Commercial Manager at Rwandair Ltd: (Deadline 2026-08-28)
Commercial Manager – RwandAir Ltd
Company: RwandAir Ltd
Job Title: Commercial Manager
Department: Commercial
Reports to: Director Global Sales & Distribution
Location: Outstation – China
Application Deadline: 28 August 2026
About RwandAir Ltd
RwandAir Ltd is the flag carrier airline of Rwanda, operating domestic and international services across East Africa, Central Africa, West Africa, Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East, with its main base at Kigali International Airport.
As part of its expansion strategy, RwandAir is seeking an interested, qualified and competent professional to fill the position of Commercial Manager based in China.
Job Purpose
The Commercial Manager will lead and oversee RwandAir’s commercial interests within the assigned country or territory, ensuring sustainable revenue growth, market expansion, operational alignment and strong stakeholder engagement.
The successful candidate will serve as RwandAir’s lead commercial representative in the market and will be accountable for overall territory performance across passenger sales, cargo contribution, trade partnerships, customer experience and commercial execution.
The role will also drive strategic market positioning, strengthen distribution performance, identify new growth opportunities and ensure alignment between local market activities and RwandAir’s regional and global commercial objectives.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
Strategic Duties
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Develop and execute the country commercial strategy in alignment with regional and corporate commercial objectives.
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Identify strategic growth opportunities, including corporate market penetration, trade expansion, partnerships and route development support.
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Monitor market trends, competitor activities, pricing behaviour, customer demand patterns and economic developments.
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Recommend strategic interventions based on market intelligence and commercial performance.
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Strengthen RwandAir’s market presence and brand visibility through strategic partnerships and local commercial initiatives.
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Represent RwandAir in local aviation forums, trade events, networking platforms and strategic stakeholder engagements.
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Support route launches, frequency changes, market recovery and network expansion initiatives.
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Provide strategic input into network planning, pricing competitiveness and commercial resource allocation.
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Prepare and present market intelligence reports, performance reviews, forecasts, recovery plans and strategic recommendations to regional leadership.
Operational Responsibilities
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Take ownership of the commercial performance of the assigned territory and ensure achievement of revenue, yield, market share and profitability targets.
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Drive passenger and cargo revenue growth through effective management of trade, corporate, government and institutional relationships.
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Manage and optimize distribution channels, including GSAs, travel agencies, OTAs, corporate accounts and direct sales platforms.
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Lead tactical sales initiatives, promotional campaigns and market activation programmes to stimulate demand and improve revenue performance.
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Ensure effective implementation of pricing, incentive and trade engagement strategies.
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Monitor agency productivity, trade participation and sales channel performance and implement corrective actions where necessary.
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Support digital sales initiatives, NDC adoption and direct channel penetration.
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Build and maintain strong relationships with aviation authorities, airport operators, tourism boards, government institutions, corporate organizations and trade partners.
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Ensure effective performance management of GSAs and key commercial partners.
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Coordinate with Airport Operations, Finance, Cargo, Customer Experience, Revenue Management and Marketing teams to ensure commercial and operational alignment.
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Lead commercial recovery actions during operational disruptions, schedule changes, irregular operations and geopolitical events affecting the market.
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Ensure compliance with company commercial policies, SOPs, audit requirements and governance standards.
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Monitor service delivery standards and support initiatives aimed at improving customer experience and retention.
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Lead, coach and develop the country commercial team to ensure high performance and continuous capability development.
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Drive a performance-oriented culture through regular reviews, target tracking and corrective action plans.
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Oversee local commercial budgets and ensure efficient utilization of company resources.
Qualifications and Experience
Essential
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Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Commerce, Marketing, Aviation Management or a related field.
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Minimum 7–10 years of experience in commercial, sales or marketing roles within the airline or aviation industry.
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At least 2 years of experience in a managerial or leadership position.
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Proven track record in revenue generation, sales target achievement and market development.
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Experience managing distribution channels, including GDS, OTAs, GSAs and travel trade.
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Demonstrated experience in corporate account management and government/institutional sales.
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Experience in budget management and commercial performance reporting.
Desirable
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Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) or a related field.
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Experience working with an African carrier or within an African aviation market.
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Exposure to revenue management, pricing strategies and network planning.
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Experience with NDC and modern airline distribution technologies.
Other Desired Competencies and Skills
Essential
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Strong knowledge of airline commercial operations, sales strategies and the airline distribution landscape.
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Ability to develop and execute commercial strategies aligned with corporate objectives.
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Strong negotiation and relationship management skills with trade, corporate and government partners.
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Ability to analyse market data, competitor intelligence and revenue performance metrics.
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Knowledge of GDS systems such as Amadeus, Sabre and Galileo, as well as airline reservation systems.
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Strong leadership and team management skills.
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Ability to build and maintain a performance-driven culture.
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Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder engagement skills.
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Strong financial acumen and ability to manage budgets and interpret commercial reports.
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Ability to work under pressure and lead recovery actions during operational disruptions.
Desirable
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Knowledge of IATA regulations, standards and airline commercial frameworks.
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Familiarity with RwandAir’s network, products and target markets.
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Proficiency in digital sales platforms and airline e-commerce tools.
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Multilingual capability, particularly French, is an added advantage.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should submit the following documents:
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Application letter addressed to the Chief HR & Administration Officer.
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Recent Curriculum Vitae (CV).
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Copies of notarised Degree/Diploma certificates.
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Relevant professional certificates.
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Copies of academic papers.
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Photocopy of Passport or National ID.
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Three referees.
All application documents must be submitted in PDF format only.
Application Deadline
28 August 2026
Apply Online
RwandAir e-Recruitment: https://erecruitment.rwandair.com/
Qualified and interested candidates are encouraged to submit their applications before the deadline.
