Job Description

Overview:
We Are PepsiCo
PepsiCo is proud to be one of the world's leading food and beverage companies. Every day, we are dedicated to bringing our mission to create more smiles with every sip and every bite to life. Our products are enjoyed more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. Our portfolio -- including Lay's, Doritos, Gatorade, Pepsi and Quaker -- consists of many iconic brands that generate more than US $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales, helping to deliver more than US $70 billion in net revenue in 2020.
Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with PepsiCo Positive. Through PepsiCo Positive, we are charting a new course to drive positive action for the planet and people. PepsiCo Positive is an end-to-end strategic business transformation with sustainability at the centre of how we will create growth and value by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change.
In South Africa (SA), you will find our products across the region at breakfast, lunch or dinner. At the gym or on the field. In the office or on the go. We refresh, restore and rejuvenate our consumers all day, every day with our key brands including Simba, Lay's, Liqui Fruit and Bokomo range of cereals. PepsiCo SA employs more than 13, 000 people across our three business divisions: Bakeries, Grains, Foods, Fruit, Snacks, Juice & Beverages. Responsibilities:
Sales Lead: Gauteng
We are seeking a dynamic and results-driven Sales Lead to take full accountability for sales performance across our Gauteng Bakeries Cluster, including Modern Trade (MT) and Traditional Trade (TT) channels. The successful candidate will be responsible for designing and executing robust sales strategies that drive revenue growth, enhance customer experience, and meet or exceed Annual Operating Plan (AOP) targets. This role also involves leading and developing a high-performing sales team and managing distributor relationships to ensure operational excellence and market competitiveness.
Key Responsibilities:
Sales Strategy & Planning

• Develop and implement actionable 90-day sales plans aligned with business priorities.
• Set and cascade clear sales goals and KPIs for the cluster, ensuring alignment with SASKO's strategic objectives.
• Conduct comprehensive market analysis and historical data review to forecast future sales trends accurately.
• Identify untapped sales potential across all cluster areas and routes.

Market Intelligence & Execution

• Lead market research initiatives to track industry trends, customer needs, and competitor activity.
• Develop and execute customer-centric strategies to increase revenue and expand market share.
• Create and maintain an active trade calendar to ensure effective promotional execution.

Performance Management

• Monitor and drive sales team performance against set KPIs.
• Ensure distributor performance is tracked, optimised, and aligned with cost and service expectations.
• Oversee sales budget management, including promotional spend and pricing strategies, ensuring commercial effectiveness.

Business Development & Customer Relationship Management

• Acquire new business through micro-market development and strategic targeting.
• Drive customer retention and growth via loyalty programmes and tailored value propositions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, ensuring top-tier service and partnership growth (WEC - Win Every Customer).

Qualifications:
What will qualify you for the role?

• A Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related commercial discipline is essential.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant sales experience, ideally within a unionised FMCG environment.
• At least 5 years of leadership experience, including managing geographically dispersed sales teams.
• Demonstrated expertise in customer engagement, business development, and distributor management.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
• Experience working with SAP or equivalent ERP systems is required.
• Other Requirements
• Strong analytical thinking, commercial acumen, and a track record of exceeding revenue and volume targets.
• A collaborative leader who is passionate about people development, driving results, and growing market presence.
• Project management skills and ability to drive process improvements.

"PepsiCo is an Equal Opportunity Employer in line with the Employment Equity Act."

Skills Required