Senior Commercial Manager

Palesa Mbali Group; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 800,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

A dynamic company in the FMCG sector is seeking a Senior Commercial Manager to lead the South African market's Profit and Loss management, customer relationships, and commercial strategy. With over 8-12 years of experience required, the role emphasizes revenue growth and team leadership. Ideal candidates will have a strong track record in strategic commercial roles, preferably within the FMCG or agriculture sectors.

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years of relevant experience in senior commercial, sales, or business unit management roles.
• Strong track record of P&L management and delivering revenue and growth targets.
• Experience in fast-paced, multi-stakeholder environments.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full South African P&L, ensuring revenue growth.
• Define and implement the commercial strategy for the South African market.
• Own strategic customer relationships across key partners.

Skills

P&L management

Key account management

Strategic thinking

Excellent negotiation skills

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field

Postgraduate qualification (e.g., MBA)

Job description

SUMMARY :
POSITION INFO :

Purpose of the Role :

We are seeking a highly driven and commercially astute Senior Commercial Manager to take full ownership of the South African market unit’s Profit and Loss (P&L), customer relationships, and go-to-market strategy. The successful candidate will lead key strategic initiatives, drive revenue growth, and ensure operational alignment across functions to meet local market needs and long-term objectives.

This is a senior-level role, ideal for a strategic leader with at least 8–12 years of experience in commercial, sales, or business unit management — preferably within the FMCG, agriculture, or related sectors.

Key Responsibilities :

P&L Ownership & Business Growth

• Manage the full South African P&L, ensuring revenue growth, cost optimisation, and margin improvement.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and collaborate with relevant departments.
• Monitor performance against KPIs and take corrective action as needed.

Strategic Commercial Leadership

• Define and implement the commercial strategy for the South African market.
• Align product portfolio direction with broader business goals.
• Conduct ongoing market, customer, and competitor analysis to identify growth opportunities.
• Lead annual planning and joint business planning with key accounts.

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Own strategic customer relationships across key retail and wholesale partners.
• Champion customer excellence through service delivery, responsiveness, and tailored solutions.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment to customer expectations.

Operational Excellence & Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Operations, Procurement, Finance, and other departments to drive process improvement.
• Identify and mitigate commercial and operational risks.
• Ensure local compliance with group standards, safety, and operational processes.

Team Leadership & Development

• Provide leadership and mentorship to a cross-functional local team.
• Set and review team OKRs aligned with strategic goals.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and high performance.

Required Experience :

• 8–12+ years of relevant experience in senior commercial, sales, or business unit management roles.
• Strong track record of P&L management and delivering revenue and growth targets.
• Proven experience in FMCG, agriculture, or related sectors.
• Demonstrated success in key account management, business planning, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience working in fast-paced, multi-stakeholder environments.

Qualifications :

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field.
• Postgraduate qualification (e.g., MBA or similar) is an advantage.

Key Competencies :

• Strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Analytical and financially literate, with strong decision-making ability.
• Able to lead and influence cross-functional teams.
• High adaptability and resilience in a dynamic market environment.
• Fluent in English (written and spoken).