Head of Commercial

The Head of Commercial will lead d.light Zambia's commercial strategy and execution, driving sustainable revenue growth, customer acquisition, distribution expansion, sales-force productivity and portfolio performance. The role will oversee go-to-market execution across multiple sales channels, lead Regional Business Managers and the field organization, and ensure strong customer acquisition and post-sale collections. The role will also provide leadership to Training and Marketing, while partnering with the General Manager and other functions to build a high-performing, customer-focused and commercially sustainable business.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Commercial Strategy & Performance: Translate country strategy into clear commercial priorities and drive delivery of revenue, sales, customer acquisition, collections and profitability targets.
• Sales & Distribution: Lead sales and go-to-market execution across field sales, retail, distributors, partnerships and alternative channels, expanding market coverage and improving sales-force productivity.
• Credit Quality & Customer Experience: Ensure sustainable customer acquisition, strong portfolio quality and collections while promoting responsible selling and a consistent customer experience.
• Regional Business Performance: Lead Regional Business Managers and drive accountability for regional revenue, profitability, collections, field productivity, inventory and operating costs.
• Marketing & Market Development: Provide commercial direction for marketing, product launches, activations, pricing and promotions while using market and customer insights to identify growth opportunities.
• People & Capability Development: Lead and develop commercial teams, strengthen frontline capability and build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, integrity and customer service.
• Commercial Governance: Ensure compliance with company policies, internal controls and regulatory requirements while maintaining effective controls over sales, inventory, incentives and commercial expenditure.
• Stakeholder Leadership: Partner with Finance, Credit, Operations, Customer Service, Supply Chain, Logistics and HR, while building strong relationships with distributors, retailers and strategic partners.

Key Performance Indicators

• Achieve agreed revenue, sales volume, product mix and profitability targets.
• Maintain strong customer acquisition quality, collections and portfolio performance.
• Grow distribution coverage and sales-force productivity across Zambia.
• Deliver regional targets while maintaining effective inventory management and internal controls.
• Strengthen commercial execution, team capability and customer experience to drive improved field performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Sales & Marketing, Commerce, Economics or a related field; MBA/postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
• 8-10 years' progressive commercial, sales and distribution experience, including leadership of large, geographically dispersed teams.
• Proven track record of delivering revenue growth, profitability and commercial targets.
• Strong experience in consumer-facing, distribution-intensive businesses, preferably PAYG solar, FMCG, telecoms, fin-tech, consumer finance or retail.
• Experience managing credit quality, collections, multiple regions, distribution networks and go-to-market channels.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including P&L, budgeting, forecasting and performance analysis.
• Experience in Zambia or a comparable Sub-Saharan African market is preferred.

Technical Skills

• Commercial Strategy & P&L Management
• Sales, Distribution & Route-to-Market
• PAYG/Credit Sales & Collections
• Sales Force & Regional Performance Management
• Commercial Planning, Forecasting & Analytics
• Trade Marketing, Pricing & Customer Acquisition
• Customer Experience & Market Intelligence
• Internal Controls & Governance

Leadership & Behavioral Skills

• Strong commercial leadership and execution focus
• Excellent people leadership, coaching and accountability
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Ability to balance growth, profitability, credit quality and customer experience
• Excellent stakeholder management, negotiation and communication
• High integrity, ownership and adaptability
• Passion for social enterprise, financial inclusion and d.light's mission

Benefits

• Competitive Remuneration Package