Commercial Operations Lead

Company Description

Shokola is an iconic café and restaurant located in Kigali, offering a rooftop experience with stunning panoramic views of the city. Since 2009, Shokola has been a hub for Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, fresh juices, and premium coffee. Situated at the Kigali Public Library, it fosters a creative and warm atmosphere for professionals, creatives, families, and travelers alike. Renowned for its vibrant community spirit and quality service, Shokola continues to be a cherished gathering space in the heart of Kigali.

Role Description

This is a full-time, on-site role as a Commercial Operations Lead located in Kigali. The Commercial Operations Lead will be responsible for driving Shokola’s commercial growth, customer experience, daily operations, brand visibility, and social media presence.

This is a highly hands-on leadership role for someone who understands modern hospitality, customer psychology, branding, digital marketing, and experience-driven sales.

The ideal candidate is obsessed with creating memorable customer experiences, growing foot traffic, building hype around the brand, and turning Shokola into one of Kigali’s most talked-about lifestyle destinations.

Qualifications and Experience

• Team leadership and staff management experience, with the ability to cultivate a positive work environment.
• Experience in hospitality, cafés, restaurants, lifestyle brands, retail, marketing, customer experience, or operations management
• Strong understanding of sales, branding, customer engagement, and business growth
• Experience managing or coordinating social media campaigns and digital marketing initiatives
• Strong understanding of Instagram, TikTok, and modern brand-building trends
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills
• Strong organizational and multitasking abilities
• Commercial mindset with ability to think creatively and execute fast
• Leadership and team coordination experience is an advantage
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, customer-facing environment

Prefered Profile

We are looking for someone who:

• Naturally creates energy and excitement around brands
• Understands modern hospitality and lifestyle culture
• Is commercially aggressive and growth-oriented
• Loves customer engagement and creating memorable experiences
• Thinks creatively and executes quickly
• Understands how to turn experiences into sales
• Is highly proactive, organized, and solutions-driven
• Is passionate about branding, social media, and community building

What We Offer

• Opportunity to help shape one of Kigali’s most loved café and lifestyle brands
• Creative, energetic, and fast-growing work environment
• Exposure to hospitality, branding, digital marketing, events, and commercial strategy
• Opportunity to build impactful campaigns and experiences
• Growth and leadership development opportunities

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