The Project

Within the Special Initiative "Decent Work for a Just Transition", implemented by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, sequa implements the SME Support Scheme, which targets growth-oriented SMEs in Rwanda. The project aims to facilitate business growth and decent job creation by increasing the competitiveness, productivity, and market readiness of Rwandan SMEs.

The SME Support Scheme supports selected medium-sized enterprises, including Hollanda Fairfoods Ltd, with growth and job creation potential. Hollanda Fairfoods is a Rwanda-based agro-processing company in Musanze producing premium kettle-cooked potato crisps under the Winnaz brand.

The scope of this assignment is to strengthen Hollanda Fairfoods' commercial and trade marketing capacity for the launch of new snacks while protecting and building on the Winnaz core business. The expert will assess current gaps, develop portfolio-level commercial KPIs and a time-bound execution strategy aligned with the company's brand architecture, and propose a practical trade marketing team structure within the commercial department.

Your Tasks / Responsibilities

Review current sales channels, customer/distributor structure, retail execution, export channels, pricing, trade terms, product portfolio, team roles, sales data, and commercial KPIs;

• Assess gaps in the commercial and trade marketing department, including team competencies, account coverage, distributor management, customer pipeline tracking, retail visibility, and launch execution routines;
• Clarify the commercial role, target consumer, channel priority, positioning, and relationship of each brand within the overall brand architecture, and identify overlaps or gaps that may weaken execution;
• Develop, together with the team, a practical 12-month portfolio-wide commercial execution strategy with defined priorities, activities, responsible persons, milestones, budget assumptions, and implementation timeframe for all brands;
• Develop a commercial KPI framework and simple management dashboard covering sales value/volume, numeric and weighted distribution, key-account performance, distributor performance, stock and returns, retail execution, trade spend, promotions, and new-product launch progress;
• Design a practical trade marketing operating model within the commercial department, including proposed structure, roles and responsibilities, reporting lines, required competencies, interfaces with sales/marketing/production/finance, meeting routines, and a phased staffing and implementation roadmap;
• Prepare priority trade marketing and route-to-market tools, including account plans, distributor scorecards, outlet segmentation, retail execution standards, launch calendar, point-of-sale priorities, promotion tracking, and sales follow-up templates;
• Train the commercial team on the portfolio strategy, KPI dashboard, trade marketing tools, roles, reporting routines, and performance review meetings; provide limited coaching during the first implementation cycle and submit a final report with remaining risks and next steps.

Your Qualifications / Skills

Education/training: University degree or advanced professional qualification in marketing, business administration, sales, commercial management, economics, communications, or a related field;

Professional training: FMCG sales, trade marketing, category management, route-to-market, key-account management, distributor management, or brand/product launch training is a strong asset;

Languages: Excellent working proficiency in English and Kinyarwanda is required;

Other skills: Strong facilitation, coaching, data analysis, presentation, and report-writing skills; ability to build simple commercial tools that a growing SME team can use consistently.

Your Working Experience

General professional experience: At least 8 years of professional experience in FMCG sales, trade marketing, commercial management, brand activation, distributor management, or market development;

Specific professional experience: At least 5 years of hands-on experience developing and executing multi-brand commercial strategies, brand architecture, commercial KPI frameworks, route-to-market plans, retail execution systems, distributor/key-account management tools, and trade marketing campaigns;

Sector experience: Demonstrated experience in snack foods, beverages, packaged foods, agro-processing, retail, wholesale, or regional FMCG distribution is strongly preferred;

Regional/other experience: Professional experience in Rwanda or East Africa and familiarity with supermarkets, wholesalers, distributors, and regional export channels.

• Review current sales channels, customer/distributor structure, retail execution, export channels, pricing, trade terms, product portfolio, team roles, sales data, and commercial KPIs;
• Assess gaps in the commercial and trade marketing department, including team competencies, account coverage, distributor management, customer pipeline tracking, retail visibility, and launch execution routines;
• Clarify the commercial role, target consumer, channel priority, positioning, and relationship of each brand within the overall brand architecture, and identify overlaps or gaps that may weaken execution;
• Develop, together with the team, a practical 12-month portfolio-wide commercial execution strategy with defined priorities, activities, responsible persons, milestones, budget assumptions, and implementation timeframe for all brands;
• Develop a commercial KPI framework and simple management dashboard covering sales value/volume, numeric and weighted distribution, key-account performance, distributor performance, stock and returns, retail execution, trade spend, promotions, and new-product launch progress;
• Design a practical trade marketing operating model within the commercial department, including proposed structure, roles and responsibilities, reporting lines, required competencies, interfaces with sales/marketing/production/finance, meeting routines, and a phased staffing and implementation roadmap;
• Prepare priority trade marketing and route-to-market tools, including account plans, distributor scorecards, outlet segmentation, retail execution standards, launch calendar, point-of-sale priorities, promotion tracking, and sales follow-up templates;
• Train the commercial team on the portfolio strategy, KPI dashboard, trade marketing tools, roles, reporting routines, and performance review meetings; provide limited coaching during the first implementation cycle and submit a final report with remaining risks and next steps.

• Strong facilitation, coaching, data analysis, presentation, and report-writing skills; ability to build simple commercial tools that a growing SME team can use consistently.

• University degree or advanced professional qualification in marketing, business administration, sales, commercial management, economics, communications, or a related field;
• FMCG sales, trade marketing, category management, route-to-market, key-account management, distributor management, or brand/product launch training is a strong asset;
• Excellent working proficiency in English and Kinyarwanda is required;