Route to Consumer Development Manager at Diageo

About the role:

Overview

• The Diageo Sales vision is to become the best performing most trusted and respected Consumer Packaged Goods company in the world and in every market we operate. Our goal is to be ‘winning at the moment of choice’, winning big and beating the competition. This along with putting the consumer at the heart of everything we do, will deliver sustained, mutual growth for our brands, categories, customers and partners.
• The Route to Consumer Development Manager role is critical in delivering this vision with specific focus to Spirits and Route to Consumer Development in the Kenyan market.

Market Complexity:

• KBL operates in a very competitive environment that has seen the entrance of new players in the total adult beverage category.  Market situation is changing rapidly due to the economic situation, declining disposable incomes and opening of the economic trading blocs allowing in-flow of products from other markets. Consumers are becoming more sophisticated. This necessitates the need for pro-active business approach especially in management of total portfolio. The nature of competition is complex with established players operating within a market that has regulatory challenges. The Route to Market (RTM) chain is long, uncontrolled and competitive with margins being key deciding factor for listing. In some channels, the RTM is not well defined and needs to be developed to reach the consumer.
• The KBL mission is to grow Total Business Alcohol market share by growing spirits from 47% to 70% by 2022 whilst protecting beer share currently at 97% volume share of  market. There is thus needed to prioritise transformation. The national distribution structure within the Kenyan alcohol market is key to KBLs spirits delivery of both volume growth and market share.

Role Responsibilities:

Leadership Responsibilities:

• Be authentic: consistency in own behaviour, treat others fairly, show courage in the face of opposition, adapt to changing business needs and work with integrity:
• Consistently deliver great performance EDGE: be willed to take action, set priorities, drive for results and build collaborative relationships
• Connect to the Diageo purpose: reinforce the Diageo values, generate excitement and passion about our brands and take personal responsibility for brand quality.
• Find solutions: creativity & decision quality, problem solving & process management and demonstrates commercial acumen
• Grow yourself builds self-awareness and listens, learns from both experiences of success and failure, constantly works for self-improvement and proactively seeks feedback from others.

Operational Responsibilities:

• To drive RtC strategy across KBL value chain by building a world class route to consumer system.
• To create advantaged Route to Consumer in all markets, focusing on salesforce effectiveness, distributor management, advantaged trade terms, commercial plans and demand forecasting.
• Ensure brilliant execution of our customer and consumer programmes and therefore transform Route to Consumer in order to establish this as an area of competitive advantage and a key enabler to the achievement of both our Marketing and Sales Strategy to deliver NSV and OP objectives.
• To ensure we win in market, now and in the future, Diageo needs inspired, motivated and equipped commercial managers capable of exceeding the goals asked of them.
• This is a commercial position aimed at building RTC Development knowledge and awareness and adoration within the salesforce as well as key stakeholders, driving and inspiring customer loyalty and demand, which will in turn transform into consumer demand.
• Own, develop and drive the relationships and commercial agenda through influencing customers – this is a customer facing role.
• Develop customer management capability.
• Deliver breakthrough business performance through influencing and working with others
• Identify and manage Spirits distribution (listing) opportunities as defined for the fiscal year.
• Overarching role is to drive sprits strategy across KBL value chain.
• Sizing up the Net revenue Management opportunity in a bid to drive a mix that positively impacts on the profitability of the business.
• To develop a proper route to market leveraging on our strong beer distribution channel and propose deliverable actions, plans and initiatives to accelerate growth in existing whilst also proactively tapping into emerging channel.
• Increasing coverage and distribution to Gold Distributor standards.
• Implementing distributor operational effectiveness to required standard (warehousing stock management).
• Reviewing distributor performance on Distributor Management System to gain insights and target impactful activities with desired Return on Investment (ROI).
• Own the regional  business P&L by driving category growth and mix.
• Drive contact with regional KBL distributors and top spirits wholesalers. Holds regular business reviews with key distributors focusing on growth drivers as stipulated in the gold standards.
• Develop and implement a Capability training program for the Distributor Leadership Team on Commercial, Finance, HR, Supply & IS.
• To initiate and take leadership in implementing motivating incentives to the distributor teams to support new route to market for spirits to deliver exceptional results for spirits.
• To build productive working relationships with customers (Internal and external) and regional field sales team
• Propose and Influence a winning pricing strategy and engage brand assurance to tame contra brands and counterfeits.
• Gather insights on prevailing market trading terms, analyze retail audit data to grow Numeric distribution, implement tactical and strategic plans to beat competition.

Experience / skills required:

Qualifications

• A Bachelors degree in a relevant field

Experience

• At least 5-8 years FMCG experience gained across commercial and other functions with a Strong track record in People Management & / or commercial roles within a consumer goods environment
• Well-developed commercial awareness and customer focus.
• High cognitive ability, Deep Analytical and critical thinking skills

Skills

Functional Knowledge & Skills

• Trade and/or brand strategy development
• Trade marketing development
• Customer engagement
• Logistics/ supply chain management
• Account management

Managerial & Interpersonal Skills

• Motivating, coaching and developing people
• Developing and maintaining relationships with clients, external suppliers and commercial partners
• Effective communication and presentation
• Selling
• Negotiation and influencing
• Project management