Market Development Head Exports

Role Overview

The Market Development Head Exports at Mars Snacking in Nairobi, Kenya will lead the achievement of business objectives for export markets by collaborating with distributor partners and internal Mars teams to drive profitable growth throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. This position encompasses steering the development and implementation of route-to-market and commercial strategies, enhancing distributor partnerships, and ensuring sustainable revenue and profit expansion.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and communicate the vision, goals, and commercial strategies to meet annual sales and profitability targets in Sub-Saharan Africa export markets.
• Build and nurture cooperative partnerships with key distributors and internal Mars functions to secure seamless operational execution and strategic alignment.
• Oversee the Demand Review process by assessing performance, monitoring sales assumptions, and formulating solid demand forecasts.
• Lead negotiations and draft distribution contracts to establish mutually beneficial commercial partnerships.
• Effectively manage and prioritize the allocation of resources across various markets to optimize overall market influence and operational efficiency.

Requirements

• Possess a university degree; an MBA or equivalent postgraduate qualification in Business Administration is advantageous.
• Bring at least 8 years of substantial sales and commercial experience in the FMCG/CPG sectors, including expertise in Sales Operations and cross-functional team leadership; line management experience is preferred.
• Demonstrate strong commercial skills encompassing distributor management, joint customer planning, contract negotiations, trade terms, and managing product portfolio mixes that achieve profitable growth.
• Exhibit analytical and planning capabilities, with experience leading Demand Reviews (S&OP processes), applying financial judgment, and developing dependable sales forecasts and assumptions.
• Prove leadership skills characterized by proactivity, resourcefulness, decision-making under uncertainty, and the ability to cultivate high-trust collaborative relationships.

What Mars Offers

• Opportunity to work alongside over 130,000 diverse professionals united by shared principles.
• A purpose-driven organization focused on building a better future today.
• Comprehensive learning and development resources from the onset, including access to Mars University.
• A competitive salary and benefits package, inclusive of company bonuses.