Senior Sales Manager - Specialized Nutrition

About The Job The Senior Sales Manager is a high-impact leadership role driving sustainable and profitable growth for Nutricia (Medical Nutrition & Early Life Nutrition) in South Africa. This role acts as a key cross-functional connector, aligning Sales, Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, and Medical teams to ensure decisions reflect both market realities and business priorities. As the link between demand planning and commercial execution, it turns market insights into clear and data-driven actions, ensuring accuracy, agility, and competitive relevance. In a highly competitive, price-sensitive, and regulated environment, this role is critical to: - Align teams and drive cross-functional execution - Improve demand visibility and forecast reliability - Drive growth across Pharmacy, State, Wholesale, and Export channels Ultimately, this role shapes Nutricia’s commercial trajectory in South Africa, delivering both short-term performance and long-term sustainable growth. KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES: Forecasting & Demand Planning • Lead a 12-month rolling forecast across Pharmacy, Wholesale, and State Tender channels • Drive alignment through monthly demand review (S&OP) processes with cross-functional teams • Incorporate local market trends, consumer demand shifts, and retailer sell-out data to improve forecast accuracy • Identify risks and opportunities (M-1) and proactively adjust plans • Engage pharmacy chains, wholesalers, and operations teams to validate assumptions and improve predictability State Channel Management (Government & Tenders) • Partner with Finance to ensure competitive yet profitable tender pricing strategies • Build strong relationships with key government stakeholders and decision-makers • Develop and execute volume-driven growth strategies for state business • Prioritize high-impact regional investments to strengthen Nutricia presence and equity • Align cross-functional teams to deliver on tender targets and long-term growth ambitions Business Development Plans • Develop and execute channel-specific business plans across Pharma, State, Modern Trade and Export markets • Implement annual commercial activation calendars aligned to SA market seasonality and retailer cycles • Collaborate with Medical, Marketing, and Supply Chain teams to ensure integrated execution • Focus on profitable growth, mix optimization, and sustainable margin deliver Pharmacy Chains & Wholesaler Management • Build and maintain strategic relationships with key pharmacy groups (e.g., Clicks, Dis-Chem) • Identify and unlock growth opportunities across wholesalers and regional distributors • Ensure consistent stock availability and reduce out-of-stock risks across regions • Drive in-store execution, visibility, and promotional effectiveness in collaboration with marketing • Monitor sell-in, sell-out, and regional performance, adjusting plans proactively • Act as a key interface between customers and supply chain to ensure on-time delivery and availability Export Market Development • Manage and grow Direct and Local Export markets within Southern Africa • Identify and pursue new tender and export opportunities (e.g., Botswana, broader SSA markets) • Expand Nutricia footprint in strategic African markets (e.g., Ghana) • Ensure alignment between supply, regulatory, and commercial execution Market Intelligence & Competitive Insights • Monitor competitor activity across pricing, promotions, positioning, and channel strategies • Develop monthly market intelligence reports using insights from retailers and buyers • Translate insights into actionable commercial strategies • Provide structured feedback into business reviews and S&OP processes • Support decision-making with category, regional, and account-level performance analysis About You CANDIDATE PROFILE Languages required: Fluent in English Education: Degree in Business administration – or equivalent Experience / knowledge required: Minimum 5 years’ experience in a commercial role in a multinational FMCG or pharmaceutical company 2 to 3 years’ experience in a managerial position Highly proficient in M.S Skills (Excel – PowerPoint) Needed Competencies: strong negotiation skills, customer relationship management, presentation skills Travel Requirements: Based in Johannesburg & required to travel to cover the full South African territory in addition to neighboring countries Mobility: Candidates should be open to move within the region or outside the region with Danone in 3-4 years if such opportunity will arise which will contribute to his/her career growth Danone Values: Candidates are expected to adhere to Danone’s core values: Humanism, Openness, Proximity & Enthusiasm About Us We offer career opportunities focused on talent management that nurture each employee's potential, emphasizing a fast-paced and challenging work setting with visibility across internal teams and external partners. CANDIDATE PROFILE Languages required: Fluent in English Education: Degree in Business administration – or equivalent Experience / knowledge required: Minimum 5 years’ experience in a commercial role in a multinational FMCG or pharmaceutical company 2 to 3 years’ experience in a managerial position Highly proficient in M.S Skills (Excel – PowerPoint) Needed Competencies: strong negotiation skills, customer relationship management, presentation skills Travel Requirements: Based in Johannesburg & required to travel to cover the full South African territory in addition to neighboring countries Mobility: Candidates should be open to move within the region or outside the region with Danone in 3-4 years if such opportunity will arise which will contribute to his/her career growth Danone Values: Candidates are expected to adhere to Danone’s core values: Humanism, Openness, Proximity & Enthusiasm We offer career opportunities focused on talent management that nurture each employee's potential, emphasizing a fast-paced and challenging work setting with visibility across internal teams and external partners.