Marketing & Distribution Managers

Marketing & Distribution Manager

Role Overview

This position owns the commercial relationship between the business and its most important trade partners, combining brand and category promotion with the operational discipline that keeps products moving through the route to market. Day to day, the role holder works across the sales, supply and customer sides of the business — planning promotional activity, negotiating terms, resolving service issues and tracking how stock and revenue perform across territories. It matters because growth in this market is won account by account: the person in this seat is directly accountable for how much shelf, share and repeat business the portfolio earns.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and execute annual marketing and distribution plans for the assigned portfolio, aligning promotional calendars with sales targets and stock availability.
• Manage a defined set of key accounts end to end, including commercial negotiations, trading terms, listing discussions and regular business reviews.
• Identify and open new distribution channels and outlets, then convert them into active, repeat-ordering accounts.
• Grow market share within the assigned territory by analysing competitor activity, pricing and consumer demand, and adjusting tactics accordingly.
• Track sell-in and sell-out data, stock cover and account profitability, and use that reporting to recommend corrective action.
• Lead, coach and set targets for a field or account team, including joint customer visits and performance reviews.
• Coordinate with supply chain, warehousing and logistics colleagues to keep fulfilment reliable and minimise stock-outs or returns.
• Represent the business at trade events, industry forums and partner meetings, and maintain accurate records in the CRM system.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Supply Chain or a related discipline.
• At least five years of experience in marketing and distribution, ideally within medical, hospitality or other specialty sectors.
• Demonstrated ability to manage key accounts and deliver measurable increases in market share.
• Strong communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills, with the credibility to deal comfortably at senior customer level.
• Proven team management experience, including setting objectives and developing staff.
• Confident user of MS Office applications and CRM platforms for reporting, pipeline tracking and account planning.
• Valid driving licence and genuine willingness to travel across Kenya as the role requires.
• Prior exposure to FMCG, healthcare, hospitality or retail distribution in Kenya is highly desirable.