brand & portfolio activities into channel & customer programs that deliver the overall commercial plan aligned to MBPs.
• Contribute into building of trade strategy through key elements related to Off trade and wholesale Segments and route to market while unlocking opportunities and risk that would deliver value for the business.
• Building and executing big, scalable insight driven programs that can be executed across customers for modern trade / segments.
• Develops and executes customer specific retail programs / segment programs intended to drive traffic, increase basket size, and/or increase conversion.
• Working very closely with our numerous agency resources as well as finance, legal, and our distributor partners.
• Understanding of data and insights and a pre-existing knowledge of modern trade customers, shoppers, and other key segments.
• Responsible for the in-store/bar programs from initial brief through to final toolkit development and customer proposition (as well as supporting execution and final M&E).
• Responsible for ensuring that the programs are commercially viable and drive category growth (and brand growth ahead of the category).
• Owns Sales Cycle Briefing for off trade.
• Ensures KPIs/M&E in place.

Key Accountabilities

• Strategic development - ability to analyze data and draw insights relevant to build strategies that support relevant channels needs in service of delivering the business ambition.
• Execution - Ability to build, adapt and/or build big, creative programs. To develop & translate customer & shopper insights into customer specific activities/ programs and execute these brilliantly.
• Performance management – ability to deliver programs that generate revenue while tracking performance by consistently measuring and intervening to make sure the programs deliver / exceed targets. Timely escalations and course correction based on judgement from the performance tracking.
• Stakeholder management – ability to build relationships and leverage these in service of business outcomes. This across internal and external stakeholders including but not limited to finance, sales, marketing, supply, agency partners, customers, and distributors.
• People management – Ability to build and get the best out of teams through clear KPIs, coaching and capability building.

Key Stakeholders: Commercial Directors, Sales team, Finance team, Marketing team, Procurement team, 3rd Party agencies.

Qualifications, Experience and Skills Required

Qualifications

• A business-related qualification

Experience

• +5 years commercial experience in marketing or sales
• Previous commercial management experience.
• Experience in leading and managing change.

Skills

• A proven track record in either Marketing and/or Sales (Customer Marketing)
• Strong creative judgment and good commercial understanding (of our customers and their shoppers)
• Strong understanding of off-trade channels, shopper insights etc. to develop brilliant shopper programs.
• Strong affinity to and understanding of the principles of off trade channels/ segments selling and customer/consumer engagement.
• An individual who understands how to get things done within Diageo and can influence across a broad network of the organization –
• An ability to inspire agencies to deliver great work and ideally some experience of working with key customers.