Commercial Manager

Recruiter:

Switch Recruit

Job Ref:

JHB000659/TLC

Date posted:

Thursday, April 9, 2026

Location:

Durban, South Africa

Salary:

R90,000.00 Monthly

SUMMARY:

An exciting opportunity has opened for a dynamic Commercial Manager to join a vibrant, fast-paced FMCG company. This role is ideal for a commercially driven professional with strong experience in both ocean and air freight, looking to take the next step in their career. You will lead and manage a team of four Business Development Managers, driving revenue growth and expanding market presence while playing a key strategic role within the business. With the added benefit of travel opportunities, this position offers the perfect blend of leadership, industry exposure, and career progression in an energetic and forward-thinking environment.

POSITION INFO:
Seeking a commercially astute individual with strong financial acumen, sound risk management skills, and a resilient, driven character. Experience across the African, Indian Ocean Island, and Middle East markets will be highly advantageous.

Responsibilities:

Manage a team of Business Development Managers to deliver revenue, margin, and profit targets aligned to key business budgets.
Ensure pricing discipline, profitable deal structuring, and debtor control, supported by monthly performance reviews and corrective actions.
Oversee commercial governance including contracts, rebates, approvals, and risk identification to protect revenue and margins.
Partner with Finance on budgeting, forecasting, and cost management, including participation in quarterly review cycles.
Escalate key risks with clear mitigation plans and financial impact assessments.
Act as the primary link between the BDM team and senior leadership, providing clear reporting on performance, trends, and risks.
Use data and performance insights to drive decision-making and improve team output.
Lead training, coaching, and capability development to strengthen commercial and sales effectiveness.
Drive a high-performance culture through structured performance management and continuous improvement.
Improve operational efficiency by streamlining processes, leveraging tools, and enhancing overall team productivity.

Requirements:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business, Commerce, or a related field.
Minimum 6+ years’ experience in a Commercial Manager role within the FMCG sector.
Proven experience in export trading across ocean and air freight, preferably within African, Middle East, and Indian Ocean Island markets.
Willingness and ability to travel extensively, including travel cycles twice per quarter.
Experience managing multiple brands or product portfolios simultaneously.
Strong experience in analytics, reporting, and data interpretation using QlikView and Qlik Sense.
Proficiency in French, Portuguese, or Spanish will be advantageous but is not essential.
Valid driver’s licence and passport.
Strong computer literacy, including MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and file management within Windows environments.

Similar jobs you might be interested in:

Commercial Manager
Location: Durban
Salary:
commercial managerReporting LineThe commercial manager reports directly to the commercial Director, with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Head of Risk and Insurance on all risk and insurance-related matters.Job PurposeTo support commercial strategy execution through business development, tender management, ESG and Transformation reporting, and risk and insurance coordination.
26 days ago

Commercial Manager Freight & Logistics
Location: Durban
Salary: Annual Salary, Negotiable
Reports to the commercial Director (with a dotted line to Head of Risk & Insurance). The role focuses on commercial support, ESG & Transformation reporting, and risk/insurance coordination
21 days ago

Commercial Manager
Location: Durban
Salary: TBA
Durban. KZN
4 days ago

Commercial Manager (Business Development)
Location: Durban
Salary: Monthly
Our client is a dynamic and ambitious family owned and run export trading business based in Durban that has been in existence for the last 52 years. They specialize in the export of FMCG's, fruit and vegetables, meat, wines and building materials to over 55 countries throughout the world.They are looking for a seasoned commercial manager to lead a team of Business Development managers across...
75 days ago

Regional Commercial Sales Manager
Location: Durban
Salary:
A leading global company in the oils, fuels, and gas industry is seeking a Regional commercial Sales manager based in Ballito. This role is focused on driving fuel and lubricant sales growth, managing key customer relationships, leading the sales team, and achieving commercial targets within the petroleum distribution sector.
6 days ago

National Commercial / Seafreight Manager (DBN)
Location: Durban
Salary: Market Related
URGENT ROLE
12 days ago

National Shipping Manager (Commercial)
Location: Durban
Salary: Market Related
Urgent roleFemaleAfrikaans-speaking
14 days ago

Commercial Sales Manager
Location: Durban
Salary: R90,000.00 Monthly
An exciting opportunity has opened for a dynamic commercial manager to join a vibrant, fast-paced FMCG company. This role is ideal for a commercially driven professional with strong experience in both ocean and air freight, looking to take the next step in their career. You will lead and manage a team of four Business Development managers, driving revenue growth and expanding market presence while...
46 days ago

Risk and Compliance Finance Manager
Location: Durban
Salary: 600000 Annually
Some people avoid risk. Others manage it for a living. If you’re a sharp CA(SA) who enjoys asking the hard questions, spotting financial red flags before they become headlines, and standing your ground in high-pressure environments, this mining giant has a seat with your name on it. They need someone decisive, assertive, and commercially sharp. Someone who can walk into a room full of strong...
Today

Manager: Monthly Accounts
Location: Durban
Salary: R1 million per annum (cost to company)
The manager: Monthly Accounts is the senior operational leader of the monthly clients function. This role carries full accountability for the performance, quality, compliance and commercial outcomes of a team of six to twelve staff, including one to two Supervisors, across a portfolio of monthly clients. You must be a technical expert across accounting, tax and firm systems; be commercially aware,...
3 days ago