Country Manager - DRC, Congo B and Gabon at Guinness Nigeria Plc

Guinness Nigeria Plc is a major market for Diageo: Guinness Nigeria operates in the unique and fast-growing alcohol industry of over 15mhl beer potential. It is the only company that does Total Beverage Alcohol (TBA) in Nigeria. It’s an on-trade-dominated market but with a fast-growing off-trade channel.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Country Manager

Job Requisition ID: JR1110100
Location: Ikeja, Lagos
Job type:  Full-time
Level: L4
Reporting Line: Commercial Director

Purpose of Role

• The role is responsible for all aspects of the Spirit business in the country/location—supply forecasting and strategy/business delivery through the direct team, the distributor partner,
• Specifically, the role will involve managing the distributor/partner, Premium Core business development managers, and the entire process of growing and developing premium core spirit brands in the market. It is also responsible for any other objectives related to the sales and growth of Premium Core spirit in the market. This will also include delivering on the significant compliance agenda.
• The role will involve building the capability of the Diageo team and the Distributor sales organisation in accordance with the Diageo Way of Selling.

Top Accountabilities

• Externally focused Commercial Strategy Development and Execution
• Uses a strong understanding of the external environment to drive the creation and execution of a clear and powerful commercially driven strategy for Premium Core brands.
• Unlocks consumer and shopper insights to generate breakthrough performance and Market share growth.

Relationship Management with key External and Internal partners and Influencers:

• Influences and leads cross-functionally to define and achieve Premium Core objectives, aligning relevant Customer and Consumer Marketing teams with the Distributor & the Channel-focused sales teams to deliver shared outcomes.
• Lead distributor engagement sessions to get collaborator ownership and delivery of Premium Core objectives.
• Skilled in developing distributor and customer collaboration and dedication, negotiating for win-win outcomes.
• Skilled in establishing and maintaining industry customer relationships, supporting our reputation and leadership agenda in Premium Core.
• Influence distributor partner on territory mapping, Sub distributor appointment and other sales enablers where and when vital

Brilliant Execution:

• Clarity in the deployment of programmes and tools that improve balanced profit for the Premium Core business, including trade terms, pricing strategy, and promotional efficiency (NRM)
• Able to identify and prioritise the highest value-creating activities with swift, effective decision-making.
• Effectively balances short- and long-term performance goals in planning, implementing, and evaluating activity.
• Responsible for outcomes across cross-functional teams with highly influential skills vital
• Coaches and trains the Diageo and distributor/partner teams on Sales fundamentals and Premium core brand-building elements to develop the category through excellent execution.

Direct and Indirect First-Class Team Management:

• Accountable for delivering the industry's ‘outstanding’ sales field team, always ahead of the competition.
• Must ensure that the premium core agenda gets its fair consideration across the entire organisation through top-class communication, networking and presentation skills
• Champions compliance and ethics in business delivery with zero tolerance of non-compliant behaviour across Diageo and distributor partner premium core organization.

Performance Management:

• Accountable for setting, agreeing, supervising and achieving the Premium core financials through the business from top-line volume sales to net revenue to marketing contribution level, leading all the financial levers available, including brand retail pricing, trade investment and consumer marketing spend, making key priority decisions between brands and channels to deliver the goals
• Reports back to business on progress to annual goals with activity to rectify where vital on a monthly basis.
• Drive accountability with distributors via strong tracking methodology (JUBP sessions, morning meetings, clear critical metrics, POSM management structure, etc.).
• Planning & Strategic Business Reviews with Distributor partner.
• Define & Establish commercial important metric for distributor partner selling organization.
• Proficiency in French is critical

Qualifications, Experience, and Leadership

• This role leads the Diageo entity end to end in the relevant country and therefore, experience in senior leadership position, with focus on governance, controls, and strategy into execution is critical
• Minimum 10 years’ experience in Sales, Trade Marketing & Sales Operations
• Strong commercial and financial planning and decision-making skills, including channel profitability and targeted trade investment management.
• Cross-functional experience across Commercial/Marketing
• Exceptional relationship skills: proven track record to network and influence across functions and levels.
• An understanding of competitors, distributors and key customers, and what it takes to win in the spirit market.
• Understand how to bring to bear key drivers to improve business performance.
• Exceptional relationship skills: proven track record to influence across functions and levels, both internally and externally.
• Authentic communicator with experience working with external collaborators; superior presentation skills.
• Business qualification will be advantageous.
• Cross-functional experience advantageous 
• FMCG experience advantageous.
• An expert coach and trainer of both functional and leadership capability development
• Proficiency in French is critical.

Application Closing Date
28th October, 2025.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online