Assistant Manager, Trade Development (Oil, Fats & Cereal Products Category) – West at Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc

Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc was incorporated in September 1960 as a private limited liability company, and commenced operations in 1962 with an installed capacity of 600 metric tons per day. The Company was converted to a public limited liability company in 1978, and its shares were subsequently listed on The Nigerian Stock Exchange. In its 54 year history, Flour Mills has remained at the forefront of wheat milling in Nigeria. The Company’s flagship brand, Golden Penny, remains one of the best known and the preferred brands amongst bakers, confectioneries and consumers in Nigeria. Flour Mills has invested over N25billion in milling infrastructure over the last seven years, to maintain its competitive advantage. Today, Flour Mills has a rated milling capacity of over 8,000 metric tons per day, making it one of the largest single site mills in the world. The Company’s flagship mill located in Apapa, Lagos comprises of 10 integrated mills. Each mill was designed as a multilevel operation in order to optimize the use of gravity in the sifting process, thereby reducing the energy requirements. In addition, the Company maintains dedicated mills to the processing of different wheat varieties to produce different flour types. This has ensured consistent quality of its products for 50 years. The Apapa Mill also boasts of modern silos with a storage capacity to 191,000 metric tons. Flour Mills has also made significant investments in power generation. The Company has 11 General Electric (GE) Jenbacher gas generators at its Apapa Mills, with a combined capacity of 30 megawatts. This has enabled the company to reduce the occurrence of production stoppages. In addition, the Company has a 30megawatt diesel plant at the same site to act as a backup in the event of any shortage of feedstock to the gas generators.
Job Purpose â€‹

To manage and develop trade channels for the Oil, Fats and Cereal Products Category by driving sales performance, strengthening distributor partnerships, and executing retail strategies to maximize market penetration, category growth, and revenue delivery.

The Job  

Oversee and manage multiple Key Distributors (KDs) to ensure efficient trade development for the Oil, Fats and Cereal Products portfolio.
Drive achievement of sales volume and value targets through tailored market expansion strategies across assigned territories.
Lead direct-to-retail redistribution initiatives, coordinating van sales and open market sales teams to improve category availability and visibility.
Enforce Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for route planning and ensure optimal use of sales automation tools.
Expand territory coverage by establishing and optimizing sub-distributor networks, with a focus on deepening penetration for category SKUs.
Coach and mentor Sales Development Officers (SDOs) and field teams to build strong execution capabilities within the category.
Develop and execute Joint Business Plans (JBPs) with Key Distributors to drive category growth, assortment expansion, and market share gains.
Analyze competitor activities and category trends (Oil, Fats, Cereals), providing actionable insights and strategic recommendations.

Qualification

Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field.

Experience:

Minimum of 5+ years of sales experience in FMCG, preferably in redistribution sales.
Demonstrated experience managing food categories such as edible oils, fats, cereals, or related staples is highly preferred.
Proven track record managing large Key Distributor networks and driving category growth.

The Person Must: 

Mandatory experience in FMCG, specifically within the Oil, Fats and Cereal Products Category (non-negotiable).
Strong knowledge of FMCG redistribution and Route-to-Market (RTM) strategies.
Proven ability to manage and develop Key Distributor (KD) networks across assigned territories.
Demonstrated track record of driving sales growth, achieving targets, and expanding market penetration within the category