Senior Director, Channel Activation & E2E

Role Overview

This Africa-focused commercial leadership role sets channel priorities and connects market strategy with the plans and practices used to deliver in-market. Working across functions, countries and partner organisations, you will turn customer and shopper insight into practical choices that strengthen execution and support profitable growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Set channel priorities across Traditional Trade, Modern Trade, HORECA and on-premise, Convenience, and emerging commerce, including clear market and execution choices.
• Use customer, shopper and market evidence to shape channel segments, strategies and standards for execution.
• Bring portfolio choices, price-pack architecture, revenue growth management, route-to-market and innovation together in channel plans that address affordability, conversion, premiumisation and profitability.
• Connect strategy, demand creation, commercial planning, activation and field execution through stronger end-to-end working practices.
• Define review standards and decision points for major growth initiatives, ensuring proposals are coordinated, viable and commercially sound.
• Work with Marketing, Franchise, RGM, Digital, Supply Chain and Finance to resolve gaps between planning and delivery.
• Test promising approaches in selected markets, assess results and turn proven methods into reusable playbooks and tools for other markets.
• Build channel and end-to-end commercial capabilities with Franchise and Bottling Partner teams, using shared frameworks, scorecards and performance reviews to support local ownership.
• Develop trusted working relationships with Franchise teams, Bottling Partners and key customers, and lead cross-market initiatives that align senior stakeholders around priority opportunities.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Substantial, progressive experience in commercial, channel, customer or sales leadership, preferably in FMCG or another complex consumer business.
• Demonstrated success creating and implementing channel strategies across multiple markets and varied retail or customer environments.
• Strong working knowledge of Modern Trade, Traditional Trade, HORECA or on-premise, and developing digital commerce channels.
• Commercial expertise spanning revenue growth management, portfolio and price-pack decisions, route-to-market, customer economics and in-market execution.
• Experience leading cross-functional change across matrixed organisations and more than one market.
• Strong analytical and digital skills, with the ability to convert shopper, customer and market information into clear commercial decisions.
• Ability to influence senior leaders, Franchise teams and Bottling Partners through expertise and collaboration rather than formal authority.
• Strategic judgement, practical execution skills and a disciplined approach to prioritising work.