Regional Commercial Manager (East Africa) job at RwandAir Limited

Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

RwandAir Ltd is the flag carrier airline of Rwanda. It operates domestic and international services to East Africa, Central Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East from its main base at Kigali International Airport. Our mission is to provide unsurpassed, safe, and reliable services in air transportation, including strategically linking Rwanda with the outside world while ensuring a fair return on investment. As part of the expansion strategy, we are looking for interested, qualified, and competent candidates to fill the following position:

Job Purpose

To provide strategic commercial leadership and operational oversight across multiple assigned markets within the region, ensuring achievement of revenue, profitability, market share, and customer experience objectives in alignment with RwandAir’s commercial strategy.

The Regional Manager is responsible for driving regional commercial performance through effective leadership of Commercial Managers and station teams, strengthening trade and distribution partnerships, optimizing market performance, and ensuring consistent execution of the airline’s commercial priorities across the region. In addition to regional oversight responsibilities, the Regional Manager also serves as the lead Commercial Manager for the market in which they are based, with direct accountability for local market performance, stakeholder engagement, and commercial execution within the base territory.

The role serves as the critical link between head office strategy and in-market execution while providing governance, leadership, and performance direction across the regional commercial network.

Responsibilities or duties

a. Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Duties

• Develop and execute the regional commercial strategy aligned with RwandAir’s global sales, revenue, and network objectives.
• Analyze regional performance trends, customer demand patterns, competitor activity, and economic developments to recommend strategic commercial interventions.
• Identify growth opportunities across the region including corporate penetration, trade expansion, partnerships, network support opportunities, and market recovery initiatives.
• Provide strategic input into pricing competitiveness, market stimulation initiatives, route sustainability, and commercial resource allocation across the region.
• Serve as the primary commercial representative for RwandAir within the base market, maintaining key relationships with government entities, airport authorities, tourism bodies, corporates, trade partners, and aviation stakeholders.
• Ensure the base market serves as a benchmark for commercial execution, policy compliance, reporting discipline, and operational coordination across the region.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with aviation authorities, airport operators, government institutions, tourism boards, and key commercial stakeholders across the region.
• Represent RwandAir in regional aviation forums, commercial negotiations, trade events, and stakeholder engagements.
• Strengthen the airline’s commercial positioning and brand visibility through strategic partnerships and collaborative initiatives.
• Support successful execution of route launches, frequency changes, market recoveries, and network expansion initiatives within the region.
• Consolidate regional performance reports, forecasts, market intelligence, recovery plans, and strategic recommendations for executive leadership.
• Lead regional commercial reviews, performance forums, and strategic planning sessions with country leadership teams.
• Ensure timely escalation of commercial risks, operational concerns, regulatory issues, or market threats affecting regional performance.

Operational

• Drive achievement of regional revenue, yield, load factor, market share, and profitability targets across all assigned markets.
• Monitor route and POS performance across the region and drive recovery actions for underperforming markets.
• Directly oversee and manage the commercial performance of the base market where the Regional Manager is stationed.
• Lead local market sales initiatives, corporate engagement, trade development, and promotional activities within the base country while simultaneously overseeing wider regional performance.
• Support and guide Commercial Managers across the region through coaching, performance monitoring, and implementation of corrective action plans where required.
• Drive accountability and performance discipline across all stations through structured business reviews, target tracking, and recovery planning.
• Oversee regional trade, corporate, and distribution strategies to maximize revenue generation and market penetration.
• Ensure effective management and performance oversight of GSAs, PSAs, travel agencies, OTAs, and corporate accounts across the region.
• Monitor distribution channel performance including agency productivity, direct sales penetration, digital channel contribution, and NDC adoption.
• Ensure effective implementation of pricing, incentive, commission, and trade engagement strategies within the region.
• Support implementation of tactical promotions, sales campaigns, and regional activation programs aligned with commercial objectives.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen direct sales, digital sales, and corporate penetration across assigned markets.
• Support resolution of high-level trade disputes, agency escalations, operational challenges, and regulatory matters impacting regional performance.
• Coordinate closely with Revenue Management, Network Planning, Finance, Cargo, Customer Experience, Marketing, Airport Operations, and other departments to ensure commercial alignment.
• Lead commercial recovery efforts during irregular operations, schedule disruptions, geopolitical events, or operational crises affecting the region.
• Ensure adherence to commercial governance standards, SOPs, audit requirements, financial controls, and company policies across all stations.
• Monitor customer experience trends and support implementation of corrective actions aimed at improving customer retention and service delivery.
• Lead, coach, and develop Commercial Managers and regional commercial teams to ensure high performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Foster a performance-oriented culture focused on commercial excellence, customer focus, innovation, and execution discipline.
• Monitor regional commercial budgets and ensure efficient utilization of company resources.

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

c. About You – Minimum Standard Qualifications;

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Commerce, Marketing, Aviation Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 7-10 years of experience in a commercial, sales, or marketing role within the airline or aviation industry.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in a senior managerial or regional leadership position.
• Proven track record in delivering regional revenue targets, market growth, and commercial performance across multiple markets.
• Experience in managing and overseeing Country or Station Managers and distributed commercial teams.
• Demonstrated experience in managing distribution channels including GSAs, PSAs, OTAs, GDS, and corporate accounts.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement with government entities, airport authorities, tourism boards, and aviation bodies.
• Experience in budget management, commercial performance reporting, and strategic planning.

d. About You – Other Desired Competencies & Skills;

Essential

• Deep knowledge of airline commercial operations, regional sales strategies, and aviation distribution landscape.
• Strong ability to develop and execute regional commercial strategies aligned to corporate objectives.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills with ability to lead, coach, and develop commercial teams across multiple markets.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret route performance data, market intelligence, and revenue metrics.
• Proficiency in GDS systems (Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo) and airline reservation and reporting systems.
• Strong negotiation and relationship management skills with government, trade, corporate, and aviation stakeholders.
• Ability to lead commercial recovery actions and make sound decisions during operational disruptions or crises.
• Financial acumen with ability to manage regional budgets and interpret commercial and financial reports.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and executive reporting skills.
• Knowledge of IATA regulations, airline commercial frameworks, and aviation governance standards.

Experience needed

Minimum 7-10 years of experience in a commercial, sales, or marketing role within the airline or aviation industry. Minimum 3 years of experience in a senior managerial or regional leadership position.

• Develop and execute the regional commercial strategy aligned with RwandAir’s global sales, revenue, and network objectives.
• Analyze regional performance trends, customer demand patterns, competitor activity, and economic developments to recommend strategic commercial interventions.
• Identify growth opportunities across the region including corporate penetration, trade expansion, partnerships, network support opportunities, and market recovery initiatives.
• Provide strategic input into pricing competitiveness, market stimulation initiatives, route sustainability, and commercial resource allocation across the region.
• Serve as the primary commercial representative for RwandAir within the base market, maintaining key relationships with government entities, airport authorities, tourism bodies, corporates, trade partners, and aviation stakeholders.
• Ensure the base market serves as a benchmark for commercial execution, policy compliance, reporting discipline, and operational coordination across the region.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with aviation authorities, airport operators, government institutions, tourism boards, and key commercial stakeholders across the region.
• Represent RwandAir in regional aviation forums, commercial negotiations, trade events, and stakeholder engagements.
• Strengthen the airline’s commercial positioning and brand visibility through strategic partnerships and collaborative initiatives.
• Support successful execution of route launches, frequency changes, market recoveries, and network expansion initiatives within the region.
• Consolidate regional performance reports, forecasts, market intelligence, recovery plans, and strategic recommendations for executive leadership.
• Lead regional commercial reviews, performance forums, and strategic planning sessions with country leadership teams.
• Ensure timely escalation of commercial risks, operational concerns, regulatory issues, or market threats affecting regional performance.
• Drive achievement of regional revenue, yield, load factor, market share, and profitability targets across all assigned markets.
• Monitor route and POS performance across the region and drive recovery actions for underperforming markets.
• Directly oversee and manage the commercial performance of the base market where the Regional Manager is stationed.
• Lead local market sales initiatives, corporate engagement, trade development, and promotional activities within the base country while simultaneously overseeing wider regional performance.
• Support and guide Commercial Managers across the region through coaching, performance monitoring, and implementation of corrective action plans where required.
• Drive accountability and performance discipline across all stations through structured business reviews, target tracking, and recovery planning.
• Oversee regional trade, corporate, and distribution strategies to maximize revenue generation and market penetration.
• Ensure effective management and performance oversight of GSAs, PSAs, travel agencies, OTAs, and corporate accounts across the region.
• Monitor distribution channel performance including agency productivity, direct sales penetration, digital channel contribution, and NDC adoption.
• Ensure effective implementation of pricing, incentive, commission, and trade engagement strategies within the region.
• Support implementation of tactical promotions, sales campaigns, and regional activation programs aligned with commercial objectives.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen direct sales, digital sales, and corporate penetration across assigned markets.
• Support resolution of high-level trade disputes, agency escalations, operational challenges, and regulatory matters impacting regional performance.
• Coordinate closely with Revenue Management, Network Planning, Finance, Cargo, Customer Experience, Marketing, Airport Operations, and other departments to ensure commercial alignment.
• Lead commercial recovery efforts during irregular operations, schedule disruptions, geopolitical events, or operational crises affecting the region.
• Ensure adherence to commercial governance standards, SOPs, audit requirements, financial controls, and company policies across all stations.
• Monitor customer experience trends and support implementation of corrective actions aimed at improving customer retention and service delivery.
• Lead, coach, and develop Commercial Managers and regional commercial teams to ensure high performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Foster a performance-oriented culture focused on commercial excellence, customer focus, innovation, and execution discipline.
• Monitor regional commercial budgets and ensure efficient utilization of company resources.

• Deep knowledge of airline commercial operations, regional sales strategies, and aviation distribution landscape.
• Strong ability to develop and execute regional commercial strategies aligned to corporate objectives.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills with ability to lead, coach, and develop commercial teams across multiple markets.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to interpret route performance data, market intelligence, and revenue metrics.
• Proficiency in GDS systems (Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo) and airline reservation and reporting systems.
• Strong negotiation and relationship management skills with government, trade, corporate, and aviation stakeholders.
• Ability to lead commercial recovery actions and make sound decisions during operational disruptions or crises.
• Financial acumen with ability to manage regional budgets and interpret commercial and financial reports.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and executive reporting skills.
• Knowledge of IATA regulations, airline commercial frameworks, and aviation governance standards.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Commerce, Marketing, Aviation Management, or a related field.
• Minimum 7-10 years of experience in a commercial, sales, or marketing role within the airline or aviation industry.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in a senior managerial or regional leadership position.
• Proven track record in delivering regional revenue targets, market growth, and commercial performance across multiple markets.
• Experience in managing and overseeing Country or Station Managers and distributed commercial teams.
• Demonstrated experience in managing distribution channels including GSAs, PSAs, OTAs, GDS, and corporate accounts.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement with government entities, airport authorities, tourism boards, and aviation bodies.
• Experience in budget management, commercial performance reporting, and strategic planning.