National Sales Manager

INTELLISYS Consulting, a subsidiary of Intellisys Business Solutions Ltd., is a technology solutions, consulting, and talent resourcing company. We help customers solve their business pains and needs using technology.

Role Overview

Our customer is a dynamic manufacturing company seeking a seasoned National Sales Manager who will serve as the commercial engine of the organisation, owning and driving the company's revenue agenda across all trade channels and geographies. This role is pivotal to the execution of the organisation's strategic plan, which calls for a deliberate shift toward structured, data-driven commercial systems capable of delivering consistent market coverage and sustained revenue growth.

The National Sales Manager will be responsible for building a high-performance sales team, defining the team structure, establishing processes and accountability systems, setting territory frameworks, and instilling a culture of ownership and performance. A critical element of this role is the ability to work hand-in-hand with a dedicated data analyst to translate market and sales data into clear commercial decisions and actions. The ideal candidate is a results-driven leader who can operate strategically while remaining close to the market.

Key Responsibilities

Sales Strategy & Commercial Planning

• Develop and own the annual national sales plan aligned to Our customer strategic objectives and quarterly workplan milestones.

• Lead national market mapping to identify priority counties, towns, and trade corridors for phased expansion across General Trade (GT), Modern Trade (MT), and Special Trade/HoReCa channels.

• Design and implement a structured route-to-market (RTM) framework that ensures consistent outlet coverage, product availability, and early-morning delivery execution.

• Set revenue, volume, and distribution targets by region, channel, and quarter — and actively manage performance against these targets.

• Develop and optimise price-pack positioning and promotional strategies in partnership with marketing and finance.

Building & Leading a High-Performance Sales Team

• Design the national sales team structure, including regional and territory coverage models, roles, and reporting lines — building a team fit to execute the workplan.

• Recruit, onboard, and develop a motivated, accountable sales team with clearly defined KPIs, territory responsibilities, and performance expectations.

• Establish robust sales processes: daily route plans, weekly reporting cadences, monthly performance reviews, and quarterly business reviews (QBRs).

• Implement individual development plans (IDPs) for all direct reports, coaching team members toward higher performance and career progression.

• Drive a culture of ownership, commercial discipline, and continuous improvement across the sales function.

• Hold regular team meetings, field coaching sessions, and performance conversations to maintain momentum and accountability.

Data-Driven Sales Management & Analyst Collaboration

• Serve as the primary commercial partner to the company's data analyst, actively commissioning, reviewing, and actioning insights generated from sales data, territory performance reports, and market analytics.

• Define the commercial questions that data should answer — from outlet coverage gaps to distributor sell-through rates — and work with the analyst to build reporting tools and dashboards that track these metrics.

• Use CRM and operational dashboards to monitor real-time performance across territories, channels, and distributors, identifying deviations early and adjusting tactics swiftly.

• Lead the operationalisation of the management dashboard initiative, ensuring sales data informs daily decisions and feeds into monthly and quarterly performance reviews.

• Champion demand planning routines by collaborating with the analyst and supply chain team to align sales forecasts with production and logistics planning.

• Translate data insights into concrete actions: redistributing field resources, adjusting distributor incentives, reallocating territory assignments, or refining RTM routes.

Distributor & Channel Development

• Lead the identification, onboarding, and development of distributor partners across priority territories, establishing clear standards for performance, accountability, and engagement.

• Design and manage structured distributor incentive programmes to encourage product prioritisation, volume growth, and service reliability.

• Conduct regular distributor engagement forums, performance reviews, and joint business planning sessions to strengthen partnerships and improve execution discipline.

• Re-engage dormant distributor accounts and identify new high-potential distributor partners to fill geographic coverage gaps.

• Develop service standards and communication routines that improve distributor satisfaction and reduce churn.

Customer Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, retail partners, and Modern Trade accounts.

• Manage escalated customer issues promptly, ensuring high levels of satisfaction and trust.

• Lead trade marketing initiatives in coordination with marketing, including in-store visibility, promotions, and product activations.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner closely with the Logistics Manager to align order fulfillment, delivery scheduling, and OTIF performance with sales commitments.

• Collaborate with finance on credit management, trade spend effectiveness, and revenue forecasting.

• Work with marketing to execute brand and trade communication plans, outlet branding rollouts, and product launch activations.

• Lead regular Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) meetings to ensure production, supply chain, and sales are aligned.

Governance & Reporting

•  Prepare and present monthly and quarterly commercial dashboards to the CEO, including revenue performance, coverage metrics, distributor health, and outlook.

•  Ensure compliance with internal controls, pricing policies, credit terms, and trade spend governance.

•  Maintain accurate and up-to-date CRM records and distributor databases.

Qualifications

•  Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Sales, or related field. A Master's degree is an added advantage.

•  8+ years of progressive sales leadership experience, preferably in FMCG, food manufacturing, or consumer goods, with at least 3 years in a national or regional sales leadership role.

•  Demonstrated success in building sales teams and commercial systems from the ground up.

•  Proven ability to work with data analysts and translate data insights into commercial actions.

•  Strong understanding of General Trade, Modern Trade, and HoReCa channel dynamics in Kenya.

•  Experience designing and managing route-to-market frameworks and distributor networks.

•  Hands-on experience with CRM platforms and sales reporting tools.

Skills & Personal Attributes

Skills

•  Strategic sales planning and commercial execution

•  Team building, coaching, and performance management

•  Data analysis interpretation, and collaboration with analysts

•  Distributor development and trade marketing

•  Demand forecasting and sales & operations planning

•  Cross-functional leadership and stakeholder management

Personal Attributes

•  Highly results-oriented — obsessed with commercial outcomes

•  Strong analytical thinker who can act decisively on data

•  Excellent communicator and natural motivator of people

•  Ethical, trustworthy, and leads by example

•  Adaptable and energised by the pace of an FMCG environment

•  Competitive yet collaborative — able to build a winning team culture

Growth Path

This role may progress to Head of Sales & Distribution, and then later to Chief Commercial Officer, or an equivalent senior commercial leadership role, as may be determined by management and subject to the following requirements:

·   Existence of a vacancy in the authorised establishment.

·   Satisfying the qualifications of the role to be promoted to.

·   Merit and ability as reflected in work performance.

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