
COMMERCIAL MANAGER (RETAIL)
- South Africa
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Drive the commercial RETAIL targets for the company and ensure consistent achievement through effective planning and execution.
- Execute strategies for talent acquisition, employee development, and retention.
- Lead, inspire, and develop high-performing commercial teams, ensuring clear communication and alignment with company objectives.
- Ensure the RETAIL Sales Team have clearly defined performance targets, KPIs, structure and support to achieve their goals, deadlines and responsibilities.
- Ensure the RETAIL Sales Team meets performance targets and KPIs.
- Ensure the RETAIL Sales Team build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, distributors, and retailers to maximize sales and market penetration.
- Drive communication, monitoring, mentoring and training of RETAIL Sales Team.
- Proactively analyze Sales, develop insights and react to changing global and local market conditions, customer behaviors, macro-economic factors that are relevant to the business.
- Mentor team members to drive accountability, high engagement, and personal growth.
- Develop and maintain accurate, rolling sales forecasts in collaboration with the Sales team using rate-of-sale analysis, promotional calendars, seasonal factors, and historical data.
- Ensure forecast accuracy through regular reconciliation against actuals and market dynamics.
- Provide visibility to leadership on demand shifts, forecast risks, and assumptions.
- Convert demand forecasts into detailed procurement plans, aligned with supplier lead times, minimum order quantities, shipment schedules, and stock holding targets.
- Work with the Procurement team in South Africa (IOEC) to place and manage orders based on the approved procurement schedule.
- Monitor supplier performance and flag any risk of stockouts or overstocking.
- Maintain a central overview of shipment status, including ETAs, documentation, and clearance readiness.
- Oversee the tracking of all placed orders through to delivery in Seychelles, coordinating with procurement, freight forwarders, and customs agents.
- Collaborate closely with the Finance team to build forward-looking cash flow forecasts tied to procurement schedules, payment terms, and shipment timelines.
- Support the Finance function with procurement and logistics inputs into monthly, quarterly, and annual financial planning.
- Track and report on actual cash outflows related to procurement versus forecasts.
- Collaborate with Sales, Procurement, and Finance to maintain and update pricing models.
- Monitor landed cost changes (e.g., exchange rates, shipping, duties) and assess pricing implications.
- Ensure pricing remains aligned with business strategy, margin targets, and cost fluctuations.
- Provide pricing recommendations based on forecasted and actual cost inputs.
- Own and produce regular reporting on:
- Pricing impact analyses
- Sales forecasts and actuals
- Procurement activity
- Inventory status
- Shipment tracking
- Cash flow forecasts
- Provide clear, actionable insights to management
- Minimum 7 years' experience in Sales Management, supply chain planning, demand forecasting, or commercial operations within a wholesale or distribution organization concerned with the supply of perishable foods products specifically to Retailers.
- Strong experience with landed costs calculation, product pricing strategies and supplier cost structures.
- Experienced in import/export processes, customs and shipping procedures.
- Demonstrated ability to build cash flow models and manage procurement timelines; managing cross-functional planning processes that span Sales, Finance, and Procurement.
- Advanced Excel and strong competency in ERP, reporting, or planning tools.
- Highly analytical and numerically minded, with a commercial orientation.
- Exceptionally detail-oriented with a methodical, structured working style.
- Strong ownership mindset - accountable, proactive, and self-motivated.
- Excellent communicator and cross-functional collaborator.
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