Head of Merchandising at Farmers Choice Limited

Job Summary

The Head of Merchandising is responsible for managing the retail sales team to ensure they are supported to be effective and productive while ensuring adherence to company work policies and procedures.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

1. Coordinating sales and merchandising activities and monitoring performance of the team to ensure delivery of assigned targets. This is achieved by tracking and assessing sales and merchandising output and providing periodic performance reviews to management.
2. Outlet management with sales performance tracking, payment status, stock levels, product movement and availability, order cycle time and holding capacity.
3. In coordination with the Sales Manager, ensure that all outlets are familiar with their operating parameters including credit terms to ensure prompt
4. facilitation of collections.
5. Track service history for improved customer service from order placement to delivery across the market regions
6. Assist in optimizing return on investment in all trade promotional activities agreements, selling and administration costs among others.
7. Work closely with other departments and cross functional teams to review progress, resolve issues and ensure high level of customer satisfaction
8. during sales engagement.
9. Strategically plans, directs and coordinate retail activities and shares trade and consumer insights for decision making.
10. Develop and implement route plans, planograms and routines that define the merchandiser’s work.
11. With Senior Management team, defines and communicates clear vision to the team and translates into understandable goals and targets
12. Builds a strong team with a focus on, recruitment, coaching/training, empowerment and succession planning.
13. Deals with team performance issues promptly and appropriately, in liaison with HR when required.
14. Provides individual support to new team members, ensuring a full induction is provided and adequate support given during their learning curve.
15. Educating retail team about sales process and tools in line with company SOPs. Develop sales training materials, coordinate training initiatives and delivery for retail teams as well as motivating the team and recommend strategies to address areas of weakness
16. Ensure proper management of in-outlet stock rotations to ensure damages/losses to the company and outlet are mitigated.
17. Be able to use data and insights to drive decision making.

Person Specification

1. Bachelor’s Degree in Sales, Marketing, Business Administration or any related field.
2. Must have a minimum of 4 years’ experience.
3. Experience in the FMCG industry required.
4. Thorough knowledge of the Kenyan market; on both modern trade and general trade
5. Advanced Computer proficiency and analytical skills