Job Description

Roles & Responsibilities

Seeking an accomplished General Manager with a strong commercial and strategic background to lead edible oil business across Western African market. The ideal candidate will combine robust P&L ownership, strategic foresight, and hands-on operational understanding to drive growth, efficiency, and profitability across the value chain from sourcing and manufacturing to market expansion and route-to-market excellence. This role requires a leader who can balance business acumen with operational discipline, ask the right questions, challenge assumptions, and align teams toward sustainable performance and regional growth.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Commercial Leadership

Lead the business strategy and translate corporate goals into actionable commercial and operational plans.
Drive P&L performance across all levers sales, margin, cost, and cash ensuring sustainable and profitable growth.
Develop and implement the Route-to-Market (RTM) strategy that defines efficient distribution models to capture opportunities across Western African Market (Senegal, Mali, Guinea, Gambia)
Liaise closely with local distribution partners to ensure alignment on market coverage, pricing, and execution, while maintaining full control, transparency, and avoidance of any conflict of interest.
Provide strategic insight and challenge teams constructively to ensure decisions are data-driven, agile, and forward-looking.

Business & Operations Management

Oversee the operational footprint from production to logistics ensuring efficiency, quality, and reliability.
Ensure tight cross-functional coordination between commercial, operations, supply chain, and finance functions to optimize working capital and service levels.
Maintain familiarity with plant operations and KPIs to ensure operational excellence supports commercial objectives.
Drive automation, productivity improvement, and cost optimization initiatives.

Commercial & Market Development

Lead sales, trade marketing, and customer development strategies to strengthen brand visibility and market share.
Continuously evaluate market trends, pricing dynamics, and consumer behavior to refine portfolio and channel strategies.
Build strong relationships with customers, distributors, institutional buyers, and government authorities across the region.
Ensure alignment between commercial priorities and operational execution in each territory.

Financial Stewardship

Prepare, own, and manage the annual budget and business forecast, ensuring sound governance and profitability.
Monitor and analyze performance indicators, initiating corrective actions to meet business targets.
Identify and implement cost-saving and margin improvement opportunities across the value chain.

Leadership & People Development

Build, mentor, and empower a cross-functional leadership team across commercial, operations, and enabling functions.
Foster a performance-driven culture centered on accountability, collaboration, and integrity.
Promote safety, compliance, and sustainability as core organizational values

Desired Candidate Profile

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, or Industrial Management; MBA preferred.
Minimum 12 years of experience, with at least 5 years in senior P&L and commercial leadership roles within FMCG, edible oil, or food manufacturing.
Proven expertise in strategic planning, route-to-market design, and business expansion across emerging markets.
Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, supply chain management, and financial performance drivers.
Exceptional leadership, negotiation, and communication skills, with a hands-on approach to execution.
Fluency in English; French is a strong advantage.

General Manager/ Country Head West Africa Confidential Company

General Manager/ Country Head West Africa
Confidential Company