Head of Commercial (Hybrid)

Role Purpose

• The Head of Commercial will own Sooyah Bistro's commercial growth agenda, translating the brand's strategy into sustainable revenue, stronger unit economics, profitable customer acquisition and disciplined expansion.
• The role will lead sales, business development, channel growth, pricing, customer insights and commercial planning across existing and future locations.
• Working closely with Operations, Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain and Product/Kitchen teams, the role will ensure that every growth initiative is commercially sound, operationally executable and consistent with the Sooyah Bistro customer experience.

Ready to Bring the Heat?

• If you can turn bold ideas into measurable growth, build partnerships that create real value and help an ambitious Nigerian food brand scale with discipline, we would love to hear from you.

Key Accountabilities
Commercial Strategy & Financial Performance

• Develop and execute the annual commercial strategy and growth plan, aligned with the company's business objectives and expansion priorities.
• Own revenue planning, sales forecasting and commercial performance across dine-in, takeaway, delivery, catering, events, corporate sales and retail/product channels.
• Partner with Finance and Operations to improve outlet-level profitability, contribution margin, average order value, sales mix and return on commercial investments.
• Lead pricing, promotion and discount governance using customer, competitor, cost and margin insights.

Sales, Channels & Customer Growth:

• Build a structured sales engine for corporate catering, bulk orders, events, institutional accounts and strategic customers.
• Grow revenue from digital ordering, delivery aggregators and direct-to-customer channels while improving channel economics.
• Drive customer acquisition, frequency, retention and loyalty initiatives in partnership with Marketing and Operations.
• Set clear commercial targets by outlet and channel; review performance routinely and lead corrective action where results fall below plan.

Business Development & Strategic Partnerships:

• Build and manage a qualified pipeline of high-value commercial opportunities and strategic partnerships.
• Identify and secure partnerships with corporates, event organisers, retail platforms, property partners, institutions and relevant ecosystem players.
• Lead commercial negotiations, business cases, proposals and contracting, ensuring acceptable margins, service levels and risk exposure.
• Maintain strong senior-level relationships with key accounts and partners, including structured account reviews and renewal plans.

Brand, Menu & Product Commercialisation:

• Translate customer and market insights into commercially viable menu innovations, bundles, seasonal offers and new product lines.
• Partner with Product/Kitchen, Marketing and Operations to assess demand, price architecture, food cost, operational readiness and launch performance.
• Own the commercial go-to-market plan for new concepts, products and channels, including targets, launch calendars and post-launch evaluation.
• Protect brand positioning and ensure commercial activity strengthens rather than dilutes the Sooyah Bistro experience.

Expansion & New Market Development:

• Develop commercially grounded expansion plans for new outlets, cities, formats and routes to market.
• Lead market sizing, competitor analysis, site commercial assessment, sales projections and feasibility modelling with relevant functions.
• Define launch and ramp-up plans for new locations, including pre-opening demand generation, partnership development and revenue targets.
• Track new-site performance against the approved business case and recommend timely interventions.

Commercial Planning, Analytics & Governance:

• Build a single commercial performance dashboard covering revenue, margin, customer, outlet, channel, pipeline and campaign metrics.
• Use data to identify growth opportunities, performance gaps, customer trends and emerging commercial risks.
• Institute a disciplined weekly and monthly commercial review rhythm, with clear owners and actions.
• Prepare concise, decision-oriented performance reports and recommendations for executive management.

Leadership & Cross-Functional Execution

• Lead, coach and hold the commercial team accountable for ambitious, measurable outcomes.
• Clarify decision rights and ways of working across Commercial, Operations, Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain and Product/Kitchen teams.
• Build a performance culture grounded in customer obsession, commercial discipline, pace, collaboration and ownership.
• Represent the company professionally in strategic commercial engagements and industry forums.

Decision Rights

• Recommend pricing, promotions, channel priorities, customer propositions and commercial investment allocation.
• Approve commercial proposals and discounts within delegated authority and escalate exceptions appropriately.
• Recommend entry into new channels, partnerships, locations and markets based on documented commercial cases.
• Set commercial team priorities, targets and performance standards in line with approved company plans.

Performance Scorecard
Performance area - Illustrative measures (Indicative weight):

• Revenue & profitable growth - Revenue vs budget; same-store sales growth; gross/contribution margin; average order value (30%)
• Customer & channel growth - New customers; repeat rate; customer frequency; direct/delivery/catering channel performance (20%)
• Business development - Qualified pipeline; new accounts won; partnership revenue; renewal/retention of key accounts (15%)
• Outlet & expansion performance - Outlet sales productivity; new-site ramp-up; payback/ROI performance against business case (15%)
• Commercial execution - Forecast accuracy; campaign ROI; pricing and discount discipline; quality/timeliness of reporting (10%)
• Leadership & collaboration - Team performance; cross-functional delivery; capability development; agreed action closure (10%)
• Note: Final targets and weights will be set annually based on the approved business plan and baseline performance.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, Finance, Hospitality Management or a related field; a relevant postgraduate degree or professional qualification is an advantage.
• Minimum of 7 years' progressive experience in commercial, business development, sales, growth or multi-unit business leadership, including at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Demonstrated success in a QSR, restaurant, hospitality, FMCG, retail or other high-volume consumer business.
• Strong track record of delivering revenue growth, improving unit economics, developing new channels and converting strategic partnerships.
• Experience supporting new outlet launches, market expansion or new concept/product commercialisation is strongly preferred.
• Practical competence in budgeting, financial modelling, forecasting, pricing, data analysis and commercial contract negotiation.

Core Competencies:

• Commercial acumen - Understands revenue drivers, margins, unit economics and investment trade-offs.
• Strategic execution  Turns growth ambition into clear priorities, owners, timelines and measurable outcomes.
• Customer and market insight - Uses evidence to anticipate customer needs and shape winning propositions.
• Negotiation and influence - Builds trust, protects value and closes sustainable commercial agreements.
• Analytical decision-making - Interprets performance data, tests assumptions and acts quickly on insight.
• Leadership and collaboration - Raises standards while aligning diverse teams around shared commercial goals.
• Ownership and agility - Thrives in a fast-moving growth environment and remains accountable from idea to result.

Role Success Profile:

• Success in this role requires a commercially sharp, hands-on leader who can move comfortably between strategy and execution. The ideal candidate combines the discipline of a scaled consumer business with the entrepreneurial pace required to grow an ambitious Nigerian food brand.

Compensation & Benefits
The Package:

• N700,000 - N1,200,000 / Month (Competitive fixed compensation, aligned with experience and internal equity; performance-linked variable pay tied to the approved commercial scorecard; statutory benefits and other company benefits in line with prevailing policy. Full details will be discussed with shortlisted candidates and confirmed in the employment offer).

Application Closing Date
31st October, 2026.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online

Equal opportunity: Sooyah Bistro is committed to fair and merit-based employment practices. Qualified candidates will be considered without discrimination on any status protected by applicable law.

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