Senior Director, Commercial SSA at CHEP

Job Description

• CHEP is seeking a commercially astute Senior Director, Commercial to lead growth, shape strategy, and drive performance across Sub-Saharan Africa. This role is suited to a leader with true end-to-end accountability, operating beyond functional boundaries and influencing across markets, customers, and cross-functional teams in a complex, multi-country environment, with responsibility for defining and executing the regional commercial agenda, strengthening customer partnerships, and unlocking sustainable growth while ensuring consistent delivery. Your leadership will directly shape business outcomes and how CHEP delivers long-term value, within a purpose-driven organisation advancing more efficient, resilient, and sustainable supply chains.

Key Responsibilities May Include:

• Develop, implement and manage the commercial strategy to achieve sustainable growth, profitability and market competitiveness, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives and long-term plans.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, leading negotiations, renewals and tenders, and delivering innovative solutions that enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Foster collaboration across internal teams including sales, marketing, supply chain, finance and transformation to ensure effective execution of commercial initiatives.
• Oversee the sales pipeline and account management processes, using CRM tools to maximise conversion, retention and effectiveness, while ensuring efficient resource allocation.
• Conduct market and competitor analysis, generate actionable insights and contribute to business transformation and digitalisation initiatives to inform strategic decision-making and drive business expansion.
• Promote a customer-focused culture at all levels, driving measurable improvements in customer service, satisfaction and value creation through innovation in service design and process improvement.
• Ensure adherence to asset management protocols, pricing architecture and budgetary controls, achieving high asset productivity, minimal equipment loss and financial targets.
• Lead, develop and coach a geographically dispersed commercial team, establishing priorities, monitoring performance and fostering a high-performance culture that supports employee engagement, development and wellbeing.

Minimum Requirements

• Proven experience as a business leader with end-to-end business accountability
• 3–5+ years at Executive/ExCo level Leadership
• Demonstrated cross-functional leadership influence across commercial, operations and finance
• Strong South African market knowledge and established customer networks
• Experience managing large, complex P&Ls
• Track record in commercial delivery, contract negotiation, and customer retention
• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA advantageous

Technical Capabilities

• Strong financial and commercial acumen (pricing, margins, portfolio management)
• Experience in service-based commercial models
• Ability to leverage data and insights for decision-making
• Familiarity with CRM/digital tools (e.g., Salesforce) advantageous
• Experience navigating complex, multi-market commercial environments

Leadership Capabilities

• Highly influential across diverse stakeholders
• Exceptional relationship-building capability (internal and external)
• Strong resilience in demanding commercial environments
• Strategic thinker with a strong commercial mindset
• Ability to drive transformation while maintaining performance stability
• High energy, ownership, and accountability mindset
• Confident communicator with strong external brand representation