B2B Sales Manager

About the role

BURN is seeking a hands-on Sales Manager to lead the growth of our B2B business (improved charcoal stoves and LPG stoves) in-country. This is a high-impact role for a commercially minded operator who will drive growth by recruiting wholesalers and retailers into BURN’s distribution network and ensuring BURN wins in general trade channels across the country.

This is not a desk-bound role. The successful candidate will spend the majority of their time in the market, moving from trading hub to trading hub, building relationships with small and medium-sized retailers and wholesalers, recruiting them as partners, and activating demand on the ground.

They will own the country B2B P&L and, working closely with the B2B Strategy team in Nairobi, design and implement a clear path to profitability, with the goal of reaching break-even within six months.

As this is a resource-constrained environment with limited above-the-line marketing budgets, the role calls for someone who knows how and where to deploy below-the-line (BTL) activations and digital channels for maximum impact at the lowest possible cost.

The ideal candidate brings a proven track record within the FMCG / consumer goods trading ecosystem in their country, with strong personal networks among key retailers and wholesalers across the major trading markets. Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, BURN is Africa’s leading clean cooking company. Since 2011, BURN has sold over 6.3 million clean cooking appliances and today operates in 14 African countries, employing more than 3,000 people, with production facilities in Kenya, Nigeria, and Malawi.

Duties and Responsibilities

Country Sales Strategy & Go-to-Market: In collaboration with the B2B Strategy and Operations teams in Nairobi, design, implement, and manage the national sales, distribution, and go-to-market strategy for general and modern trade. Drive the expansion of numeric and weighted distribution across all channels.

Distributor & Retailer Recruitment: Identify, recruit, and onboard wholesalers and retailers (including small and medium-sized traders), as well as corporations, government institutions, and