Head of Commercial

d.light
d.light

Operations

Lusaka, Zambia

Posted on Sep 14, 2026

About Us

We are an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.

Job Description

The Head of Commercial will lead d.light Zambia’s commercial strategy and execution, driving sustainable revenue growth, customer acquisition, distribution expansion, sales-force productivity and portfolio performance. The role will oversee go-to-market execution across multiple sales channels, lead Regional Business Managers and the field organization, and ensure strong customer acquisition and post-sale collections. The role will also provide leadership to Training and Marketing, while partnering with the General Manager and other functions to build a high-performing, customer-focused and commercially sustainable business.

Roles and Responsibilities
  • Commercial Strategy & Performance: Translate country strategy into clear commercial priorities and drive delivery of revenue, sales, customer acquisition, collections and profitability targets.
  • Sales & Distribution: Lead sales and go-to-market execution across field sales, retail, distributors, partnerships and alternative channels, expanding market coverage and improving sales-force productivity.
    Credit Quality & Customer Experience: Ensure sustainable customer acquisition, strong portfolio quality and collections while promoting responsible selling and a consistent customer experience.
  • Regional Business Performance: Lead Regional Business Managers and drive accountability for regional revenue, profitability, collections, field productivity, inventory and operating costs.
    Marketing & Market Development: Provide commercial direction for marketing, product launches, activations, pricing and promotions while using market and customer insights to identify growth opportunities.
  • People & Capability Development: Lead and develop commercial teams, strengthen frontline capability and build a high-performance culture focused on accountability, integrity and customer service.
    Commercial Governance: Ensure compliance with company policies, internal controls and regulatory requirements while maintaining effective controls over sales, inventory, incentives and commercial expenditure.
  • Stakeholder Leadership: Partner with Finance, Credit, Operations, Customer Service, Supply Chain, Logistics and HR, while building strong relationships with distributors, retailers and strategic partners.

Key Performance Indicators
  • Achieve agreed revenue, sales volume, product mix and profitability targets.
  • Maintain strong customer acquisition quality, collections and portfolio performance.
  • Grow distribution coverage and sales-force productivity across Zambia.
  • Deliver regional targets while maintaining effective inventory management and internal controls.
  • Strengthen commercial execution, team capability and customer experience to drive improved field performance.


Requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business, Sales & Marketing, Commerce, Economics or a related field; MBA/postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
  • 8–10 years’ progressive commercial, sales and distribution experience, including leadership of large, geographically dispersed teams.
  • Proven track record of delivering revenue growth, profitability and commercial targets.
  • Strong experience in consumer-facing, distribution-intensive businesses, preferably PAYG solar, FMCG, telecoms, fin-tech, consumer finance or retail.
  • Experience managing credit quality, collections, multiple regions, distribution networks and go-to-market channels.
  • Strong commercial and financial acumen, including P&L, budgeting, forecasting and performance analysis.
  • Experience in Zambia or a comparable Sub-Saharan African market is preferred.
Technical Skills
  • Commercial Strategy & P&L Management
  • Sales, Distribution & Route-to-Market
  • PAYG/Credit Sales & Collections
  • Sales Force & Regional Performance Management
  • Commercial Planning, Forecasting & Analytics
  • Trade Marketing, Pricing & Customer Acquisition
  • Customer Experience & Market Intelligence
  • Internal Controls & Governance

Leadership & Behavioral Skills

  • Strong commercial leadership and execution focus
  • Excellent people leadership, coaching and accountability
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
  • Ability to balance growth, profitability, credit quality and customer experience
  • Excellent stakeholder management, negotiation and communication
  • High integrity, ownership and adaptability
  • Passion for social enterprise, financial inclusion and d.light’s mission

Benefits

- Competitive Remuneration Package