General Manager - Consumer Products Division

Reference: JHB000311-VMC-1

Purpose of the Role

The General Manager for the Consumer Products Division (CPD) is responsible for leading, defining, and executing the strategic vision and commercial operations of our Client’s largest division in South Africa.  CPD democratizes the best of beauty, encompassing household global brands.

This executive leadership role is responsible for driving sustainable, profitable, and market-share-gaining growth across the South African market. The General Manager leads a multi-functional team—spanning marketing, sales, finance, digital, and supply chain—and serves as a key member of the South Africa Country Management Committee. Duties & Responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Business Growth

• Division Vision & Strategy: Define and implement the 3-to-5-year strategic roadmap for CPD in South Africa, aligning local plans with global brand identities and regional zone objectives.

• P&L Ownership: Full accountability for the division's Profit & Loss (P&L) statement. Optimize top-line sales growth, market share, gross margins, and profitability (operating profit) while managing advertising and promotion (A&P) budgets.

• Market Share Expansion: Identify, evaluate, and capture new market opportunities, consumer segments, and product categories to solidify the Client’s leadership position in South Africa.

Brand Portfolio and Marketing Excellence

• Portfolio Management: Drive the localized marketing strategies for all CPD beauty brands, ensuring sharp brand positioning, relevant consumer messaging, and highly successful product launches (O+O - Online + Offline).

• Consumer Insights: Deeply understand the diverse and evolving South African consumer base to ensure product offerings, pricing, and messaging resonate with local culture, hair types, and skin tones.

• Digital and Media Transformation: Champion digital marketing, social commerce, influencer strategies, and data-driven marketing to maximize brand equity and consumer lifetime value.

Commercial and Route-to-Market Strategy

• Key Account Partnerships: Establish and cultivate high-level relationships with major South African retail partners (e.g., Clicks, Dis-Chem, Shoprite/Checkers, Pick n Pay, Woolworths).

• Joint Business Planning (JBP): Oversee the development of strategic JBPs to maximize in-store visibility, trade marketing execution, and promotional effectiveness.

• E-Commerce Strategy: Accelerate the division’s e-commerce and digital commerce footprint (clicks-and-mortar, pure players, and quick-commerce channels).

• Traditional Trade / Informal Sector: Lead and adapt distribution models to penetrate traditional trade and informal cosmetic markets, expanding product accessibility across all socio-economic landscapes.

Operational Excellence and Supply Chain Alignment

• Demand Planning: Collaborate closely with Operations, Supply Chain, and Demand Planning teams to ensure optimal inventory levels, high service levels, and accurate forecasting.

• S&OP Leadership: Play a central role in the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process to minimize out-of-stock occurrences and reduce slow-moving inventory.

People and Talent Development

• Inspiring Leadership: Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing, diverse team of marketing, sales, digital, and administrative professionals.

• Succession and Culture: Build a strong internal talent pipeline, fostering a culture of agility, collaboration, high performance, and psychological safety.

• Diversity and Inclusion: Drive local initiatives that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in alignment with the Client’s global values.

Qualifications and Experience

Required Education and Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Marketing, Finance, or a related field. An MBA or post-graduate qualification is highly preferred.

• Experience: 12+ years of progressive commercial and marketing leadership experience within the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) or Beauty industry, with at least 5 years in a senior executive role (e.g., Commercial Director, Marketing Director, or Country Manager).

• Market Knowledge: Extensive, proven experience operating within the South African retail landscape, with deep existing relationships among major retail stakeholders.

Technical and Professional Competencies

• P&L and Financial Acumen: Advanced financial understanding with a proven track record of successfully managing large budgets and delivering complex P&L targets.

• Omnichannel Strategy: Deep expertise in both modern brick-and-mortar trade and digital/e-commerce distribution channels.

• Brand Building: Strong creative and analytical marketing capability, with experience handling multi-brand portfolios.

• Agility and Change Management: Demonstrated ability to navigate complex matrix organizations and steer teams through market disruptions.

Soft Skills and Behavioral Attributes

• Entrepreneurial Spirit: A proactive, innovative mindset ("run it like your own business") combined with the operational rigor of a multinational corporation.

• Influencing and Collaboration: Superb communication and negotiation skills, capable of influencing both local retail executives and global brand teams.

• Resilience and Drive: High energy, emotional intelligence, and resilience to lead a fast-paced division under ambitious targets.

Please note: Should you not meet the minimum requirements or hear from us within 14 days from date of advertising, please accept your application as being unsuccessful.