Business Development Assistant Manager Jobs

JOB PURPOSE

Drive profitable and sustainable growth of Unilever International’s portfolio in South Africa. Identify market opportunities, build strategic distributor partnerships, and execute purpose-driven brand building. Own the end-to-end business from market entry to shelf execution, ensuring alignment with global category teams and the local operating company.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Market Development & Strategy

• Segment markets and identify high-potential, complementary brand product formats.
• Conduct competitive analysis, including brand mapping, pricing, and strategic price indexing.
• Identify whitespace opportunities and lead market entry strategies with distributors and the local operating company.
• Build and scale niche brands by using global sourcing and local insights.

Route-to-Market & Distributor Management

• Scout, onboard, and manage distribution partners across categories.
• Set up distribution agreements, contracts, and commercial terms.
• Define and track distributor KPIs, such as Weighted, Numeric, and Total Distribution Points.
• Lead Joint Business Planning and ensure execution of brand initiatives.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and responsible partnering policies are followed.

Key Retailer Management

• Manage direct relationships with key retailers to ensure strategic alignment and smooth execution.
• Oversee administrative processes, including product listing, order placement, and launch coordination.
• Ensure products launch on time with the necessary trade and marketing support.
• Work with retailers to optimize shelf presence, increase sales velocity, and solve operational challenges.

Commercial & Financial Ownership

• Take full ownership of the profit and loss for the UI portfolio in South Africa.
• Manage trade term structures to ensure profitability.
• Monitor primary and secondary sales, stock levels, and purchase order statuses.
• Handle accurate accruals for trading term spends and align with budgets.
• Work with Finance to track trade and support budgets, focusing on return on investment.

Sales Execution & Merchandising Excellence

• Drive excellent execution through merchandising teams and Power BI analytics.
• Conduct weekly market visits and bi-weekly KPI reviews, including on-shelf availability, shelf health, and stock pressure.
• Implement corrective actions to address gaps in execution and shelf performance.

Marketing & Brand Building

• Work with global and local marketing teams to plan and execute above-the-line and below-the-line activations.
• Provide market-specific consumer insights to support brand positioning.
• Oversee marketing strategy and measure return on investment across channels.
• Strengthen digital marketing efforts and develop an e-commerce-ready portfolio.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Supply Chain for on-time demand fulfillment and capacity planning.
• Partner with Customer Development Operations for smooth commercial processes, including cash collection, documentation release, pricing setup, customer master data management, new customer onboarding, account creation, and product extensions.
• Collaborate with Legal, Regulatory, and in-country teams to ensure product compliance.
• Lead cross-functional teams to manage projects and launch plans effectively.

OpCo Collaboration & Strategic Alignment

• Work closely with the local Operating Company to unlock synergies and ensure strategic fit for Unilever International portfolios.
• Align on product launches, promotional grids, and planograms for cohesive execution and visibility across channels.
• Attend planning meetings to update OpCo teams on UI plans, innovations, and priorities.
• Drive greater Master Brand impact through joint marketing initiatives and collaborative campaigns.
• Ensure UI portfolios receive the right trade and marketing support to maximize performance and brand equity.

Innovation & Product Launches

• Initiate new products, artworks, and formulations to meet market needs.
• Develop and manage end-to-end launch plans for new innovations.
• Ensure timely listing and promotional support for key innovations.

Operational Oversight

• Oversee customer service, order management, and logistics processes.
• Handle quality and consumer complaints with distributor teams.
• Track and report in-market activities and competitor insights.

Experience & Qualifications

• At least 6 years’ experience in the FMCG industry in operational key account management, marketing, business, or finance partnering roles (preferably in Customer Development).
• A bachelor’s degree in any discipline.
• Experience in international trade and capability building.
• Sales management skills and expertise.
• Experience in commercial and distribution management.

Skills

• Be strategic, highly adaptable, and entrepreneurial.
• Have a high growth mindset and a strong passion for consumers, shoppers, and customers.
• Possess strong financial acumen and analytical skills.
• Have excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills with senior stakeholders.
• Experience working with and leading cross-functional teams.

Leadership

• You thrive on delivering great results. You set an example for others through your achievements and resilience. You always seek better ways to do things, engaging and collaborating with the team.
• As an individual, you take responsibility for your wellbeing and high standards of work. You focus on the consumer and their needs. You are humble, observant, and use evidence and data to spot issues and opportunities for improvement.