Job Title: Emerging Channels Manager
Function: Commercial Uganda Breweries Limited (UBL)
Reports to: Head of Premium Spirits
About the Function:
At Diageo, our commercial success is powered by how we connect with consumers wherever they are and however they choose to celebrate. The Emerging Channels team sits at the innovative of this ambition, playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of how we sell, deliver, and celebrate our brands.
This role exists to unlock non-traditional routes to market championing Direct-To-End-User (DTEU) platforms, 3rd and 4th Space experiences, and close collaboration with E-commerce to future-proof our route-to-consumer strategy. These channels offer unique cultural, digital, and commercial opportunities, and are essential to delivering the UBL FY 30 Ambition.
Want more jobs like this?
Get Data and Analytics jobs in Kampala, Uganda delivered to your inbox every week.
About the Team:
Uganda Breweries Limited, part of East African Breweries and a subsidiary of Diageo, is the market leader in the Total Beverage Alcohol category. We're proud custodians of iconic global brands like Johnnie Walker, Smirnoff, Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray, Singleton, and Guinness, and local Favorites like Bell Lager and Uganda Waragi.
Through our Fahari agenda, we're crafting new pathways to growth beyond traditional On-Trade and Off-Trade with Emerging channels becoming the next frontier for consumer engagement, brand visibility, and business growth.
Role Purpose:
To develop and execute the Emerging Channels strategy (DTEU, 3rd & 4th Space, and E-commerce collaboration), delivering commercial results while creating compelling, culturally relevant, consumer-first experiences. The role owns the performance, capability, and expansion of these channels ensuring they contribute significantly to the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and Diageo's long-term growth ambition.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Channel Strategy, Planning & Commercial Execution
- Own and evolve the Emerging Channels Strategy (DTEU, 4th Space & 3rd space) with a clear roadmap that supports AOP delivery.
- Define and develop tailored route-to-consumer (RTC) models that reflect evolving consumer behavior, using digital tools, insights, and cultural trends.
- Create and deliver channel-specific Joint Business Plans (JBPs) with partners and stakeholders to unlock growth.
- Set and steward channel KPIs, ensuring flawless execution, performance tracking, and course correction.
- Embed measurement and evaluation tools that link activity to NSV, volume, profit, and ROI.
2. Direct-to-End-User (DTEU) Leadership
- Build the DTEU proposition for Uganda, delivering ‘moments that matter' at consumers' convenience-whether it's gifting, ‘dial-a-party', or concierge experiences.
- Drive commercial partnerships and bundled offerings that elevate brand accessibility and visibility beyond traditional retail.
- Lead execution of Always-On Gifting, DIY party bundles, personalized brand engagement, and logistics partner integration.
- Collaborate with the e-commerce team to ensure back-end readiness, last-mile delivery, consumer data capture, and channel-specific activations.
3. 3rd & 4th Space Activation & Experience Creation
- Design and lead immersive, experiential activations that connect consumers with our brands in unconventional cultural spaces, from private soirees and rooftops to curated lifestyle events.
- Ensure brand experiences meet Diageo's standards of execution, delivering prestige, advocacy, and brand love.
- Work closely with advocacy and brand teams to integrate mixology, serve rituals, and storytelling into every event.
- Develop a quarterly and annual calendar of 3rd & 4th Space activities that amplify product trial, premium storytelling, and portfolio education.
4. Strategic Partnerships & E-Commerce Collaboration
- Build and nurture commercial and operational partnerships that strengthen execution across DTEU, 3rd & 4th Spaces.
- Act as the bridge between Emerging Channels and E-commerce-supporting day-to-day digital activations, platform readiness, and fulfillment models.
- Collaborate with the marketing, commercial ops, and IT teams to ensure seamless omnichannel experiences for consumers.
- Leverage e-commerce data and insights to optimize campaign planning and performance.
5. Capability Building & Team Leadership
- Lead, coach, and inspire a small team of internal and 3rd-party agency resources to execute brilliantly.
- Partner with global and regional teams to roll out best practice models and toolkits from more mature Diageo markets.
- Develop training programs for partner agencies, brand teams, and outlet staff to drive consistency, compliance, and cultural alignment.
What Success Looks Like:
- Emerging Channels contribute +5% of NSV to business performance.
- DTEU, 3rd & 4th Spaces become culturally relevant, commercially viable, and consumer-loved platforms.
- Seamless partnership with E-commerce drives brilliant delivery of marketing and sales activations.
- Quarterly and annual activity calendars are executed with excellence, efficiency, and clear ROI.
- Strategic partnerships drive reach, visibility, and advocacy.
- High team engagement and capability uplift across internal and external partners.
Qualifications & Experience Required:
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in business, Marketing, Sales, or related field.
- Postgraduate certification in Digital Marketing, Customer Experience, or Project Management is an added advantage.
Experience:
- 5+ years of experience in Sales, Trade Marketing, or Consumer Marketing within FMCG or premium goods sectors.
- Proven track record in project management and launching innovative commercial models.
- Experience with experiential marketing, D2C, or e-commerce enablement highly preferred.
- Ability to handle agency relationships and work cross-functionally in a matrixed environment.
Capabilities & Mindset:
- Commercial Acumen: Understands channel profitability and can optimize spend for NSV and margin growth.
- Innovative Thinking: Embraces ambiguity and thinks beyond traditional models to create future-ready solutions.
- Cultural Intelligence: Understands cultural cues and uses them to create relevant, modern brand moments.
- Collaboration & Influence: Can align diverse stakeholders across sales, marketing, digital, and external partners.
- Executional Discipline: Delivers brilliantly against plans with an eye for detail, operational efficiency, and ROI.
- Leadership: Leads by example and builds team capability through coaching, feedback, and empowerment.
Compliance & Governance:
- Ensure full adherence to Diageo's Code of Business Conduct and compliance frameworks.
- Partner with Commercial Operations to track spend, handle assets, and ensure documentation for GAR audits.
- Ensure adherence to safety, legal, and ethical standards in all aspects of execution, particularly in consumer-facing experiences.
Our Purpose and Values:
At UBL, we believe that life should be celebrated-every day, everywhere.
We are committed to fostering a culture where everyone feels valued, respected, and truly has a sense of belonging. We embrace diversity in all its forms whether it's gender, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual orientation, social class, education, experiences, or mindsets. This diversity is the foundation of our strength. We celebrate people for who they are, empowering everyone to show up as their authentic selves.
Our Ambition
We aspire to be the best-performing, most trusted, and respected consumer products company in the world. Join us as we take our iconic brands to new heights and create new ones, shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers worldwide.
Flexible Working Statement:
Flexibility is key to our success. From part-time and compressed hours to different locations, our people work flexibly in ways to suit them. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you so that you're supported from day one.
Rewards & Benefits Statement
We recognize and value performance, offering our people a highly competitive Rewards and Benefits package
Diversity statement:
Our purpose is to celebrate life, every day, everywhere. And creating an inclusive culture, where everyone feels valued and that they can belong, is a crucial part of this.
We embrace diversity in the broadest possible sense. This means that you'll be welcomed and celebrated for who you are just by being you. You'll be part of and help build and champion an inclusive culture that celebrates people of different gender, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual orientation, social class, educational backgrounds, experiences, mindsets, and more.
Our ambition is to create the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products companies in the world. Join us and help transform our business as we take our brands to the next level and build new ones as part of shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers around the world.
Feel inspired Then this may be the opportunity for you.
Join Us:
This is a pioneering opportunity for a strategic, culturally attuned, and commercially sharp leader ready to shape the future of alcohol retail in Uganda. If you're passionate about consumer connection, brand storytelling, and modern commerce, then Emerging Channels is your platform for impact.