Channel Head - Wholesale, Franchise & Africa Export

The role

This role leads the Wholesale and Export channel for Revlon South Africa to grow sales, profitability, and market penetration. The person will manage senior relationships with buying groups, wholesalers, distributors, and export partners while leading the regional sales and merchandising agent network.

What you will do

• Own and deliver the sales, net sales, gross margin and trade-spend plan.
• Build and execute a channel growth strategy focused on penetration, new customers, buying-group access, increased distribution and productive range expansion.
• Lead senior joint business planning and negotiations with buying groups and strategic export partners.
• Identify and convert white-space opportunities across traditional trade, formal independents, cash-and-carry, hybrid stores.
• Set clear regional targets and manage the performance of Regional Sales Managers and sales and merchandising agents.
• Raise in-trade execution standards across availability, merchandising, pricing, promotions, visibility and stock rotation.
• Use customer, category and regional insights to prioritise hero SKUs, minimum credible ranges and profitable promotional plans.
• Partner with Marketing, Customer Marketing, Revenue Management, Supply Chain, Finance and Customer Service.
• Maintain accurate forecasts, customer plans and performance reporting.
• Ensure compliant, ethical and profitable trading across all wholesale and export activities.

Required qualifications

• Relevant business degree in Sales, Marketing, Commerce or Business Management.
• 8-10 years' experience in FMCG sales, wholesale, route-to-market or channel management, including senior customer engagement and negotiation.
• Proven experience leading multi-region sales teams, distributors or sales and merchandising agencies.
• Strong network and credibility with South African buying groups, wholesalers, independent retailers.
• Commercially sharp: able to manage targets, margin, trade investment, pricing, forecasts and customer profitability.
• Proven ability to build customer plans that unlock listings, numeric distribution, range expansion and sustainable sell-through.
• Senior-level negotiator who can influence owners, executives and buying teams.
• Hands-on leader with high accountability, pace and follow-through.
• Data-driven, comfortable with regional performance, customer coverage, distribution and execution scorecards.
• Working knowledge of export markets, distributors, logistics and regulatory requirements across Southern Africa.

Nice to have

• Postgraduate qualification advantageous.
• Experience in cosmetics, personal care, fragrance or beauty is advantageous.

About the company

Revlon is a leading global beauty company with a portfolio including Revlon, Elizabeth Arden, Almay, American Crew, CND, and more. The company provides high-quality product innovation in color cosmetics, skincare, hair color, personal care, and fragrances.