Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) Zone Commercial Director

L'Oréal; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 80 000 - 150 000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dynamic SSA Zone Commercial Director to shape its commercial strategy and drive growth in Johannesburg. This role involves collaborating with teams across Southern and East Africa to enhance market share and foster customer relationships. The ideal candidate will have a proven track record in FMCG, demonstrating strong leadership and strategic thinking skills. With a focus on both online and offline channels, this position offers the chance to make a significant impact in a high-growth market. Join a diverse environment committed to equal opportunity and innovation.

Qualifications

• Solid experience in FMCG and revenue growth management.
• Proven ability to build strong relationships with retailers.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a winning commercial strategy for the SSA zone.
• Lead high-performing sales teams and drive accountability.
• Analyze market trends and develop innovative strategies.

Skills

Commercial Acumen

Sales Leadership

Negotiation & Influencing Skills

Customer-Centric Approach

Strategic Thinking

Job description

Summary

This newly created SSA Zone Commercial Director role offers a unique opportunity to shape L'Oréal's commercial strategy and drive explosive growth both offline and online across the region. Based in Johannesburg, and reporting to the SSA Zone President, you will partner with teams in Southern and East Africa to expand market share, build strong customer relationships, and deliver exceptional sales performance.

Additionally, the SSA Zone Commercial Director will be part of L'Oréal's Global Commercial Management Committee, partnering directly with executive-level leadership in the head office and globally.

This position is ideal for a driven executive with a proven track record and a desire to make a significant impact in a dynamic, high-growth market.

Key Job Accountabilities

The SSA Zone Commercial Director plays a pivotal role in driving multi-divisional business growth and achieving sales targets across a designated geographical area. This role demands a strategic mindset, strong leadership skills, and the ability to foster collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Strategic Leadership And Business Development

• Develop and execute a winning commercial strategy to achieve ambitious sales, market share, and profitability targets across the SSA zone. Win through integrated online & offline approach, leveraging e-commerce for rapid growth.
• Lead and inspire high-performing sales teams, setting clear objectives, driving accountability, and providing coaching to maximize individual and team potential, fostering a category growth mindset.
• Drive value creation by collaborating with retailers on category strategy plans, developing and executing collaborative, data-driven category strategies with retail partners to maximize category performance and shopper engagement.
• Analyze market trends, consumer behavior, and competitor activities to identify opportunities and develop innovative strategies to capitalize on them, incorporating Revenue Growth Management (RGM) principles to optimize pricing, promotions, and assortment.
• Cultivate and strengthen relationships with key regional customers, negotiating win-win agreements and forging long-term partnerships.
• Leverage extensive experience in both Modern Trade and Distributor markets within Africa to optimize distribution channels and maximize reach.
• Lead the zone's Commercial Agenda with Global Stakeholders to accelerate growth and leverage resources and best practices available from other regions.
  
  

Operational Excellence

• Deliver exceptional results against key performance indicators (KPIs), including sell-in/sell-out, stock in trade, gross-to-net, and trade margin.
• Design and implement cutting-edge sales strategies and tactics to drive market penetration and optimize sales performance.
• Manage sales budgets and resources effectively, ensuring efficient allocation and maximizing ROI.
• Ensure full compliance with company policies, procedures, and ethical guidelines.
  
  

PROFESSIONAL & TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES

• Commercial Acumen: Demonstrated ability to drive business growth (offline & online), optimize profitability, and stay ahead of market trends.
• Customer-Centric Approach: Proven ability to build strong relationships with retailers, understand their needs, and develop tailored solutions.
• Sales Leadership: Experience building and leading high-performing sales teams, setting clear expectations, and driving accountability.
• Negotiation & Influencing Skills: Ability to effectively negotiate favorable terms with customers and influence key stakeholders.
• Strategic Thinking: Capacity to analyze complex market dynamics, identify opportunities, and develop innovative strategies. Includes a strong understanding of category management principles and the ability to drive category growth.
  
  

Key Job Requirements

• Solid experience in FMCG
• Experience in revenue growth management (RGM)
• Experience in distributor and retailer management
  
  

L'ORÉAL COMPETENCIES

• Innovator
• Strategist
• People Developer
• Integrator
• Entrepreneur
  
  

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, medical condition or disability. We adhere to all local Labour Relations legislation.

Closing Date: 13 May 2025