Head of Commercial Planning at Market Force

The impact you will make

As the new Head of Commercial Planning, you will play a vital role within the company - driving performance, leading commercial planning, and delivering data-driven commercial analysis reporting to the CCO. As the leader of the Commercial Planning team, you will take charge of the commercial strategic orientation and the responsibility for delivering on the Business Plan. You will be accountable for the performance & planning of all categories (FMCG etc.) and responsible for driving exceptional growth in sales value & volume, the margin, and the conversion rate. You will deliver a world-class customer experience and ensure MarketForce becomes the most preferred retail distributor for Africans, thanks to the right assortment, best prices, addictive promotions, and innovative merchandising strategies.

Role Responsibilities:

• Develop the commercial strategy to drive efficient customer acquisition and revenue growth throughout MarketForce, including directly owning key inputs with our go-to-market strategy (locations, distribution channels, marketing, partnerships, ) and collaborating cross-functionally to determine other key strategic inputs (e.g., product, pricing, CX, etc.)
• Support Channel Managers’ delivery of enhanced performance through Insights, KPI reporting, and strategy development
• Actively engage with Group colleagues and conduct market analysis for benchmarking and identify best practices to support new opportunities for growth, cost management, and improved service
• Provide project management for the commercial planning processes, tools, and execution, with a focus on defined timelines and deliverables
• Drive performance management with Key Account Managers
• Understand all market segments, vendors, and customers, bringing valuable insights and convictions to support your data-driven commercial recommendations
• Participate and/or lead specific areas of the commercial planning systems evolution
• Develop a commercial operating model to optimize MarketForce’s marketing and sales efforts in executing brand positioning in the market
• Lead cross-functional partners in the development of a commercial plan which delivers against financial, merchandise, and customer experience goals
• Develop and maintain an account segmentation to increase the efficiency of field-sales efforts and the effectiveness of points of distribution
• Partner with Marketing to continue to refine and optimize offer constructs and strategies as business needs require
• Attend and/or run key business meetings with operations, finance, and marketing to ensure all strategies align
• Work collaboratively with marketing to ensure proper materials are being produced, communicated, and executed to ensure impact at the point of purchase and proper sell in

What we are looking for:

• 7+ years experience in a Sales / Channel Management / Operations Management Role
• A Results-driven ethos with significant exposure to sales channel management and performance management in the consumer goods industry, and financial service industry.
• Experience in delivery and operation of a successful commercial planning process in a consumer channel environment along with oversight and management of Budgets and targets to support the same
• You are a strategic commercial thinker with impressive analytical skills and a critical mindset. You have strong technical skills in Excel. Knowledge in SQL or other programming languages is a strong plus
• Very strong commercial & numeracy/business analysis skills and experience, with a thorough knowledge of sales metrics, cost analysis, value creation models, and KPIs
• Can clearly demonstrate strong negotiation skills from past experience
• Exceptional relationship and interpersonal skills, strong listening, communication, presentation, and leadership skill
• You should have a good understanding of the main P&L lines in an eCommerce - retailing environment
• You should have great communication skills and can drive projects with different teams across the organization
• Business & Financial Acumen
• Consumer Knowledge, Insights & Analytics into Action
• Project Management and agile ways of working
• You are business-fluent in English

Who we are looking for:

We welcome candidates with different backgrounds and experiences. Here are some qualities that many successful applicants possess:

• The drive and resilience to deliver excellent service amidst tight timelines and changing circumstances
• Career maturity and alignment – clarity of direction, commitment to getting there, and awareness of how Customer support fits with your journey
• People-oriented, emotionally intelligent team player – ability to de-escalate situations patiently and calmly, yet quickly and effectively
• Strong communication skills – ability to communicate complex topics clearly and effectively both in writing and in person
• Critical Thinkers - comfortable assessing complex situations and making nuanced decisions based on policies and procedures