Job description

About the Company | Savannah Brands

At Savannah Brands, we want to use the awesome produce in Africa to create authentic beverage products through our brand ‘Kenyan Originals’. Based in Kenya, Kenyan Originals is a variety of African craft beverages that include alcoholic fruit ciders, tonics and ice teas.

We are looking for entrepreneurs in the making who love the restlessly independent lifestyle in urban Kenya.

About the Role | Trade Marketing Specialist

Specifically, we need a Trade Marketing Manager to be the backbone to our challenging and exciting growth trajectory in Kenya. As executor extraordinaire, this person can bridge marketing and sales to drive brand equity in trade.

We are looking for an execution focussed trade marketing superstar who wants to be part of growing Africa’s most exciting challenger brands of tomorrow. The Trade Marketing Manager will play a fundamental role in creating the commercial roadmap for the short, medium and long term. The Trade Marketing Manager is accountable for building the Kenyan Originals brand in-trade. Helping to define and execute how we support the sales team with brand equity activities in trade.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Trade marketing strategy
• Work with the head of the commercial on a challenger strategy TM plan.
• Own trade (customer), channel and Category strategies.
• Develop fit for purpose Execution standards and Targets.
• Channel Segmentation and Strategy and Category Development 
• Define the channel segmentation the KO way.
• Define execution standards to align with segmentation including merchandising and KOs picture of success.
• Train the internal team to live, breathe and execute the segmentation.
• Lead category, channel and Shopper Marketing.
• Delivery of Annual category plan for the total portfolio.
• Use customer strategies/category insights/shopper insight to develop brilliant customer/consumer propositions.
• Utilize insights into shopper behaviours and motivations to provide competitive solutions that ensure winning programs.
• Sales Tool 
• Take ownership of sales tools development including use of sales tools with the internal team.
• Brand Visibility and Execution
• Develop brand visibility kits aligned to the channel segmentation.
• Manage the tight implementation and execution of the kits in trade.
• Stock management of all point of sale.
• Develop a new point of sale items to drive differentiation and cut through in trade.
• Brand Activations and Execution
• Define the key activation pillars.
• Outline the mechanics of each activity including all visual guidelines.
• Implement and Manage actual execution, Tracking and Measurement of all Trade Programs.
• Budget and Tracking
• Develop and implement commercial scorecards focused on drivers of depletion, the effectiveness of investments, the performance of customers as well as brands.
• In-charge of maintaining the activation and point of sale budget.
• Daily, Weekly and monthly reporting to tracking the performance of trade marketing activities.
• Relationship building
• Working closely with the sales teams and external customers to build great relationships in trade.
• Together with the sales team develop, implement, track and own Joint Business Plan with key customers.
• Training
• Train and manage a team of promoters and venue managers into the best brand ambassadors in trade.

Does This Sound Like You?

Must-Have Requirements:

• 3+ years of experience in a trade marketing role.
• Experience working in the FMCG or Alco-Bev sector.
• Experience with category management and customer marketing.
• Experience with on-trade and off-trade channels.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to quickly build strong relationships.

Preferred Requirements [Nice-to-Have]:

• Ability to communicate in Swahili.

Candidate Attributes [Culture Fit]:

• Ability to innovate and think outside the box.
• Go-getter and Relationship builder.
• Excellent planning and organisation skills with a high ability to meet deadlines and solve complex problems.