Background information about the job or company

Every day, millions of consumers around the world trust our products to care for themselves and the ones they love. Colgate-Palmolive is a global company serving people in over 200 countries and territories with consumer products that make their lives healthier and more enjoyable. Colgate manufactures and markets oral care, personal care, home care and pe...

Position Summary

We are looking for a highly motivated Sales Intern to join our Customer Development team in Kenya. This role is designed for individuals who aspire to build a long-term career in sales and commercial leadership within the FMCG industry. The intern will gain hands-on exposure to customer development, route-to-market execution, distributor operations, retail excellence, commercial analytics, and strategic business planning. The successful candidate should be curious, resilient, commercially minded, and excited by working in dynamic market environments across Kenya.

What You Will Learn

Throughout the internship you will develop practical experience in:

• Customer Development and Commercial Strategy
• Distributor and Retail Operations
• Sales Analytics and Business Performance
• Shopper and Consumer Insights
• Key Account Management
• Territory Planning
• Cross-functional Collaboration
• Leadership and Professional Development

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Excellence

• Support execution of sales strategies that drive sustainable business growth.
• Analyze sales performance and identify commercial opportunities.
• Monitor market trends, competitive activity, and customer insights.
• Prepare reports and business recommendations for the commercial team.

Customer & Market Exposure

• Participate in customer visits alongside Customer Development Managers.
• Gain first-hand exposure to modern trade, general trade, and distributor operations.
• Build an understanding of retail execution and customer relationships.

Business Projects

• Lead or support strategic improvement projects within the Customer Development function.
• Present recommendations based on market analysis and business insights.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Marketing, Finance, Customer Service & Logistics, and Supply Chain.

Learning & Development

• Participate in structured learning sessions and coaching.
• Receive mentorship from experienced commercial leaders.
• Demonstrate continuous learning and ownership of your development plan.

Qualifications or requirements

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for individuals who demonstrate:

• A genuine passion for building a career in Sales and Commercial Leadership.
• High levels of initiative and self-motivation.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Learning agility and curiosity.
• Resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced environment.
• A growth mindset and willingness to receive feedback.
• Integrity and accountability.
• Ability to work collaboratively across diverse teams.
• Willingness to travel and work in different locations across Kenya as business needs require.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (or final-year student) in Business, Marketing, Economics, Finance, Statistics, or a related field.
• Strong academic performance.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Previous leadership experience through student organizations, entrepreneurship, community initiatives, or internships is an added advantage.

• Support execution of sales strategies that drive sustainable business growth.
• Analyze sales performance and identify commercial opportunities.
• Monitor market trends, competitive activity, and customer insights.
• Prepare reports and business recommendations for the commercial team.
• Participate in customer visits alongside Customer Development Managers.
• Gain first-hand exposure to modern trade, general trade, and distributor operations.
• Build an understanding of retail execution and customer relationships.
• Lead or support strategic improvement projects within the Customer Development function.
• Present recommendations based on market analysis and business insights.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Marketing, Finance, Customer Service & Logistics, and Supply Chain.
• Participate in structured learning sessions and coaching.
• Receive mentorship from experienced commercial leaders.
• Demonstrate continuous learning and ownership of your development plan.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Learning agility and curiosity.
• Resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced environment.
• A growth mindset and willingness to receive feedback.
• Integrity and accountability.
• Ability to work collaboratively across diverse teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.

• Bachelor’s degree (or final-year student) in Business, Marketing, Economics, Finance, Statistics, or a related field.
• Strong academic performance.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
• Previous leadership experience through student organizations, entrepreneurship, community initiatives, or internships is an added advantage.