Title:  Commercial Specialist

We Go Places! How about you?
Immediate Superior: Innovation Hub Comms & Project Pipeline Lead
Location: Stellenbosch, Cape Town
Function: Regional Innovation Hub
Type of Contract: Permanent
Reference Number: ​​​​​​​109234
Closing Date: 30/04/2024

Purpose: 

To effectively deliver commercial and financial excellence for all AME Hub projects and early-stage idea developments. To develop and communicate commercial insights that support the AME Hub pipeline.

Key Responsibilities:

Commercial and business analysis:

• Conduct in-depth commercial and industry analysis on new and existing categories  
  • Source, collate and connect relevant data points from various cross functional teams to develop and maintain commercial value chains as a key input to innovation growth platforms in collaboration with growth platform leads.
  • Build robust excel value chains with quick adjustment and easy comparison functionality to enable Growth platform leads to choose the best commercial outcomes for project initiatives
• Provide data and insights for decision making on existing and new potential innovation projects.
• Monitor and analyse financial performance of on-going initiatives, identifying areas for optimization and improvement.
• Support the creation of comprehensive and data-driven financial models for which are dynamic to simulate various business cases scenarios and key investment metrics.
• Validate external data accuracy and commercial assumptions.

Creative reasoning

• Our innovation mandate has a strong focus on beyond traditional core innovation projects.
• Besides commercial acumen this role requires the candidate to apply lateral thinking and hypothesis-led business case design logic to support innovation projects.

Cross-functional collaboration

• Collaborate with local, regional, and global teams, including R&D, marketing, supply chain, finance and external experts to ensure value chain optimization and drive effective business decisions.
   

Continuous Improvement, spend efficiency, innovation commercial effectiveness

• Stay updated with best practices related to commercial strategy and innovation effectiveness.
• Drive spend effectiveness on innovation projects with Project Leads/ owners.
• Cost and budget management and reporting for the Innovation Hub.
• Continuously seek opportunities for optimization of processes, commercial practices, and model development within the Innovation Hub and in collaboration with Hub leads.

Education:

A relevant Commercial/ Finance qualification

Experience:

• 5+ years of relevant experience in Finance (or a related function), with cross-functional business knowledge.
• Proven experience in commercial strategy, financial analysis, and business case development.
• Strong analytical and modelling skills, with proficiency in market analysis and value chains.
• Strong communication and networking skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Comfortable with ambiguity and ability to shape key assumptions in the absence of existing data.
• Strong analytical and problem- solving skills with the ability to interpret various types of data.
• Demonstrates business acumen and technical knowledge within area of responsibility.
• Knowledge of innovation processes & portfolio management is beneficial.

The Company’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. As an Equal Opportunities employer, we actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply. Heineken Beverages (South Africa) (Pty) Ltd) is committed to an organisational culture that recognises, appreciates and values inclusion and diversity. You must be fully eligible to live and work in South Africa to apply.