Job description
Safilo is a global leader in the eyewear market, designing, manufacturing, and distributing premium sunglasses, optical frames, and sports eyewear. Our world-class portfolio spans iconic proprietary brands like Carrera and Polaroid, alongside high-fashion licensed names including BOSS, Hugo, Carolina Herrera, Tommy Hilfiger, and Marc Jacobs. In Sub-Saharan Africa, we are accelerating our growth trajectory, driven by a commitment to commercial excellence, market innovation, and robust partnership frameworks.
We are seeking a high-calibre, commercially astute Export Sales Coordinator to join our International Sales team in Johannesburg. This is not a passive coordination role; it is a high-impact, business-development-focused mandate. The primary objective is aggressive, sustainable market share growth across Sub-Saharan Africa. Reporting directly to leadership, you will own the commercial relationship with our distributor networks, driving basic sales targets as your primary metric while masterfully executing the complex operational mechanics required to win in diverse African markets. You must possess a dynamic, nuanced understanding of the Sub-Saharan macroeconomic landscape and the strategic agility to turn market insights into revenue.
Strategic Responsibilities: Market Development & Commercial Execution
Primary Objective: Commercial Growth & Penetration
Business-Level Strategy & Penetration: Design and execute localized business-level strategies to aggressively expand Safilo’s footprint, driving market penetration and capturing market share across key Sub-Saharan territories.
Revenue Generation: Own the regional sales pipeline, consistently meeting and exceeding volume and value targets through proactive distributor management and commercial negotiations.
Strategic Market Development: Identify, evaluate, and activate new commercial opportunities, retail landscapes, and distributor networks in untapped or underperforming regions.
Secondary Objective: Operational Excellence & Value Chain Management
Distributor Performance & Alignment: Act as the primary strategic anchor for the distributor network, translating corporate brand strategies into high-performing local commercial execution.
Demand Planning & Forecasting: Oversee collaborative forecasting, inventory alignment, and order pipelines to maximize product availability while optimizing supply chain efficiencies.
Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner seamlessly with internal Global Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, and Customer Service teams to eliminate friction and streamline cross-border trade operations.
Market Intelligence & Compliance: Synthesize competitive intelligence, macroeconomic shifts, and regulatory frameworks to future-proof our regional approach while ensuring strict commercial and brand compliance.
Other Information
The Profile of Success
Educational Background: A Bachelor’s degree or higher in International Trade, Business Management, Economics, or a related commercial field.
Proven Track Record: Extensive, demonstrable experience in export sales, distributor management, or international business development within Sub-Saharan Africa. Experience in premium consumer goods, retail, or fashion-forward sectors is highly advantageous.
Strategic & Commercial Acumen: A deep understanding of macroeconomics, tariff environments, and route-to-market strategies specific to African cross-border trade.
Linguistic & Cultural Fluidity: Complete fluency in English; proficiency in French, Portuguese, or key regional African languages will be distinct advantages.
Leadership Capabilities: Exceptional negotiation skills, high emotional intelligence, and the executive presence required to manage senior external stakeholders and internal cross-functional teams.
Mobility: Willingness to travel extensively within the Sub-Saharan African region to cultivate relationships and audit market execution.
What We Offer
A powerful platform within a global industry leader to directly shape the eyewear landscape in Africa.
Direct ownership of a diverse, globally recognized brand portfolio.
A high-performance, collaborative executive culture that rewards commercial impact, integrity, and strategic excellence.
Competitive executive remuneration and performance-driven incentives.
If you see yourself in this role, send us your application and become part of our team!
Job Reference: BPO01252
