Commercial Manager -Private Label & Special Categories

Administration Jobs, QuickMart Jobs. Commercial Manager – Private Label & Special Categories leads sourcing and category management, requires a Business/Supply Chain degree (MBA preferred) and 8–12 years experience in FMCG/retail. Full-time role in Nairobi.

Role Purpose

To lead the development and profitable growth of QuickMart’s Private Label and Special Categories, building differentiated assortment, improving commercial margins, strengthening sourcing capabilities and creating new growth platforms. The role translates customer and market insights into commercially attractive products and manages the end-to-end category economics from sourcing through sale.

Key Responsibilities

Private Label Strategy & Growth

• Develop and execute QuickMart’s Private Label strategy across priority categories.
• Identify Private Label opportunities using customer insight, category economics, competitor benchmarking and assortment gaps.
• Build category roadmaps covering proposition, specifications, pricing, packaging, sourcing, launch and lifecycle management.
• Lead product development from concept and supplier selection through samples, quality approval, production and launch.
• Establish good/better/best architecture, pack sizes, price points and differentiated value propositions.
• Drive Private Label sales, margin, penetration and customer value while protecting brand reputation.
• Review SKU performance and act on slow-moving, low-margin and underperforming products.
• Build strategic Private Label supplier partnerships covering quality, capacity, lead time, innovation and cost.

Special Categories Management

• Lead strategy and commercial development of selected high-growth, high-margin or differentiating categories.
• Identify emerging categories, customer needs and adjacent opportunities that can create incremental sales and margin.
• Develop category business plans covering market opportunity, assortment, pricing, promotions, space and supplier strategy.
• Build differentiated assortments that strengthen QuickMart’s competitive position.
• Manage category productivity using sales, margin, sell-through, availability, stock turn, ageing and return on space.
• Lead seasonal and event-based opportunities with appropriate sourcing and inventory plans.

Commercial & Category Management

• Own category P&L performance and deliver agreed sales, margin and profitability targets.
• Set and manage pricing, margin, promotional and markdown strategies.
• Review performance weekly/monthly and translate data into actions. Drive range optimization, SKU productivity, and assortment rationalization.
• Manage product lifecycles from launch through growth, maturity, and exit.
• Partner with Marketing department and Customer Insights on customer-relevant proposition.
• Ensure major commercial decisions are supported by business cases and ROI analysis.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Commerce, Marketing, Supply Chain, Economics, or related field.
• MBA or relevant postgraduate/professional qualification is an advantage.
• 8–12 years’ experience in FMCG, retail, manufacturing, sourcing or category management.
• Proven hands-on experience in development of Private Label items is a must.
• Experience in category management, sourcing/procurement.
• Strong understanding of Kenyan retail, modern trade, and consumer dynamics.
• Demonstrated international supplier negotiation experience; China/Egypt sourcing is an advantage.
• Strong financial acumen, including P&L, landed-cost, business case and ROI analysis.
• Experience with ERP, category management, and commercial analytics systems.

Core Competencies

• Commercial acumen and P&L ownership
• Strategic category management
• Private Label development
• International sourcing and negotiation
• Customer and consumer orientation
• Data-driven decision making
• Financial and business case capability
• Supplier relationship management
• Project execution
• Innovation and entrepreneurial mindset
• Influencing and stakeholder management
• People leadership and coaching
• Ownership, accountability and integrity

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and cover letter to [email protected] by Saturday 31st October 2026.