Head of Sales and Marketing – Kenya

Do you want your work to matter? Do you have serious business skills and want to use them to make a difference?  Are you just looking for a change, or are you looking for the chance to change millions of lives for the better, including yours? If the answer is yes, read on.

At Living Goods we believe the poor deserve better health, a better deal, and a chance at a better life. Living Goods supports networks of ‘Avon-like’ micro entrepreneurs who go door-to-door teaching families how to improve their health and wealth, and selling low-cost, life-changing products like essential medicines, fortified foods, money-saving cook stoves, and solar lights. Living Goods seeks nothing less than a disruptive reinvention of distribution in the developing world, through networks of franchised micro-entrepreneurs who leverage LG’s brand, buying power and powerful mobile marketing tools to deliver vital products, at accessible prices, to the people who need them most. By combining the best practices from the worlds of micro-enterprise, franchising and public health, Living Goods is creating a fully sustainable system to improve the health and wealth of the world’s poor.

Living Goods has been featured in The New York Times, TIME Magazine, The Economist, and The Huffington Post. Check out these articles and more on our press page.  

Position Overview

We are entering a period of exciting expansion. To support our vision of dramatically improving the lives of the poor, Living Goods is seeking a Head of Sales and Marketing to establish, lead and rapidly grow our network of branches and direct sales agents across Kenya. This is your chance to join and shape a successful, fast growing, multi-national organization at a time of exceptional opportunity for professional growth. The ideal candidate will have an exceptional track record in the private and, preferably, in the social sector, too. We are particularly looking for candidates with strong experience building and managing sales teams in consumer goods in East Africa. 

Responsibilities

• Establish a National Network of Branch Outlets: The first branch/es will be in and around Nairobi; others across Kenya.
• Build National Sales Force:  Lead recruitment of thousands of direct sales agents.
• Build and Support Field Team: Recruit, train, motivate and mentor all Branch and Regional Managers and ensure they are supported to achieve success.
• Develop and Manage all Marketing, Promotional and Advertising Activities
• Innovation: Generate and deploy innovative tests and promotions that have the opportunity to significantly improve profitability and human impacts.
• Develop Agent and Consumer Financing Models
• Master Mobile Tools: Optimize the use of the mobile communications platform to drive sales, deepen impacts, reduce costs, and increase profitability.
• Shape Strategy as a Key Member of Management Team

This position is based in Nairobi with up to 40% travel time within Kenya. 

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in sales and sales force management, or sales- driven marketing teams, preferably in consumer packaged goods. Proven track record of driving sales success.
• Private sector experience in East African markets is essential, ideally with global FMCG companies. Experience working with a commercially oriented NGO in Sub-Saharan Africa is desirable.
• Proven record in executing a marketing strategy to increase sales volumes.  
• Experience being responsible for driving geographically scaled, many-unit operations. Ideally you have launched dozens of new units/ outlets.
• Experience recruiting, managing and motivating large teams.
• Strong math and financial skills. Well versed in MS Excel.
• Systems-focused and analytical and have demonstrated success in developing non-traditional, appropriate systems and processes.
• Willingness to be based in Nairobi and travel in country 30-50% of the month.
• Bachelor’s degree. 

Life at Living Goods

Living Goods is aiming to make game-changing, landscape-shifting changes that dramatically improve the lives of the poor. We think big but we operate small and nimble. At LG you will have the chance to use your creativity and work with your teammates to conceive and test new ideas every day. If you work well in a dynamic, highly collaborative culture, if you set high standards for yourself and your colleagues, if you know how to fail fast and learn fast, if you meet challenges with calm determination and a sense of humor, you will be happy at Living Goods. See our Guiding Principles.

How to Apply

Please submit a single file with resume/CV and cover letter to jobs@livinggoods.org. Kindly include:

• How you heard about this position
• Current and desired salary
• Optional – Samples of any work of which you are proud

Please include “Head of Sales and Marketing – Kenya” in the subject line.