Head of Direct-to-Consumer (D2C)

A rapidly growing consumer products company operating across multiple African markets, with an ambitious growth agenda and a portfolio of innovative products.

Why This Role Exists

D2C is central to the company's growth and how it builds direct customer relationships across its website, WhatsApp and owned hubs. The Head of D2C will own the D2C P&L and turn these channels into a predictable, profitable growth engine across the business's core markets. This role will lead the full growth system from acquisition and conversion to retention and customer experience, while protecting contribution margin, brand quality and customer trust.

Core Responsibilities

1. Own D2C Strategy, Revenue and P&L

• Set and deliver the multi-market D2C strategy across websites, WhatsApp and owned hubs.
• Own revenue, contribution margin and spend, balancing profitable growth with customer experience.
• Lead sales plans, forecasts, pricing, promotions and performance recovery.

2. Drive Acquisition and Conversion

• Own acquisition performance across paid channels, ensuring CAC and ROAS support profitable growth.
• Lead structured testing across audiences, creatives, offers, landing pages and checkout.
• Improve conversion, AOV and revenue per session using reliable performance data.

3. Grow Retention and Customer Value

• Own CRM, loyalty and lifecycle journeys across email, WhatsApp and post-purchase.
• Increase repeat purchase, frequency and customer lifetime value through personalisation.
• Use customer data to strengthen segmentation, campaigns, launches and reactivation.

4. Create One D2C Customer Experience

• Connect the customer journey across website, WhatsApp and the company's owned hubs.
• Own customer acquisition, data capture and loyalty journeys across hubs and pop-ups, driving conversion, repeat purchase and customer lifetime value.
• Partner across teams to improve service standards and ensure launches are commercially ready.

5. Lead the Team and Operating System

• Lead and develop the paid media, CRM, product growth, CX and hub teams.
• Run a rigorous weekly review with clear analysis, decisions and accountable actions.
• Build the dashboards, processes and cross-functional rhythms required to scale D2C.

What Success Looks Like

• D2C revenue and contribution margin grow in line with plan across multiple African markets.
• CAC, ROAS and payback are actively managed, with spend shifted quickly based on evidence.
• Conversion rate, AOV, repeat rate and customer lifetime value improve through a consistent test-and-learn programme.
• Website, WhatsApp and hubs operate as one connected customer ecosystem with clear service and commercial standards.
• The team runs with strong ownership, reliable reporting and materially less senior-level hand-holding.

Who This Role Is For

• Have 8+ years of progressive experience in D2C, e-commerce or digital growth, including meaningful commercial and P&L ownership in a scaling consumer business.
• Have built and led multi-disciplinary teams across performance marketing, CRM/retention, e-commerce product or CRO, and customer experience.
• Are deeply fluent in funnel economics and can move confidently from revenue and margin to CAC, ROAS, conversion, AOV, repeat rate, cohorts and LTV.
• Have strong hands-on understanding of Shopify, customer data and analytics, CRM/automation platforms, paid media platforms and digital experimentation.
• Combine strategic thinking with operating intensity, able to set direction, diagnose performance and drive high-quality execution week after week.
• Have strong commercial judgement and can balance short-term trading decisions with brand equity, customer trust and long-term profitable growth.
• Thrive in a fast-moving, multi-market environment and lead with clarity, curiosity, accountability and a strong bias for action.