Associate Business Development Manager

OverviewWe are looking for a highly analytical and commercially minded Business Development Associate to support the growth of Kendo’s business across Africa, the Indian Ocean, and new expansion markets operating through distribution models.This role combines commercial strategy, financial analysis, distributor management, and cross-functional project coordination. The successful candidate will play a key role in driving business performance, supporting market expansion, and ensuring operational excellence across multiple international markets. This position is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys working with data to drive decisions, and is eager to build broad commercial exposure within a global beauty organization.Key ResponsibilitiesCommercial Performance & Business AnalysisAnalyze sell-in, sell-out, inventory, and market performance across all distributors, working closely with the Supply Chain team to maximize fulfillment.Prepare weekly, monthly, and quarterly business reviews.Build financial analyses, ROI evaluations, and business cases to support decision-making.Monitor KPIs and proactively identify opportunities and risks.Support annual budgeting and target tracking.Distributor ManagementAct as a day-to-day business partner for assigned distributors.Coordinate weekly and monthly follow-up meetings.Track commercial action plans and ensure timely execution.Support distributors in achieving commercial objectives.Maintain strong relationships through regular communication and performance reviews.Market ExpansionSupport the launch of new markets by coordinating:Distributor & retailer onboarding.Customer account creation.Product assortment definition.Pricing implementation (retail & wholesale, ensuring market competitiveness and profitability).New product launch forecasting.Marketing & TradeBuild yearly Joint Business Plans (JBPs), maximizing Kendo launches, local key trading moments, and new product introductions.Track and monitor marketing expenses.Raise Purchase Orders (POs) on Medius.Analyze promotional performance (GWPs, discounts, consumer incentives).Analyze 360-degree marketing plans and ensure ROI on activations.Coordinate with the Visual Merchandising (VM) team on VM updates in alignment with the region’s assortment (newness, discontinuations).Qualifications & SkillsExperience3 to 5 years of experience in Business Development, Commercial Planning, Sales, or Category Management.Experience within Beauty or Luxury Consumer Goods preferred.Distributor business experience is a plus.Skills & CompetenciesStrong commercial acumen.Excellent analytical and financial capabilities with the ability to translate data into actionable business recommendations.Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills.Excellent organizational and project management skills.Strong communication and stakeholder management abilities.Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.Highly adaptable and comfortable working in a dynamic environment.