Head of Market South Africa

Who We Are

Suntory is a fast moving, agile and entrepreneurial business that is home to some of the nations most loved brands. The Suntory Group is one of the largest soft drinks companies and among the world’s leading consumer products companies. We offer a uniquely diverse portfolio of beverages enjoyed by millions across the globe 

About your role

As our Head of Market you will lead the transformation and expansion of Suntory’s Southern Africa business by defining and executing autonomous, high-impact strategies across marketing, operations, and regional growth, building new capabilities, partnerships, and processes from the ground up.

What You'll Do

Strategic Market Leadership

Define and deliver the Mid-Term Plan and long-term strategy for Southern Africa, including expansion into neighboring countries.

Business Growth Acceleration

Drive significant commercial growth across South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique.

P&L responsibility

Fully responsible for the P&L management, ensures local finance compliance and legal requirements are carried out through 3rd party

Distributor Management

Leads the management of local distributors (TT and MT). Manages their performance, recommends potential changes 

End-to-End Marketing Ownership

Lead all aspects of marketing strategy, execution, and performance measurement within SBFE Marketing framework.

Seikatsusha understanding

Leads the Seikatsusha understanding process through GEMBA, consumer insight and all needed actions in order to build actionable insights

Copacker Management & Technical Oversight

Oversee complex copacker relationships, requiring technical acumen and operational rigor.

New Process & Tool Development – Build and implement bespoke business processes and tools for a unique bottler distribution model.

External Stakeholder Engagement – Represent Suntory with local authorities and regulatory bodies to enable sustainable product transitions.

Cross-Functional Leadership – Collaborate with Trade Marketing, Sales, Finance, and Supply Chain to ensure integrated execution.

Team Development & Capability Building – Recruit, coach, and develop a high-performing, future-ready team.

Governance & Resource Stewardship – Own budget planning, ROI optimisation, and resource allocation across the market.

What's in it for you

Joining Suntory isn’t just about taking on a role, it’s about embarking on a career journey. You have the opportunity to work with talented, inspiring and authentic leaders and have the freedom to dream big and go for it (Yatte Minahare). At Suntory you’ll find a supportive work environment that values work life balance and that will help you realise your full potential and grow for good. Our People and Culture team are a team that genuinely care about creating a great experience for our employees and we would love you to be part of it.

What You need to be successful

Extensive experience in FMCG

Experience managing complex operational setups and external partnerships.

Exposure to regional expansion and market entry strategies.

Our DEI Commitment

At Suntory, we recognize that diverse knowledge, perspectives, and backgrounds contribute to our collective success. We are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all individuals can bring their whole selves to work every day, regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or any other protected characteristic.

Our recruitment and selection processes are designed to highlight what Suntory offers as an employer while allowing candidates to share their unique skills and experiences. We understand that career trajectories vary, and if you believe your experience/background can benefit our team, we encourage you to apply. We endeavor to make our interview process as inclusive as possible and offer reasonable accommodations as needed. Together, we can cultivate a workplace where everyone can thrive and propel our mission of Growing for Good.