Sales Lead

Key responsibilities

• Sales Strategy & Target Delivery (40%)
• Own annual and monthly sales targets by value, volume, SKU and territory, and consistently deliver at or above target.
• Develop and execute the sales plan, including territory mapping, route optimisation and channel strategy across small retail outlets, mini-markets, supermarkets and institutions.
• Drive primary and secondary sales while maintaining uninterrupted stock availability at distributor and depot level.
• Set monthly targets for Customer Representatives and Merchandisers based on market potential, and monitor daily performance through dashboards, WhatsApp and Google Sheets to enable timely corrective action.
• Rebalance the trade mix against evaluated benchmarks within 18 months.
• Team Leadership & Performance (30%)
• Recruit, train, develop and appraise Customer Representatives and Merchandisers, and build a coaching culture supported by weekly field accompaniments.
• Set and track team KPIs, including sales against target, collection rate, new outlets, coverage and share of shelf.
• Manage disciplinary matters, attrition and incentive calculations.
• Convene weekly sales meetings to plan and review performance, and establish a reporting policy that ensures full reporting compliance.
• Distribution & Market Expansion (15%)
• Support market expansion by promoting opening new towns, evaluating and appointing distributors as well as stockists nationwide against set targets.
• Manage Modern Trade accounts (Naivas, Quickmart, Carrefour and Chandarana), including listing and shelf space negotiations, promotions, product launches and sampling.
• Contribute to the development of e-commerce sales through third-party direct deliveries, and optimise van sales operations and delivery routes.
• Collection, Credit & Risk Management (10%)
• Own cash collection, enforcing collection against sales and reviewing banking slips against reported collections ensuring zero unbanked variance.
• Approve credit limits jointly with Finance as well as support effective control of samples and returns alongside expired/damaged stock.
• Follow up on accounts overdue beyond 7 days and enforce a no-credit policy for blacklisted customers.
• Reporting, Controls & Market Intel (5%)
• Submit weekly and monthly reports to CEO and Operations Director detailing sales patterns across market segments, customer feedback, competitor activity and market updates.
• Track competitor pricing, promo, new products – submit weekly intel.
• Ensure proper use of POSM, assets, tools, and control samples/returns.
• Work with Finance on stock, expiry, and damage controls.

Candidate requirements

• At least 7 years’ experience in FMCG sales, including a minimum of 3 years in a Sales Lead or equivalent senior sales management role.
• Proven track record in high-velocity FMCG environments in Kenya, with hands-on experience across both General Trade and Modern Trade.

Required skills