Route-to-Market & Sales Operations Lead

About the Role The ideal candidate is responsible for leading the customer development agenda and managing sales operations to drive sustainable growth, availability, and execution excellence. The role will ensure achievement of profitable volume growth, deliver annual sales targets, and follow through to secure results at customer and territory levels in line with business objectives. Key Responsibilities: Lead the development and implementation of distributor and trade partner strategies. Build and maintain strong business relationships with key distributors, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in their operations (e.g., warehousing, inventory management, logistics, sales force, processes, and joint business plans). Define infrastructure requirements for distributors, oversee implementation, and conduct regular reviews with both customers and the sales team to ensure alignment (e.g., vans, cold rooms/warehouses, administrative systems). Co-own and deliver customer capability programs and training in line with agreed growth plans. Identify market opportunities across segments and support field sales teams in developing and executing coverage strategies across multiple channels. This includes spotting new customer opportunities, coverage expansion, and vendor deployment. Provide field oversight to ensure trade investments are deployed efficiently and deliver maximum ROI. Manage trade terms reviews across different customer types and ensure proper implementation. Provide on-the-ground coaching to embed customer management standards and execution frameworks. Partner with the Sales Director to define and implement go-to-market, sales, distribution, and customer strategies.Lead the Sales Operations department with accountability for strategic inputs into business planning, demand planning, and sales operations processes. Requirements Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field (MBA or professional certification in Sales/Marketing is a plus). 7–10 years of progressive experience in Sales/Customer Development, with at least 3 years in a managerial role. Experience in the Telcos, technology or logistics industry is mandatory. Strong leadership skills. Proven ability in customer management and sales drivers. Skilled in channel strategy and in-market execution. Effective performance management, including providing feedback and handling complex situations. Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data. Excellent communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills. Ability to collaborate effectively across teams and functions.