CA Business Development Manager

Central Africa Business Development Manager, International Family Care & Professional

Location: Johannesburg (Hybrid)

Kimberly Clark's International Family Care & Professional business is an organization rooted in purpose and innovation that has built a legacy with global impact. As Kimberly-Clark forms a strategic partnership with Suzano to create a world-class international tissue and professional products company, this role is proposed to transfer to the new venture once the transaction closes, anticipated in mid-2026, subject to consultation and other applicable legal requirements. This is a rare opportunity to help shape a new global leader backed by two industry powerhouses. You’ll be part of a high-potential business that combines Kimberly-Clark’s iconic brands and commercial excellence with Suzano’s industrial and sustainability leadership.

You’re not the person who will settle for just any role. Neither are we. Because we’re out to create Better Care for a Better World, and that takes a certain kind of person and teams who care about making a difference. Here, you’ll bring your professional expertise, talent, and drive to building and managing our portfolio of iconic, ground-breaking brands. In this role, you’ll help us deliver better care for billions of people around the world. It starts with YOU. 

The ideal candidate has the “Hustle” , Traditional Trade experience and is comfortable navigating bustling open-air markets just as much as corporate boardrooms. Regulatory Savvy in understanding the SADC laws and import / export regulations. Cultural agility with the ability to build trust long term relationships across diverse cultural landscape. You are accountable for driving sustainable business growth and brand penetration for the company’s family care portfolio across Central Africa. The role leads market expansion, strengthens route‑to‑market capability, improves in‑store execution and ensures optimal product availability across both modern and General / traditional trade. This position is essential for building strong distributor ecosystems, improving sell‑out performance and translating consumer and shopper insights into commercial action. Expanding market share in Central Africa requires more than just a sales strategy; it requires cultural intelligence, resilience, and a "boots-on-the-ground" mentality. We are looking for a high-energy Business Development Manager to lead our FMCG expansion. Travel will be required to visit the distributors and markets including Namibia, Botswana, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Angola. 

In this role, you will:

• Market Strategy & Growth Execution: Develop and deliver market development strategies that grow distribution, market share, and portfolio profitability. Translate distributor and market insights into actionable commercial plans. Lead market entry, expansion and category development initiatives aligned to regional priorities.
• Route-to-Market (RTM) Design & Optimization: Evaluate RTM structures and propose improvements to coverage, logistics efficiency and distributor capability. Strengthen distribution models depending on market maturity.  Ensure consistent supply, inventory quality, and stock rotation, considering FMCG shelf‑life requirements.  Expand numeric and weighted distribution for priority SKUs.
• Distributor & Channel Partner Management: Conduct regular distributor performance reviews including sales, coverage, credit management and service levels. Support Joint Business Plans (JBPs), ensuring delivery against volume, value and execution KPIs. Whilst growing the current modern trade base, look to accelerate growth into General / traditional trade channel across central Africa markets.
• Trade Marketing & Execution Excellence: Lead the execution of trade promotions, visibility programs, and in-store activation. Improve numeric distribution, shelf & outlet presence, price integrity and point‑of‑sale execution. Deploy Perfect Store standards and drive continuous improvement through field audits. Track ROI of trade marketing investments and optimize spend based on performance.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Supply Chain and Marketing teams to ensure product availability and localized promotional campaigns that resonate with Central African consumers
• Risk & Compliance: Ensure all commercial activities are aligned with regulatory requirements, ethical standards, and company policies. Identify operational risks within the distribution ecosystem and drive mitigation plans.

About Us

Huggies®. Kleenex®. Cottonelle®. Scott®. Kotex®. Poise®. Depend®. Kimberly-Clark Professional®. You already know our legendary brands—and so does the rest of the world. In fact, millions of people use Kimberly-Clark products every day. We know these amazing Kimberly-Clark products wouldn’t exist without talented professionals, like you.

At Kimberly-Clark, you’ll be part of the best team committed to driving innovation, growth and impact. We’re founded on more than 150 years of market leadership, and we’re always looking for new and better ways to perform – so there’s your open door of opportunity. It’s all here for you at Kimberly-Clark.

Led by Purpose. Driven by You.

About You

You perform at the highest level possible, and you appreciate a performance culture fueled by authentic caring.  You want to be part of a company actively dedicated to sustainability, inclusion, wellbeing, and career development.
You love what you do, especially when the work you do makes a difference. At Kimberly-Clark, we’re constantly exploring new ideas on how, when, and where we can best achieve results. When you join our team, you’ll experience Flex That Works: flexible (hybrid) work arrangements that empower you to have purposeful time in the office and partner with your leader to make flexibility work for both you and the business.

In one of our professional roles, you’ll focus on winning with consumers and the market, while putting safety, mutual respect, and human dignity at the center.

To succeed in this role, you will need the following:

JOB REQUIREMENTS

• A relevant Tertiary Qualification
• At least 3-5 years’ business experience in Trade & Shopper marketing, customer or category management, ideally to have worked in 2 of those fields
• Proven Nielsen or equivalent and Customer data experience
• Highly effective communicator, written & oral, with strong presentation skills.
• Multiple Channel / customer experience beneficial 
• Budget management
• Exposure and previous experience managing customer P&L’s
• Experience managing / engaging external design and production agencies
• Current Shopper / Retailer and trader knowledge specifically around engagement strategies that deliver impact
• Track record of shopper project end-to-end delivery

Total Benefits

Here are just a few of the benefits you’d enjoy working in this role for Kimberly-Clark. For a complete overview, see www.mykcbenefits.com.

South Africa:

As part of your Total Rewards package, you will be entitled to a comprehensive set of benefits. Some of these are listed below:

• Reward and recognition – to attract and retain the best talent we offer competitive pay.  We reward excellence and high performance through annual performance-related increases and employee recognition awards.   
• Great support for good health – we value good health, and to support you, you will have various options for medical insurance with a 50% employer contribution and Gap cover.
• Planning for the future – Being a member of the Provident fund will provide you with savings to provide an income after retirement.
• Protection for you and your family in case of illness or injury – for peace of mind you will have Life cover, disability insurance and Funeral benefit.
• Learning and growth – our employees value the opportunities for professional and personal growth that we offer.  A wide range of training is available with Study bursaries for external courses and an opportunity to apply for School fee bursaries for your children
• Employee Wellbeing – our Thrive program covers Physical, Emotional, Mental and Financial wellbeing to help you be at your best, and our Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers professional resources and tools to support you and your family.
• Time off – to help you manage your work life balance and cater for different stages of life, we offer attractive annual leave, and policies to cover maternity, paternity, adoption, and parental leave.
• Other – you will be able to enjoy discounted company products.  Subsidized canteen meals and uniforms are provided at our mill locations.

To Be Considered
Click the Apply button and complete the online application process. A member of our recruiting team will review your application and follow up if you seem like a great fit for this role.

In the meantime, please check out the careers website.

And finally, the fine print….

This role will be part of Kimberly Clark's International Family Care and Professional (IFP) business—an organization rooted in purpose and innovation that has built a legacy with global impact. As Kimberly-Clark forms a strategic partnership with Suzano to create a world-class international tissue and professional products company, this role is proposed to transfer to the new venture once the transaction closes, anticipated in mid-2026, subject to consultation and other applicable legal requirements. This is a rare opportunity to help shape a new global leader backed by two industry powerhouses. You’ll be part of a high-potential business that combines Kimberly-Clark’s iconic brands and commercial excellence with Suzano’s industrial and sustainability leadership.

For Kimberly-Clark to grow and prosper, we must be an inclusive organization that applies the diverse experiences and passions of its team members to brands that make life better for people all around the world.  We actively seek to build a workforce that reflects the experiences of our consumers.  When you bring your original thinking to Kimberly-Clark, you fuel the continued success of our enterprise. We are a committed equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, pregnancy, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. Statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required for this position.

Employment is subject to relevant background checks carried out in South Africa.

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