Commercial Director

SUMMARY:
Our client is seeking an experienced and visionary Commercial Director to lead the strategic growth

POSITION INFO:

Our client is seeking an experienced and visionary Commercial Director to lead the strategic growth of a rapidly expanding beverage manufacturing business with a strong commitment to sustainability and local impact. This is a pivotal leadership role, ideal for a commercially driven individual with a passion for brand building, innovation, and purpose-led growth in the consumer goods space.

Responsibilities

• Commercial Strategy & Leadership
• Define and execute the company’s commercial strategy across sales, marketing, and brand development
• Lead cross-functional teams to deliver revenue and profit growth in line with ambitious scale-up targets
• Identify and unlock new market opportunities across domestic and regional channels
• Sales & Market Expansion
• Drive growth across B2B and retail channels, including major distributors, wholesalers, and retail partners
• Set and monitor sales targets, pricing strategies, and commercial KPIs
• Expand the company’s footprint across Zambia and into neighboring markets
• Brand & Marketing Oversight
• Lead the marketing and brand function to ensure strong alignment between brand promise, customer experience, and commercial goals
• Oversee campaigns and partnerships that build awareness, loyalty, and advocacy
• Champion consumer insights to drive product positioning and innovation
• Innovation & Product Development
• Work closely with the product and operations teams to guide the development and launch of new SKUs and formats that meet evolving customer needs
• Ensure alignment of commercial strategies with supply chain capacity and margin expectations
• Partnerships & Key Accounts
• Develop and manage key commercial relationships with retailers, NGOs, institutions, and funding partners
• Represent the business in negotiations and strategic collaborations to maximize shared value and commercial success
• Team Leadership & Performance
• Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing commercial team across sales, marketing, and trade development
• Instill a performance-driven, collaborative culture grounded in transparency and mission-alignment

Key Skills

• Strategic thinking with hands-on execution ability
• Strong financial and commercial acumen
• Excellent negotiation and stakeholder management skills
• Data-driven decision-making and market insight analysis
• Brand-led, customer-centric mindset
• Collaborative leadership and team development
• Passion for sustainability, social impact, and responsible business
• 8+ years of progressive experience in commercial leadership roles within FMCG or consumer goods
• Proven track record of scaling revenue and brand presence in competitive markets
• Experience working in or with emerging markets, ideally in Africa
• Familiarity with both structured corporate environments and entrepreneurial, growth-stage businesses

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field; MBA or equivalent preferred