Lawrence Nyaga
Territory Manager
Embu
Summary
Performance-oriented Sales Leader offering exceptional record of achievement over a 5 year sales career. Tenacious manager with strategic and analytical approach to solving problems, bringing in customers and accomplishing profit targets. Talented in identifying and capitalizing on emerging market trends and revenue opportunities.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
Work History
Territory Manager
Unilever Kenya Ltd
10.2023 - Current
- Determine infrastructural requirement of my distributor including working capital required.
- Determine and prepare distributor sales and KPI targets using the Joint Business Plan toolkit.
- Ensure that working capital is effectively managed by constantly monitoring stocks, debtors and cash positions to meet the right norms.
- Build excellent relationships at distributor and at outlet level
- Set up and maintain the distributor team by recruiting the right skills, right numbers and training through field coaching to deliver assigned targets.
- Set targets for all distributor team and review performance constantly through market floor meetings to ensure target achievement.
- Ensure that distributor is profitable by using the ROWC and ROI toolkit to monitor income and expenditure and report on monthly actions to improve.
- Ensure weekly submission of distributor extracts and DBR toolkits used in raising orders for the distributor.
- Prepare beat plans for distributor sales team to ensure effective & efficient coverage of my assigned territory with all product categories
- Prospect, negotiate and initiate local actions in line with Unilever policies.
- Ensure the availability of the right product assortment at the right channel and at the right price.
- Ensure achievement of the Field capability score by meeting targets for coverage, pieces per store, lines per call and bill productivity
- Developed strong relationships with key decision-makers, fostering trust and loyalty in the assigned territory.
- Building capability of distributor sales team through full day sales accompaniment and field coaching.
- Submission of weekly and monthly reports – weekly sales report, ROI and profitability report, working capital analysis report and safety reports.
- Improved customer satisfaction and retention through frequent visits, timely response to inquiries, and effective problem resolution.
Customer Development Executive
Unilever Kenya LTD
11.2021 - 09.2023
- Ensure achievement of monthly sales targets by developing and implementing strategies focused on achieving both primary and secondary sales targets
- Preparation of Joint annual business plan agreements with my distributor customers focused on driving sustainable business growth for both parties
- Review and update forecasts periodically based on market performance and adjust plans to achieve desired results
- Continuous optimization of pricing, promotion and placement of our products and resources relative to achieving the desired competitive edge
- Monitor and execute and evaluate advertising and promotions plans within approved budget in my distributors
- Prepare and follow through on channel and category plans to effectively defend and grow revenue and market share
- Developing and implementation of strategies to mitigate product damages and expiries in my territory including distributor stores guided by Unilever policies such as FIFO
- Set and communicate sales targets to my key distributor and develop strategies to ensure that they are achieved
- Ensure all necessary financial instruments are in place ahead of both Primary and secondary orders placement and shipment
- Rigorous follow up for timely payments against customer invoices and the reconciliation of their accounts
- Follow up, process and settle all customer and customer-of-my-customer debit and credit notes in a timely manner
- Scrutinize and query the Return On Working Capital (ROWC) document to ensure that my distributor remains profitable in their operations
- Negotiate for required materials and guidelines including planograms, point of sale and new product launch briefs for excellent trade execution across our products and categories
- Work closely with customers to build effective coverage and product distribution across key trade channels
- Effectively growing our categories by identifying, planning and efficiently executing new products and revenue driving opportunities
- Ensure stock guidelines are adhered to both at the trade level and at the customer level by applying continuous stock monitoring strategies
- Relaying back knowledge of competitor activity, trade insights and market intelligence to help develop plans to win
- Work closely with our distributors to create effective category, product and execution plans with key trade customers
- Monitoring distribution price adherence to avoid overpricing and undercutting amongst retailers, wholesalers and Supermarkets in the territory
- Establish and maintain clear business parameters with existing and new customers across my territory
- Recruit, manage coach and develop a team of field sales representatives, back-officers, delivery crew and drivers in the distributor am assigned to
- Build, develop and sustain effective customer relationships through frequent, direct contact, meetings and market visits
- Act both internally and externally as the face of the customer, working cross-functionally to execute assigned tasks effectively
- Keep abreast and highlight the impact of any legal, regulatory or trade barriers that may arise to my customers and feedback to Unilever accordingly
- Report back to Unilever any significant consumer queries requiring support in resolution
- Recruit new customers across the sales channels for my distributor within my territory to drive territory growth
- Supervision of six permanent Merchandisers and rotational Brand Ambassadors in the various outlets within my territory.
- Worked closely with regional distributors to ensure optimal inventory levels were maintained consistently throughout the year – avoiding stockouts or overstock situations.
- Conducted comprehensive market analysis to identify potential business opportunities, leading to a more focused sales approach.
- Collaborated closely with cross-functional teams such as marketing and product development to create cohesive go-to-market strategies for new product releases.
Business Development Executive – Nairobi region
Pwani Oils Products LTD
11.2020 - 10.2021
- Achieve the set monthly volumes and sales targets by Pwani
- Formulation and application of Pwani Oil Products Min-max for distributors in my region
- Ensuring the optimal stock levels in the distributors in my region through adherence to the min-max to eliminate overstocking and out of stock situations
- Ensuring distributors price adherence to avoid overpricing and undercutting amongst distributors in the market
- Working with the distributors sales representatives to push Pwani Products into the market
- Developing and implementation of strategies to pull out slow products and expiries out of the distributor’s outlets to trade and back to the factory for reprocessing respectively
- Ensuring credit terms are adhered to by the distributors in my region by following up on payments and collections
- Working with the logistics and the customer service department to ensure that distributor orders are processed, loaded in time and delivered on time
- Supervision of Order Bookers, Pwani Market Impact team (MITs), Trade Reps and Brand ambassadors attached to the various distributors across my region
- Ensuring that the new products are listed and ordered by the distributors in my region and route riding with the distributor reps to list in their wholesalers and collect feedback
- Collecting and relaying market information and competitors’ activities back to Pwani
- Visiting customers of my customer to ensure that they have sufficient stocks as well as pick issues for resolution
- Recruiting wholesalers and distributors to ensure market is adequately covered
- Grow distributor sales volumes to ensure that the company sales volumes grow
- Organize and conduct quarterly and or spontaneous training and other support initiatives for my distributors’ staff as need arises
- Ensuring that all issues that impact on relationship between my distributors and Pwani are resolved at the earliest opportunity
- Formulate relevant promotions in conjunction with my line managers and ensure they are implemented successfully
- Advising the distributor on price changes and facilitating their credit and debit notes processing
- Retail and wholesale visits to ensure proper visibility and product range availability of Pwani products.
Account Executive – Kanini Haraka Ent. LTD
Pwani Oils Products LTD
01.2020 - 10.2020
- Ensuring timely payments by the distributor
- Maintaining stock levels min-max for the distributor
- Managing the credit limit for the distributor
- Aligning logistics for Pwani products to the distributor
- Visiting other distributor’s outlets and route riding with their sales team
- Managing recommended pricing of items in the market through distributor teams
- Listing of new products in the distributor and wholesalers buying from them
- Advising the distributor on price changes and working on the credit and debit notes
- Supervising the trade reps and other Pwani staff attached to the distributor
- Ensuring that Pwani is top-of-mind in the distributor sales team
- Market surveillance and competitor activity reporting
- Trade visits to ensure proper visibility and product range availability of Pwani products
- Recruiting new customers for the distributor through relationship building
- In charge of communication between Pwani and the distributor
- Monitor salesmen performance as well as development of motivation strategies through my line managers.
Sales Relationship Executive
Agri-poultry products LTD
09.2016 - 12.2019
- Driving sales through building partnerships and maintaining relationships with customer
- Developing sales strategies for the company
- Finding new business and strategic growth opportunities
- Communicating to the customers regarding company products, pricing and offers
- Providing valuable information based on customer feedback to the company for decision-making
- Market research
- Establishing and meeting new customers to generate new leads
- Follow-up existing clients to ensure loyalty and improve customer service
- Follow through on deliveries to ensure timely delivery of products
- Developing new marketing initiatives and review of sales goals periodically
- Supporting customers in establishing and executing sales strategies
- Training distributor salespersons and ensuring they sell range i.e., kienjeji eggs, trays & English eggs
- Ensuring the reps cover all retail shops in assigned areas
- Collection of monies on due dates.
Senior ICT relationship officer, South Sudan
Equity Bank Limited
11.2013 - 09.2016
- In charge of ICT department in South Sudan Subsidiary
- Supervision of 3 ICT support staff and 13 technical field officers
- Core banking system administration
- ERP system administration
- In charge of software and hardware Installation and maintenance in the South Sudan subsidiary
- In charge of Instant Card Printing System software in South Sudan Subsidiary
- Set up and configurations of new computers
- Compliance and compatibility assurance of all bank’s software on all bank platforms in South Sudan subsidiary
- Training of new technical field officers and refresher training on the current ones
- Monitoring and overseeing ATM machines operations and coordinating their repair
- Ensuring compliance with the ICT department is attained as set by the Banks standards
- Technical user support in head office and branches
- Network setup, troubleshooting and support
- Email and Office 365 Administration
- Deployment of the bank's new software and technology initiatives
- Proview administration
- Car tracking system administration for company cars
- CCTV administration for the entire South Sudan subsidiary
- Member of South Sudan Eazzy 24/7 mobile money roll-out team.
ICT support officer; I.T. Services and Maintenance
Equity Bank Limited
03.2011 - 10.2013
- In charge of software maintenance for head office staff
- Hardware maintenance and troubleshooting for equity branches computer systems and other technical platforms
- Set up and configurations of new computers, Laptops, Ipads and mobile Phones systems
- Supervision of interns
- Compatibility and compliance assurance of all banks software on all bank computer system
- Training of new technical field officers and refresher trainings on the current ones
- Monitoring ATMs, Eazzy 24, Mpesa and orange money platforms
- Maintaining service level agreements on warranty repairs between the bank and suppliers
- Ensuring compliance with the department is attained as set by the Banks standards
- Technical user support in the Head office and branches.
Relationship Officer-credit
Equity Bank Limited
- 01.2011
- Managing of agricultural loans portfolio
- Disbursement of loans facilities to customers to ensure loan book growth
- Attended to client inquiries and offering advice
- Follow up on loans facilities advanced to ensure the quality of the loan book
- Credit department Floor management
- Recovery of late payments to reduce portfolio at risk
- Arranging and conducting customer visits to identify clientele needs
- Quality assurance of customer service.
Relationship Officer-Technical Field Officer
Equity Bank Limited
- 01.2011
- Systems maintenance at the branch level
- Set up of new workstations
- Network support at the branch level
- Installation of Point-of-Sale machines and agency acquiring devices
- ATM machines repairs, troubleshooting and servicing
- General user support at the branch.
Relationship officer – Cash
Equity Bank Limited
01.2008 - 01.2009
- Corporate Cashiering i.e., serving bulk cash clients
- Advise the customer on the best way of transacting in future, explaining the alternative business Channels available
- Inform the customer of the available services and products offered by the bank
- Preparing bank statements for customers and advising them accordingly
- Enhancing relationship between the customers and the bank.
Education
Bachelor of Commerce - Accounting
Kenyatta University
Nairobi KenyaKenya Certificate of Secondary Education -
Chogoria Boys High School
Kenya 04.2001 -
Skills
Risk assessment and credit management
Accounting and analytical skills
Sales Forecasting
Brand Promotion
Team Collaboration and Leadership
Customer Relationship Management
Territory Management
Attributes
- Self-motivated
- Team Player
- Able to work under pressure with minimum supervision
- Attentive to detail
- Creative and innovative
- Honest, humble and flexible
- God fearing
- Fast learner
Trainings attended
- Territory distributor outlet management (TDOM) training (2021)
- Design for channels: Unilever inhouse training (2021)
- Net revenue management: Unilever inhouse training (2022)
- Ecommerce accelerator; Unilever Inhouse training (2022)
- Digital commerce acceleration: Unilever inhouse training (2022)
- Leadership Training Organization: Equity In-house Training (2009).
- Credit and other advances training; Organization: Equity In-house Training (2009).
- Disaster Management; Organization: Equity In-house Training
- Cash Management Organization: Equity In-house Training (2009).
- Budgeting and Cost management Organization: Equity In-house Training (2009).
- Technical field officer training; Organization; Equity In-House Training (2010).
- Evolis card printing system; Organization: Electronic card systems (ECS) Nairobi (2013)
Personal Information
- Date of Birth: 12/08/1985
- Gender: Male
References
- Meshack Nyachwaya, Director, Mesora Distributors Ltd., +254724373662, mnyachwaya@mesoragroup.co.ke
- Edward Magiri, Country commercial manager - Confectionery, Kenafric Ltd., +254722893939, emagiri@kenafricind.com
- Erastus Gitonga, Director, Agri-Poultry products LTD, +254721849679, agripoultryproducts@gmail.com
- Paul Gitahi, Former Managing Director, Equity South Sudan Ltd, +254722814220, pwgitahi2@gmail.com
- Pst. Steve Thuo, Senior pastor, Trinity Chapel Ruiru, +254727641701, stevethuo@nairobichapel.org
Timeline
Territory Manager
Unilever Kenya Ltd
10.2023 - Current
Customer Development Executive
Unilever Kenya LTD
11.2021 - 09.2023
Business Development Executive – Nairobi region
Pwani Oils Products LTD
11.2020 - 10.2021
Account Executive – Kanini Haraka Ent. LTD
Pwani Oils Products LTD
01.2020 - 10.2020
Sales Relationship Executive
Agri-poultry products LTD
09.2016 - 12.2019
Senior ICT relationship officer, South Sudan
Equity Bank Limited
11.2013 - 09.2016
ICT support officer; I.T. Services and Maintenance
Equity Bank Limited
03.2011 - 10.2013
Relationship officer – Cash
Equity Bank Limited
01.2008 - 01.2009
Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education -
Chogoria Boys High School
04.2001 -
Relationship Officer-credit
Equity Bank Limited
- 01.2011
Relationship Officer-Technical Field Officer
Equity Bank Limited
- 01.2011
Bachelor of Commerce - Accounting
Kenyatta University
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