Afrikomart is a subsidiary Company of Mount Meru Group which seeks to recruit four Market Development Executives which will be based in Lusaka.

Reporting to: Business Development Executive

Location: Lusaka, Zambia

Role Summary

The Market Development Executive (MDE) is Afrikomart's direct link to the ground. This is the most critical commercial role in building Afrikomart's buyer network across Lusaka's compounds, markets, and commercial areas. MDEs are the face of Afrikomart in the community.

Each MDE owns a defined geographic territory and is personally responsible for identifying, onboarding, and retaining the retailers, shop owners, distributors, and commercial buyers within it. Success in this role is measured in active, ordering buyers — not registrations.

This is a field-first role. Approximately 80% of working time is spent outside the office — in markets, compounds, shops, and business premises across the territory. The remaining 20% is reporting, follow-up, and coordination with the operations team.

Key Responsibilities

Buyer Acquisition

• Prospect: Identify all retail shops, market stalls, tuckshops, general dealers, hardware shops, and small distributors within your assigned territory.
• Engage: Make first contact with shop owners and business operators. Introduce Afrikomart, explain the value proposition (better prices, no travel, direct delivery).
• Demonstrate: Sit with the prospect and walk them through placing their first order on the Afrikomart app or via WhatsApp. Never leave a first demo without completing it.
• Convert: Ensure the first order is placed and confirmed before you leave the premises. Handover to Operations Executive for delivery coordination.
• Follow up: Visit every new buyer again within 5 days of their first delivery to confirm satisfaction and encourage the second order.

Buyer Activation and Retention

• First delivery presence: Be physically present at the first delivery for your top-priority new buyers. This single action has the highest impact on retention.
• Habit building: Follow up consistently until each buyer has placed at least 3 orders. A buyer with 3 orders has formed a habit. A buyer with 1 order has not.
• Reactivation: Identify buyers who have registered but not ordered, or who ordered once and stopped. Contact them personally to understand why and resolve any barriers.
• Community building: Facilitate buyer-to-buyer referrals within your territory. Incentivize satisfied buyers to introduce Afrikomart to neighbouring shops.

Market Intelligence

• Competitor monitoring: Report any competing platform, distributor, or wholesaler offering prices or terms that affect Afrikomart's competitiveness in your territory.
• Product gaps: Log every instance where a buyer asks for a product that Afrikomart does not carry. These zero-result requests are shared weekly with the commercial team as supplier acquisition leads.
• Pricing feedback: Flag immediately if Afrikomart prices are consistently higher than local wholesalers for any product category.
• Community intelligence: Report on trade association events, market days, and community gatherings that Afrikomart should attend or sponsor.

Reporting and Administration

• Daily log: Submit a daily WhatsApp report to the Retailer Onboarding Executive by 5:30pm. Format: prospects visited, orders placed, issues encountered, follow-ups needed.
• Weekly summary: Complete the weekly territory report every Friday. Covers active buyer count, GMV contribution, top 5 buyers, and pipeline status.
• Visit logging: Log every business visit in the Afrikomart CRM (training provided). Minimum data: business name, owner name, product category, outcome, next action date.
• Expense claims: Submit fuel and transport allowance claims weekly with receipts. Unauthorised expenses will not be reimbursed.

Requirements

Essential Requirements

• Grade 12 school certificate with 5 credits including English and Mathematics.
• Minimum 2 years experience in any field sales, market trading, community mobilisation, or customer-facing role
• Lives in Lusaka- Matero, Kanyama, Bauleni, Mtendere, Chawama and Chipata Compound or is very familiar with the assigned territory — knows the compounds, the market culture, and the people
• Owns or has consistent daily access to a smartphone (Android or iPhone)
• Comfortable with WhatsApp Business — uses it daily
• Strong communicator in English plus at least one local language (Nyanja or Bemba strongly preferred)
• Self-motivated — able to manage own time and activity without daily supervision
• Honest and accountable — willing to report accurately even when results are below target

Strongly Preferred

• Prior experience selling FMCG products, household goods, or any physical product directly to shop owners or traders
• Existing relationships with shop owners, market traders, or compound community leaders in the assigned territory
• Has used a mobile money payment platform (Airtel Money or MTN Mobile Money) regularly
• Prior experience with any digital ordering or B2B platform — even as a user
• Preferably with a bicycle.
• Experience at a distributorship, FMCG company, or telecoms company in a field role

• Prospect: Identify all retail shops, market stalls, tuckshops, general dealers, hardware shops, and small distributors within your assigned territory.
• Engage: Make first contact with shop owners and business operators. Introduce Afrikomart, explain the value proposition (better prices, no travel, direct delivery).
• Demonstrate: Sit with the prospect and walk them through placing their first order on the Afrikomart app or via WhatsApp. Never leave a first demo without completing it.
• Convert: Ensure the first order is placed and confirmed before you leave the premises. Handover to Operations Executive for delivery coordination.
• Follow up: Visit every new buyer again within 5 days of their first delivery to confirm satisfaction and encourage the second order.
• First delivery presence: Be physically present at the first delivery for your top-priority new buyers. This single action has the highest impact on retention.
• Habit building: Follow up consistently until each buyer has placed at least 3 orders. A buyer with 3 orders has formed a habit. A buyer with 1 order has not.
• Reactivation: Identify buyers who have registered but not ordered, or who ordered once and stopped. Contact them personally to understand why and resolve any barriers.
• Community building: Facilitate buyer-to-buyer referrals within your territory. Incentivize satisfied buyers to introduce Afrikomart to neighbouring shops.
• Competitor monitoring: Report any competing platform, distributor, or wholesaler offering prices or terms that affect Afrikomart's competitiveness in your territory.
• Product gaps: Log every instance where a buyer asks for a product that Afrikomart does not carry. These zero-result requests are shared weekly with the commercial team as supplier acquisition leads.
• Pricing feedback: Flag immediately if Afrikomart prices are consistently higher than local wholesalers for any product category.
• Community intelligence: Report on trade association events, market days, and community gatherings that Afrikomart should attend or sponsor.
• Daily log: Submit a daily WhatsApp report to the Retailer Onboarding Executive by 5:30pm. Format: prospects visited, orders placed, issues encountered, follow-ups needed.
• Weekly summary: Complete the weekly territory report every Friday. Covers active buyer count, GMV contribution, top 5 buyers, and pipeline status.
• Visit logging: Log every business visit in the Afrikomart CRM (training provided). Minimum data: business name, owner name, product category, outcome, next action date.
• Expense claims: Submit fuel and transport allowance claims weekly with receipts. Unauthorised expenses will not be reimbursed.

• Strong communication skills
• Ability to manage own time and activity without daily supervision
• Honesty and accountability
• Familiarity with WhatsApp Business
• Local language proficiency (Nyanja or Bemba strongly preferred)
• Field sales experience
• Market trading experience
• Community mobilization experience
• Customer-facing role experience
• Experience selling FMCG products, household goods, or physical products directly to shop owners or traders
• Existing relationships with shop owners, market traders, or compound community leaders
• Experience with mobile money payment platforms
• Experience with digital ordering or B2B platforms

• Grade 12 school certificate with 5 credits including English and Mathematics
• Minimum 2 years experience in any field sales, market trading, community mobilisation, or customer-facing role
• Lives in Lusaka- Matero, Kanyama, Bauleni, Mtendere, Chawama and Chipata Compound or is very familiar with the assigned territory
• Owns or has consistent daily access to a smartphone (Android or iPhone)
• Comfortable with WhatsApp Business
• Strong communicator in English plus at least one local language (Nyanja or Bemba strongly preferred)
• Self-motivated
• Honest and accountable