Deputy General Manager - Commercial Excellence

About Shalina Healthcare:

We are one of the largest, privately owned pharmaceutical businesses across Africa (Global Head Quarters- Dubai, UAE) with recent forays across multiple, new lines of businesses including Diagnostics and Consumer Healthcare.

Over the last 40 years, operating across multiple geographies, we have made it our mission to provide quality medicines to those who need it the most. We manufacture and distribute branded prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical and consumer products, across a broad range of therapeutic groups, including anti-malarial, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, respiratory, gastrointestinal, nutrition, oral care, dermatology, sexual well-being, and antiseptic liquids & soaps. Leading brands, great teams and a focus on influencing the well-being of people have made Shalina a household name in Africa.

We have a track record few can match, and our brands are among the most trusted in Africa. We are proud of our history and have big ambitions for the future. Our vision for 2030 is to be the health champion of Sub-Saharan Africa. To achieve this, we are looking for the right people to join us and create a lasting impact not just within our company but on the communities that we serve; people who identify with our Core Values and are as passionate about our Mission as we are.

What you become a part of:

The successful candidate will play a strategic and hands-on role in shaping and executing the commercial strategy and field force initiatives across multiple markets in Africa. The role is central to leading initiatives that directly impact sales growth, talent development, operational efficiency, and customer engagement.

The position demands regional travel, up to 30–40%, across our African markets.

What to expect:

• Lead the design and implementation of go-to-market strategies and field force effectiveness initiatives aligned with business goals across different African markets.
• Oversee key commercial processes - territory management, sales target setting, KPI tracking, incentive management, field productivity management and capability building.
• Develop analytical tools and dashboards (e.g. Power BI) to track performance and identify growth opportunities.
• Participate in monthly, quarterly, and annual sales review processes. Track KPIs to drive accountability and course correction.
• Collaborate with Sales, Marketing, HR, and IT teams to ensure alignment of commercial goals with organizational objectives.
• Drive through relevant team members product training, sales skills enhancement, and onboarding through structured programs and digital platforms.
• Lead commercial planning and performance tracking based on market potential, customer segmentation, and competition.
• Standardize and implement best-in-class sales tools and SFA systems to improve efficiency and adoption across teams.
• Build a performance-driven, customer-centric commercial culture through coaching, assessments, and continuous learning.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

Territory Management & Performance Metric Tracking-

1. Establish customer profiling models for prescribers and retailers.
2. Design field force structure aligned with the GTM (Go-To-Market) strategy.
3. Define and monitor Field KPIs to evaluate sales effort effectiveness.
4. Drive equitable target setting aligned with OU budgets.

Sales Training & Development-

1. Optimize in-clinic and in-store sales processes aligned with brand and OU objectives.
2. Implement the Shalina Selling Process for both doctor and retail engagements.
3. Build managerial capability of SLMs and FLMs through targeted skill development.

Incentives-

1. Design and finalize incentive plans aligned with motivation and budget goals.
2. Lead timely monthly incentive calculations and communication to field and shop teams.

Improve Analytics for Better Decision Making-

1. Institutionalize field leadership performance reviews for field force management.
2. Develop and implement simplified weekly and monthly tracking tools.
3. Improve adoption of data tools like Power BI SFA and create actionable insight dashboards.
4. Maintain and update Growth Driver Sheets for each OU, aligned with the EXCEL framework.

Essential education & experience:

• Master’s degree in business administration with a preference for specialization in science for bachelor’s degree.
• 10 – 15 years’ experience in marketing analytics, secondary & primary research with a multi-country matrix organization.
• Prior experience managing a similar role in a pharmaceutical setting is mandatory.
• Proven track record across commercial excellence, field force management, sales capability building, and analytics.

Desired skills & attributes:

• Hands-on experience with business intelligence.
• Strong numerical understanding and advanced proficiency in MS Excel with basic understanding of financial modelling in MS Excel.
• Ability to clearly communicate complex analyses in a simple way. Advanced presentation skills with proficiency with MS PowerPoint.
• Strong business acumen and understanding of Commercial Excellence and SFE processes.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving competence.
• Strategic thinker with hands-on execution capability.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and strong sense of ownership.
• Excellent consulting and communication skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders.
• Strong personal credibility and interpersonal skills with the ability to build trusted relationships with senior business leaders and frontline staff alike.
• Self-starter with an ability to stay independently motivated and deliver the assigned mandate.
• Experience working cross-culturally with diverse colleagues.

Why Join Us?

• Be part of a fast-growing, mission-led organization transforming healthcare access in Africa.
• Work alongside passionate teams with deep expertise and purpose.
• Opportunity to shape strategic partnerships and contribute to high-impact initiatives.
• Career progression into senior leadership roles across commercial business.

Application:

If this role is of interest to you, please upload a recent copy of your CV and a member of the Talent Acquisition team will be in touch. We believe that equal opportunities mean inclusion, diversity and fair treatment for all.