Role Overview

The Regional Sales Excellence Manager – General Trade owns the strategic roadmap, execution rigor, and performance optimization for priority and weighted outlets across the assigned region/zone. This role serves as a key catalyst to drive secondary growth by standardizing execution standards, fixing Terms of Trade (ToTs), driving Must Sell List (MSL) depth/width, and optimizing overall trade ROI. Sitting at the hub of commercial operations, capability building, and cross-functional integration, this role works hand-in-hand with (RSMs and ASMs,) Trade Marketing, and Channel Management teams to systematically eliminate distribution white spaces and elevate in-store execution.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategy & Execution for Weighted Outlets

 KPI Framing & Governance: Define, institute, and track core execution KPIs across key and weighted

General Trade outlets in the assigned zone.

 Terms of Trade (ToT) & ROI Management: Fix structured Terms of Trade (ToTs) for key accounts/outlets

and audit trade spend effectiveness to ensure maximum ROI on trade margins and BTL investments.

 Standardized Execution: Establish standardized 'Picture of Success' guidelines across all outlet tiers to maintain consistent visibility, planogram compliance, and brand representation.

2. Outlet Prioritization & Throughput Enhancement

 Data-Driven Segmentation: Analyze internal sales data, Nielsen/market intelligence, and geographic mapping to identify high-potential priority outlets and white spaces across urban and suburban markets.

 MSL Drive (Width & Depth): Increase per-outlet throughput by enforcing Must Sell List (MSL) distribution, optimizing assortment width, and deepening SKU penetration across focus BPC categories.

 Performance Analytics & Corrective Actions: Monitor granular outlet-level sales performance and lead weekly/monthly review cadences with field teams (ASMs/RSMs) to trigger targeted corrective

interventions.

3. Capability Building & Field Coaching

 Field Upskilling: Conduct structured coaching, individual/joint market visits, and workshops for Area Sales Managers (ASMs), Business Development Officers/Executives on outlet prioritization, selling techniques, and beat planning.

 Product & NPD Enablement: Educate field teams on product USPs, category stories, and execution playbooks for New Product Launches (NPDs) to accelerate speed-to-shelf.

4. Cross-Functional Collaboration & Commercial Governance

 Trade Marketing Alignment: Work closely with Trade Marketing teams to co-create impactful channel activation programs, scheme mechanics, and point-of-sale assets.

 Channel & Sales Operations: Partner with Channel Management and Supply Chain to resolve order fulfillment bottlenecks, distributor alignment issues, and stock replenishment challenges in key outlets.

 White Space Identification: Provide strategic recommendations to zonal leadership on new geography expansion, channel-specific packs, and competitive counter-strategies.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

 Per Outlet Throughput (Sales Value/Volume): Growth in average order value and monthly throughput across priority/weighted outlets.

 MSL Adherence & Distribution Depth: Percentage achievement of Must Sell List targets and SKU width per store.

 Trade Spend ROI & ToT Adherence: Efficiency of ToTs and promotional spend ROI within regional GT budget limits.

 NPD Speed-to-Shelf & Saliency: Time-to-market and numeric distribution reach for New Product Launches in key outlets.

 Field Execution & Productivity Scores: Improvements in daily line productivity, call efficacy, and planogram/visibility compliance.

Qualifications & Experience Required

 Education: MBA / Master's Degree in Marketing, Sales, or Business Administration from a recognized institute.

 Experience: 5–8 years of experience in Sales Operations, Sales Excellence, Commercial Strategy, or GT Area Management within FMCG / Beauty & Personal Care (BPC).

 General Trade Expertise: In-depth understanding of GT distributor networks, beat planning, weighted distribution dynamics, and wholesale/retail trade mechanics.

 Analytical Acumen: Strong analytical proficiency (Excel, Power BI, SFA/DMS tools) to interpret sales trends, ROI metrics, and outlet-level data.