Head of Export

ABOUT STAHL COOKWARE

Stahl is a premium Indian cookware brand built on the belief that great cooking begins with great tools.Our ambition is to re-imagine the Indian kitchen not by chasing trends, but by deeply understanding how people cook, what they aspire to, and what would delight them before they even knew to ask for it. We make products that earn a place in kitchens for a lifetime. This role is central to that promise.

THE ROLE

This role will lead Stahl's international businessdriving export growth, expanding market presence, and building a strong premium brand across global markets. The role spans distributor management, international partnerships, compliance, and commercial strategy.

Stahl is already present in 15+ countries through the strength of its product and word-of-mouth. This role exists to bring structure and clarity to that presenceunderstand what is selling, build visibility, and strengthen the current base. From there, the focus is: scale 12 high-potential markets with intent, building a consistent, premium, brand-led international business.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Protect the Base

Take complete ownership of all existing distributor relationships and active markets.

Map the business end-to-end orders, commitments, and market-wise performance.

Build visibility into what is actually selling (secondary sales), not just what is shipped.

Ensure zero disruption to the current run rate.

Market Expansion

Develop and implement the company's global export strategy.

Build a strong premium brand positioning in overseas markets.

Identify 12 high-potential markets (e.g., UAE, UK, Australia) based on real demand not assumption.

Maintain other markets, but invest where it matters most.

Achieve export sales targets and profitability goals.

Build a Brand, Not Just Sales

Position Stahl as a premium cookware brand, not a traded product.

Work with marketing teams to adapt brand messaging for global markets.

Build presence through influencers, communities, and premium retail.

Represent Stahl on global platforms (e.g., international trade fairs).

Align offline and e-commerce efforts (Amazon, Noon, etc.) through internal teams.

Distribution & retail

Negotiate commercial terms with distributors that incentivize sell-through, not just purchases

Get Stahl listed in 23 premium kitchenware or homeware retail accounts in each focus market

Ensure all export compliance, certifications, and documentation are clean across all active markets

Pricing & Commercial Strategy

Develop international pricing structures aligned with brand positioning.

Manage distributor margins, transfer pricing, and market competitiveness.

Monitor currency fluctuations and global cost structures.

Logistics & Supply Chain Coordination

Work closely with production and supply chain teams to ensure timely export fulfillment.

Compliance

Ensure compliance with international trade regulations, certifications, and import standards.

Oversee export documentation, customs compliance, and logistics coordination.

Manage product certifications required in export markets (e.g., food safety standards, material compliance).

WHAT THIS ROLE IS NOT

We want to be explicit about scope boundaries:

Manage Indian domestic channels.

Try to actively grow all 10+ markets simultaneously the explicit mandate is to focus on 12, maintain the rest.

Own logistics or freight operations execution is supply chain's responsibility.

Come from a pure OEM mindset this person must think consumer and brand first, trade second.

Define Stahl's global brand identity Brand identity is owned by Marketing team

THE PROFILE

We are looking for someone who combines the following:

Thinking & Judgement

Strong market intuition with structural thinking able to see the global picture while diving deep into specific markets, distributors, and consumer behavior where it matters. Understands how consumer preferences shift across geographies; can separate long-term market potential from short-term and act accordingly.

Drive & Initiative

High ownership mindset takes end-to-end responsibility for building the international business; does not wait for direction. Comfortable operating from scratch, creating structure where none exists, and driving momentum without large teams or support systems.

Challenges constraints pushes beyond how things are done to unlock new markets, partnerships, and ways of building the brand globally.

Domain Understanding & Market Sensibility

Deep understanding of international markets and distribution models knows how to build through distributors while keeping focus on end consumers. Thinks beyond trade to build a premium, differentiated consumer proposition in each market.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN 24 MONTHS

Current base protected and scaled to 10 Cr within the year.

Map 10+ markets, with full sell-through visibility established within 30 days.

12 priority markets identified early, with strong retail presence built (23 premium accounts each).

All certifications clean across active markets within 60 days.

1 international trade fair participation this FY

WHAT WE OFFER

Opportunity to be part of a brand that transforms kitchens into spaces of joy, not just utility. Here, you will find the environment and trust to push boundaries and create work you can truly be proud of, work that becomes a meaningful part of people's lives.

Simple, low-hierarchy culture with open and honest collaboration across levels, where ownership comes with responsibility and grows with you.

We ensure a way of working that respects life beyond work.

Along with competitive compensation, other benefits and exclusive staff discounts on our products.

BACKGROUND & EXPERIENCE

Proven experience in building and scaling an international consumer business originating from India, within a premium category. Category experience need not be limited to cookware.

Demonstrated success in managing international distributor networks, with a clear understanding of the distinction between distributor stocking and actual consumer sell- through.

Thinks brand first, trade second can speak intelligently about consumer positioning and brand storytelling in international markets

Comfortable operating as an individual contributor in the initial phase (12 months). This is a zero-to-one, builder role requiring high ownership.

Strong to Have

Prior experience of living or working in at least one target international market.

Exposure to international trade fairs such as Ambiente, Maison & Objet, or similar global platforms.

Understanding of NRI/Indian diaspora markets and their role in seeding and scaling premium Indian brands globally.

1015 years of experience, with ownership of international revenue or P&L.

Exposure to premium or super-premium consumer segments for at least 5 years.

Master's in International Business / Marketing preferred

Ability to join immediately. The hiring timeline is critical.

If this resonates with you, we'd love to hear from you.

We are an equal opportunity employer that values diverse perspectives and the strength they bring to our teams. We are committed to building an inclusive workplace and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, ancestry, national origin, caste, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, marital status, or any other protected characteristic.