Commercial Manager – Retail

About the Company

My Client in the Agricultural industry seeks an experienced strategic and commercially driven Commercial Manager – Retail to lead and optimise our retail commercial function across South Africa. This role is ideal for a results-driven leader who thrives at the intersection of sales, category management, pricing strategy, and digital innovation.

Role Overview

Reporting to the General Manager, you will lead the design and execution of the retail commercial strategy, working closely with sales, marketing, operations, supply chain, and finance. The role demands strategic leadership, financial acumen, R&D insight, and hands-on execution in a high-performance retail environment.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Commercial Performance

• Develop and implement integrated retail and commercial strategies aligned to business objectives
• Shape long-term growth and profitability strategies across all retail channels
• Drive sales performance, revenue growth, and margin optimisation
• Lead category management, pricing, promotions, and seasonal strategies
• Translate strategy into executable plans across sales, marketing, and retail operations

Financial & Operational Oversight

• Manage retail P&L performance including forecasting, budgeting, variance analysis, and cost optimisation
• Optimise depot inventory levels to ensure availability while minimising write-downs
• Manage order bank processes for clean pipelines, accurate fulfilment, and revenue realisation

Data, Insights & Innovation

• Analyse market trends, customer behaviour, and competitor activity to identify growth opportunities
• Drive product portfolio optimisation with focus on high-value and differentiated products
• Develop dashboards, reporting tools, and KPI frameworks for data-driven decisions
• Lead R&D initiatives focused on commercial opportunity identification, product innovation, and customer value creation
• Drive digital optimisation strategy and enhance commercial systems (Sales & Precision Farming platforms)

Leadership & Collaboration

• Build strong relationships with key customers, suppliers, and industry stakeholders
• Lead, coach, and develop high-performing sales and commercial teams
• Drive cross-functional alignment across sales, marketing, operations, supply chain, and finance
• Lead transformation initiatives including process optimisation, system adoption, and digital enablement
• Ensure consistent execution of strategic priorities across all regions and business units

Desired Experience & Qualification

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Commerce, Business, Finance, Economics, or related field (MBA advantageous)
• Minimum 5 years’ senior experience in a commercial, sales, or retail leadership role
• Proven track record in revenue growth, margin improvement, and commercial performance
• Strong experience in retail environments (category management, pricing, promotions, inventory alignment)
• Solid understanding of P&L management, forecasting, and financial analysis
• Experience with ERP, CRM, and analytics platforms (SAP advantageous)
• Ability to travel regionally as required

Key Competencies

• Strategic & commercial thinking with strong execution capability
• Analytical, data-driven decision-making
• Leadership and team development
• Stakeholder engagement and influence
• Change management and transformation leadership
• Digital and innovation mindset
• Results orientation with measurable business impact

Package & Remuneration

R130K per month CTC