Sales Operations Manager - Cape Town / Joburg or Port Elizabeth

SUMMARY:
Drive national execution excellence — fix gaps, enforce standards, and deliver results in FMCG.”

POSITION INFO:
A leading FMCG distributor in the nicotine and vaping category is seeking a Sales Operations Manager to own and enforce national execution standards across South Africa. This is a deliberately hands‑on role: the successful candidate will personally audit stores, depots, and trucks, identify execution breakdowns, fix them at the source, and build simple systems that make the fix stick. 🔹 Key Focus Areas Own national execution standards: coverage, distribution, ranging, shelf compliance & promotional execution Build a practical national execution scorecard used by reps & regional managers Conduct regular in‑field audits across all regions - not a desk‑based role Identify execution gaps and close them with clear fixes, owners & follow‑ups Set and run the national operating rhythm: weekly reviews, daily checks, reporting deadlines Hold Regional Sales Managers accountable to execution standards in partnership with the National Sales Manager Fix process & systems gaps (CRM discipline, call planning, order‑to‑cash friction) Partner with Logistics, Finance & Operations to remove execution barriers Produce weekly national execution reports and track KPIs against target 🔹 Profile Proven, hands‑on FMCG field execution experience (coverage, distribution, ranging, in‑store standards) Demonstrable history of fixing execution gaps with measurable before‑and‑after results Comfortable spending significant time in the field - this is not an office‑based role Experience holding teams accountable without direct management authority Strong process & systems discipline (CRM, call planning, reporting tools) Willingness to travel extensively nationwide Valid driver's licence & reliable vehicle Based in, or willing to relocate to, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth or Johannesburg Johannesburg candidates must be able to work independently without daily office infrastructure SA Citizens only Must be Criminal Clear Preferred: Experience turning around execution gaps, FMCG in entrepreneurial environments, nicotine\/vaping\/tobacco category exposure, or building compliance tools adopted by field teams. 📩 Applications to: Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.