General Manager (Institutional Sales & Business Development) - Dairy at ofi

Overview of the position

• The B2B Dairy market in Nigeria can be broadly divided into two segments – Open Market (36000 MT/annum) and Institutions (~ 190 MT/annum). We define ‘Open Market’ as comprising of large key distributors similar to a typical FMCG structure spread across the country. These distributors in turn service smaller retailers and artisanal dairy manufacturers in their respective regions. We estimate this segment to comprise of approx. 15% of the Dairy imports into the country.
• Our products and brands (Lactorich, Preplait and Milk House Blue) are known and trusted across the country, commanding a 10% premium over our closest competitors. Trade in this segment is characterized by lucratively high margins and requiring an FMCG-like distribution network (and brands) to address the needs of the primary distributors. While we command a substantial market share, we do have some gaps in our Distribution network especially in the SW and Eastern parts of Nigeria – plugging these geographical gaps is a major focus of our Distribution strategy.
• The other, much larger ‘Institutional’ segment comprises of large-scale end users most of whom are MNCs and importers themselves – The segment also includes a substantial chunk of mid-size players. There are also end users from categories like Candy and Confectionery who use Dairy as an ingredient. While we service clients in this segment, our aspiration to address a larger chunk of this market. With added capacity in our Malaysia plant and a dedicated R&D team focusing on a customized, ingredient-based approach we believe we have the right strengths to do this. While characterized by typically lower margins as compared to the Open Market segment, there is sufficient scale in this segment to form a major part of our strategy.
• To effectively address the institutional segment and plug the gaps in the Open Market, we are seeking a resource who can fill these gaps and be groomed into a PCH role. This will be a key senior role with direct reporting into the business head, with a high potential to move into a profit centre head role. The resource will also assist the PCH in some of the PNL related activities including Weekly M2M, monitoring of currency positions, month end financials, BRM preparation and OH monitoring. 

Responsibilities

• Develop a roadmap and sales strategy to address the Institutional segment
• Recruit and build a B2B team for Institutional sales
• Understand and address distribution gaps in the open market with specific focus on SW and EE regions
• Establish productive and professional relationships with key customer accounts
• Prepare monthly, quarterly, and annual sales forecasts
• Undertake research activities and liaise with product development team to identify new product opportunities
• Manage logistics & ensure smooth deliveries
• Business Development – opening new geographies and value chains in the regions
• Risk Management - Measure, capture and evaluate risks involved with the business encompassing counterparty and Credit Risk
• Preparation and monitoring of Weekly Book Value and currency exposure reports
• Assisting in month end financial activities including BRM preparation
• Tracking of overheads and ensuring zero deviations from budget

Requirement

• MBA with 5+ of post-qualification industry experience. 
• Africa experience would be a plus