Diageo is the world’s leading premium drinks company, a business built on the principles and foundations laid by the giants of our industry.

Context/Scope:

The Diageo Sales vision is to become the best performing most trusted and respected Consumer Packaged Goods company in the world and in every market we operate. Our goal is to be ‘winning at the moment of choice,’ winning big and beating the competition. This along with putting the consumer at the heart of everything we do, will deliver sustained, mutual growth for our brands, categories, customers, and partners.

The Route to Consumer (RTC) Development Manager role is critical in delivering this vision with specific focus to Route to Consumer Development in the Kenyan market.

Market Complexity:

KBL operates in a very competitive environment that has seen the entrance of new players in the total adult beverage category. The market situation is changing rapidly due to changing economic situation, declining disposable income and opening of the economic trading blocs allowing in-flow of products from other markets. Consumers are becoming more sophisticated. This necessitates the need for pro-active business approach especially in management of total portfolio. The nature of competition is complex with established players operating within a market that has regulatory challenges. The Route to Consumer (RTC) chain is long, uncontrolled, and competitive with margins being one of the key deciding factors for listing. In some channels, the RTC is not well defined and needs to be developed to reach the consumer.

The KBL mission is to grow Total Business Alcohol (TBA) market share by growing spirits market share to 76% by F26 whilst protecting beer share currently at 97% volume share of market. There is thus needed to prioritize transformation. The national distribution structure within the Kenyan alcohol market is key to KBLs delivery of both volume growth and market share.

Leadership Responsibilities:

• Be authentic: consistency in own behavior, treat others fairly, show courage in the face of opposition, adapt to changing business needs and work with integrity:
• Consistently deliver great performance EDGE:  be action oriented, set priorities, drive for results, and create collaborative relationships.
• Connect to the Diageo purpose: reinforce the Diageo values, generate excitement and passion about our brands and take personal responsibility for brand quality.
• Find solutions: creativity & decision quality, problem solving & process management and demonstrates commercial acumen.
• Grow yourself builds self-awareness and listens, learns from both experiences of success and failure, constantly works for self-improvement, and proactively seeks feedback from others.

Purpose of Role:

• To drive Route to Consumer strategy across KBL value chain by building a world class route to consumer system.
• To create advantaged Route to Consumer in all markets, focusing on salesforce effectiveness, distributor management, advantaged trade terms, Joined Up annual commercial plans, and demand forecasting.
• Ensure brilliant execution of our customer and consumer programmes and therefore transform Route to Consumer to establish this as an area of competitive advantage and a key enabler to the achievement of both our Marketing and Sales Strategy to deliver NSV and OP objectives.
• To ensure we win in market, now and in the future, Diageo needs inspired, motivated, and equipped commercial managers capable of exceeding the goals asked of them.
• This is a commercial position aimed at building RTC Development knowledge and awareness and adoration within the salesforce as well as key stakeholders, driving and inspiring customer loyalty and demand, which will in turn transform into consumer demand.
• Own, develop and drive the relationships and commercial agenda through influencing customers – this is a customer facing role.
• Develop customer management capability.
• Deliver breakthrough business performance through influencing and working with others.
• Identify and manage Spirits distribution (listing) opportunities as defined for the fiscal year.
• Overarching role is to drive sprits strategy across KBL value chain.

Role Responsibilities

• Sizing up the Net revenue Management opportunity in a bid to drive a mix that positively impacts on the profitability of the business.
• To develop a proper RTC leveraging on our strong beer distribution channel and propose deliverable actions, plans and initiatives to accelerate growth in existing whilst also proactively tapping into emerging channels.
• Increasing coverage and distribution to Gold Distributor standards.
• Implementing distributor operational effectiveness to required standard (warehousing stock management)
• Reviewing distributor performance on Distributor Management System to gain insights and target impactful activities with desired Return on Investment (ROI)
• Own the distributors’ P&L within the division by driving category growth and mix.
• Drive contact with KBL distributors and top spirits wholesalers in the division. Hold regular business reviews with key distributors focusing on growth drivers as stipulated in the Gold Standard.
• Develop and implement a Capability training program for the Distributor management team on Commercial, Finance, HR, Supply & IS.
• To initiate and take leadership in implementing motivating incentives to the distributor teams to support new route to market for spirits to deliver exceptional results for spirits.
• To build productive working relationships with customers (Internal and external) and regional field sales team
• Gather insights on prevailing market trading terms, analyze retail audit data for insights to grow Numeric distribution, implement tactical and strategic plans to beat competition.
• Gold Standard Distributor Management-Overall responsibility for delivery of a professionally run, efficient and capable distribution network within the division.

Qualifications and Experience Required

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in business, Economics, Finance, or any other relevant field

Experience

• At least 5-8 years FMCG experience gained across commercial and other functions with a Strong track record in Distributor and People Management & / or commercial roles within a consumer goods environment.
• Well-developed commercial awareness and customer focus.
• High cognitive ability, Deep Analytical and critical thinking skills

Functional Knowledge & Skills

• Trade and/or brand strategy development
• Customer profitability / Financial Health.
• Customer engagement
• Logistics/ supply chain management
• Financial aspects of distribution management
• Joined-Up Business Planning
• Emerging trends in Route to Consumer management

Managerial & Interpersonal Skills

• Motivating, coaching, and developing people
• Developing and maintaining relationships with customers, external suppliers, and commercial partners
• Effective communication and presentation
• Negotiation and influencing
• Project management

Key Success Factors

The most important metrics by which successful performance will be judged are:

• Discipline
• Overall numeric and weighted distribution performance
• Product availability/ distribution targets
• Customer satisfaction targets
• Achievement of target contracts
• Quality and competence of our RTC execution partners

Additionally, the role shares accountabilities with others in terms of: 

• Sales volume
• Market share
• Portfolio and financials (e.g., P&L, margin