Rugs Division Lead

We're looking for a visionary leader to drive the strategic growth, creative direction, and commercial success of our rugs portfolio. If you're passionate about design, market trends, and leading cross-functional teams to deliver exceptional products, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact at Africa's leading flooring manufacturer.

About the Company

Belgotex is Africa's leading carpet and artificial grass manufacturer. As a soft flooring specialist we design, make, and distribute high-quality broadloom and modular carpets with custom solutions available to the commercial market. Our extensive product portfolio includes luxury and specialist vinyls and artificial grass.

Corporate Values:

Better Together: We believe that people inspire greatness. It takes a team to achieve our world class standards, and we can't do any of this alone.

We Tread Softly: We are a recognised world leader for sustainability practices, asking less of the planet in all that we do.

Deep Focus: We are on a journey of vertical growth to deliver specialised flooring solutions to Africa and the world.

Curiosity: True innovation starts with a desire to explore and achieve the unimaginable.

Courage: We're not afraid to ask big questions, even if it means asking more of ourselves.

Purpose of this Role:

This role sits within the Local Sales Division of the Commercial Team and is responsible for defines and executing growth strategies, ensuring effective product development and innovation, strengthening direct channels and driving commercial performance across both trade and retail segments.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Marketing & New Product Development (NPD):

2. Build internal awareness and understanding of the full rugs portfolio across departments.

3. Develop and implement a formalised NPD process, assigning operational ownership while maintaining strategic oversight.

4. Align all rug NPD activity with broader product development cycle, ensuring collaboration and scheduling consistency.

5. Direct Channels:

6. Lead the redevelopment of the Anymat2.0 business case, ensuring commercial viability and long-term scalability.

7. Oversee the development and rollout of the Yudu Trade Hub to improve engagement and efficiency for trade partners.

8. Monitor and drive growth in direct-to-consumer and online channels to move from the current contribution towards the target.

9. Business Growth:

10. Support acquisition and onboarding of new customers through data-driven targeting and relationship management.

11. Conduct regular sales analysis to identify performance trends, category gaps and high value opportunities.
12. Ensure all existing customers operate under COD trade accounts for improved control and transparency.
13. Strengthen relationships with key accounts, focusing on growth, retention and joint business planning.

14. Segment and manage B-tier trade customers, identifying adoption patterns and implementing strategies to increase participation.

15. Market Position:

16. Unlock new distribution or sales channels to optimise inventory movement and reduce stockholding risk.

17. Strengthen the Rugs categories market position through product depth, price strategy and channel diversity.

18. Introduce structured price adjustments linked to improved market presence and perceived product value.

19. Innovation & Design Leadership

20. Maintain visibility of global design movements, material innovation and rug related technologies.

21. Collaborations with external designers.

22. Ensure divisions design and product responsiveness remains a clear competitive differentiator.

23. Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Interior Design, Textile Management or a related field

24. 8+ years experience in product/ category management, preferably in textiles, home decor or consumer goods.
25. Strong leadership skills.
26. Experience in fast-paced, brand-led environments with cross-functional collaboration.
27. Strategic thinker with a strong eye for detail.

28. Strong commercial acumen with the ability to analyze market trends and drive growth

29. Collaborative and adaptable, with a proactive approach to problem-solving.

30. Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills.
31. Deep understanding of design principles, materials and manufacturing processes.