General Manager - Central Cluster job at HACO Industries

HACO Industries is one of the region’s leading FMCG manufacturers, supplying a wide range of products to the entire East African and COMESA Markets.  As an established Pan African player in the manufacturing sector, we take pride in our Kenyan origins. This has enabled us better understand the African market and therefore develop, manufacture, and distribute quality personal and home care brands that include MIADI, AMARA, SO-SOFT, SPARKLE, ACE, Haco pegs and rulers.  We are also the only licensed distributor of Palmer’s in Kenya. 

Our desire is to be able to add value to the everyday life of our customer across Africa.

We are looking to fill in the following position:

GENERAL MANAGER – CENTRAL CLUSTER

Reporting to the Managing Director, this is a senior management role and part of HACO’s executive leadership team. This is a high-impact, senior leadership role for a transformative business executive ready to shape the future of HACO’s operations in the cluster. The position will be based in Uganda.

We are seeking a highly performing, commercially aggressive General Manager to lead our multi-country cluster. We are looking for a proven business builder with deep market knowledge, strong leadership, and the ability to deliver exponential growth in complex environments.

Key Deliverables

• Own and drive full P&L accountability for the cluster, delivering sustained top-line growth and bottom-line profitability.
• Develop and execute market-specific strategies to unlock growth across general trade, key accounts, and modern trade channels.
• Lead Route-to-Market (RTM) transformation, optimizing distributor networks, field execution, and last-mile delivery.
• Leverage data and analytics to drive commercial decisions, track performance, and identify new growth levers.
• Build and lead high-performing, cross-cultural teams across diverse regulatory and operational environments.
• Ensure full compliance with local laws, company policies, and HACO’s ESG standards and commitments.
• Represent HACO externally with strategic partners, government bodies, and key stakeholders to advance the company’s interests and reputation.

Essential Qualities

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• 10–15 years of progressive experience in the FMCG sector, including at least 5 years in a senior commercial, general management, or cluster leadership role.
• Proven track record of driving growth in Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, and Burundi; experience across these markets is highly desirable.
• Deep expertise in Route-to-Market strategy, general trade, and key account management.
• Strong command of data analytics, commercial planning, and performance management.
• Exceptional leadership, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Fluency in English required; French or Swahili is a strong advantage.

• Own and drive full P&L accountability for the cluster, delivering sustained top-line growth and bottom-line profitability.
• Develop and execute market-specific strategies to unlock growth across general trade, key accounts, and modern trade channels.
• Lead Route-to-Market (RTM) transformation, optimizing distributor networks, field execution, and last-mile delivery.
• Leverage data and analytics to drive commercial decisions, track performance, and identify new growth levers.
• Build and lead high-performing, cross-cultural teams across diverse regulatory and operational environments.
• Ensure full compliance with local laws, company policies, and HACO’s ESG standards and commitments.
• Represent HACO externally with strategic partners, government bodies, and key stakeholders to advance the company’s interests and reputation.

• Strong command of data analytics, commercial planning, and performance management.
• Exceptional leadership, negotiation, and stakeholder engagement skills.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• 10–15 years of progressive experience in the FMCG sector, including at least 5 years in a senior commercial, general management, or cluster leadership role.
• Proven track record of driving growth in Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, and Burundi; experience across these markets is highly desirable.
• Deep expertise in Route-to-Market strategy, general trade, and key account management.
• Fluency in English required; French or Swahili is a strong advantage.