Commercial Execution Inspector

About the role

SAB is hiring a Commercial Execution Inspector, based in Bryanston. The key purpose of this role is to protect the company’s commercial investments by independently auditing and validating in-trade execution, customer discounting, promotional activities, pricing compliance and route-to-market controls. The role identifies revenue leakage, non-compliance, execution gaps and control weaknesses, and drives corrective action to ensure customer investments are applied as approved and deliver the intended commercial outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Commercial Investment Assurance
• Conduct risk-based audits of customer discounts, rebates, promotional funding, trade spend and commercial investment programmes.
• Validate that customer investments are supported by approved agreements, evidence of execution and accurate claims.
• Identify and quantify revenue leakage, over-discounting, duplicate claims, unsupported payments and unauthorised commercial spend.
• Assess whether trade investments are implemented as intended and escalate material control exceptions.
• In-Trade Execution Audits
• Conduct physical audits across outlets, wholesalers, distributors and key accounts to verify agreed execution standards.
• Assess compliance with Outlet Health, merchandising, visibility, pricing and promotional requirements.
• Confirm that point-of-sale materials, Coolers and other commercial assets are deployed, used and maintained in line with approved agreements.
• Validate outlet existence, customer classification and route-to-market execution where relevant.
• Pricing and Discount Compliance
• Audit customer pricing, discount structures, deal mechanics and promotional offers against approved mandates and governance requirements.
• Identify deviations from approved price lists, discount thresholds and commercial approval processes.
• Investigate suspected discount abuse, off-invoice leakage, irregular claims or other commercial control breaches.
• Provide fact-based findings to support recovery, remediation and consequence management processes.
• Risk Identification and Investigation
• Use sales, volume, pricing, discount and customer profitability data to identify high-risk customers, channels, territories and transactions.
• Conduct targeted reviews in response to anomalies, whistle-blower allegations, management concerns or recurring control failures.
• Support Internal Audit, Compliance, Commercial Finance and Legal teams with investigations where required.
• Maintain complete, accurate and defensible audit evidence for all findings.
• Reporting and Corrective Action
• Prepare clear audit reports setting out the issue, evidence, root cause, financial exposure, accountable owner and recommended action.
• Report material findings promptly to the relevant business and control owners.
• Maintain a tracker of findings, recovery actions and remediation commitments, and follow through to verified closure.
• Provide trend analysis and recurring risk themes to inform commercial governance and process improvements.
• Governance and Capability Building
• Promote adherence to commercial policies, delegated authorities and trade investment controls.
• Partner with Sales, Trade Marketing, Revenue Management, Commercial Finance, Internal Audit and Compliance while maintaining appropriate independence.
• Provide practical guidance and training to commercial teams on recurring control gaps and required standards.
• Recommend improvements to systems, processes and preventive controls based on audit findings.

Requirements

• Key Competencies and Attributes
• Strong understanding of FMCG sales operations, customer investment, pricing, discounting and route-to-market processes.
• Knowledge of audit methodology, risk assessment, internal controls and evidence management.
• Ability to analyse sales, volume, margin, pricing and discount data and translate findings into commercial risk insights.
• Advanced Excel capability
• experience with Power BI or other analytics tools is advantageous.
• Strong report writing, issue articulation and presentation skills.
• High integrity, independence and sound judgement.
• Commercial acumen and an owner’s mindset.
• Analytical, curious and investigative approach.
• Courage to challenge non-compliant practices constructively.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Attention to detail, disciplined follow-through and resilience in the field.
• Ability to communicate clearly with operational teams and senior leaders.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently into trade across assigned markets and territories.
• Ability to work independently, manage a risk-based audit schedule and meet reporting deadlines.
• Commitment to confidentiality, objective evidence and consistent application of company standards.
• Valid driver’s licence where required for field travel.
• Ability to use company-provided mobile and IT equipment for evidence capture and reporting.
• Minimum Requirements
• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Auditing, Business, Commercial Management or a related discipline.
• Professional audit, forensic, risk or compliance qualification would be advantageous.
• Five or more years of relevant experience in FMCG sales, commercial finance, revenue management, trade marketing, internal audit, investigations or compliance.
• Practical experience reviewing trade spend, discounts, promotional claims, customer investments or route-to-market execution.
• Experience working in field-based environments and engaging customers, distributors and commercial teams.