The Director of Commercialization for East and Central Africa (ECAF) is responsible for leading the end-to-end process for new product and package development, from concept ideation to market execution. This strategic leadership role involves coordinating complex cross-functional teams including R&D, Technical, Legal, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs (SRA), Supply Chain, and Marketing to deliver successful launches. The role ensures compliance with quality, food safety, and regulatory standards while orchestrating productivity agendas and revenue growth management initiatives across the franchise system.
Key Responsibilities
Innovation & New Product Development (NPD)
- Lead the end-to-end process for new product and package development, from concept to market execution.
- Ensure compliance with quality, food safety, and regulatory standards throughout the development process.
- Coordinate cross-functional teams (R&D, Technical, Legal, SRA, Supply Chain, Marketing) and manage routines with Project/Brand Managers.
- Develop comprehensive product briefs outlining objectives, target markets, and key deliverables.
- Synchronize R&D and Marketing teams on timelines, technical requirements, and project milestones.
- Coordinate Formulae management through the Product Approval Request (PAR) process in Picasso.
- Partner with Commercial Product Supply (CPS) to assess Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) and financial feasibility.
- Oversee pilot trials to validate products under real-world conditions.
- Integrate master data across ingredients, formulas, and packaging to enable innovation effectiveness.
- Monitor SKU rationalization and portfolio optimization post-launch.
Lift & Shift Initiatives
- Manage multi-market implementations for existing successful products or formulas adapted for local markets.
- Collaborate with marketing teams to identify Big Bet (BBN) opportunities for Lift & Shift.
- Assess technical and regulatory feasibility for transferring products across different markets.
Packaging Design Changes
- Develop and approve packaging designs (e.g., new bottle shapes, can sizes) by market.
- Coordinate production and distribution of new packaging with supply chain and bottling partners.
- Manage localization and adaptation of packaging assets for various markets.
KO Productivity Initiatives
- Develop the framework for value addition by orchestrating the productivity agenda within the Franchise.
- Lead monthly Productivity Forums involving Bottlers and Technical Operations teams.
- Drive supply chain productivity projects focusing on formula optimization, digitalization, and operational excellence.
- Lead brainstorming and consolidation of franchise opportunities for submission to OU Strategic Planning.
Regulatory & Technical Management
- Oversee approval processes for new ingredient supplies, ensuring quality and safety compliance.
- Lead technical aspects of Revenue Growth Management (RGM) including innovation, repositioning, and pricing.
- Implement formula and specification harmonization across markets to drive efficiency and consistency.
Requirements
- Bachelor's Degree (BA/BSc/HND) in a relevant field.
- Minimum of 10 years of professional experience in functional areas such as QSE, SRA, Commercialization, Supply Chain, or Technical Franchise leadership.
- Deep understanding of technical risk management and technical governance.
- Proven expertise in project management frameworks and methodologies.
- Expertise in commercialization processes within the FMCG or beverage industry.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to orchestrate complex supply chain networks.
- Excellent ability to connect and collaborate with partners across the system, including bottling partners and senior leadership.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online through the official Coca-Cola career portal at careers.coca-colacompany.com. You can also access the application via the MyJobMag link.
