Area Sales Manager

Job description / Role

JOB OBJECTIVE

Under the direction of Zonal Sales manager, Area Sales Manager is responsible for implementing commercial strategy in his/ her area to achieve the sales targets and business growth objectives. He will also be responsible for driving continuous improvement in all aspects of Sales, Specifications & Field Marketing in the assigned area to achieve the business targets

Strategic Contribution:

- Implement commercial business strategy and plans at the area level to achieve sell-in and sell-out sales targets in order to ensure alliance with L'Oréal Pakistan's business strategy and objectives

Functional Policies & Procedures:

- Contribute towards the implementation of Sales Policies, Procedures, and Guidelines for the assigned product line and ensure that all procedural requirements are fulfilled while delivering a high quality service to the customers
- Act as guarantor for the image and policy of his/her brand(s) in his/her area

Budget Management & Forecasting:

- Responsible for proposing sales incentive budget on monthly basis and monitoring variance
- Ensure stocks replenishment and branch wise forecast is followed up on monthly basis

Sales Target Delivery:

- Achieve annual business plan to deliver agreed channel / brand revenue KPI's and targets
- Achieve planned / forecasting secondary sales number in line with agreed channel wise phasing for the assigned area
- Builds and achieves the channel/group of accounts results: turnover, market share, profit
- Be responsible for the successful delivery of services and the monitoring of the area's performance through the Sales team

Operations Management:

- Coordinating & executing new product launches and sales promotion activities in collaboration with TM & Marketing
- Implementation of marketing and trade marketing programs and building blocks along with Marketing & TM team
- Performs periodic check are happening on sales hygiene, sell in vs sell out at weighted channels in the assigned region and reporting to ZSM accordingly
- Efficient stock rotation, reduction of market expiries are happening in collaboration with trade marketing and distributor teams
- Ensure distributor order in line with catalogue and forecasted sales and guarantee OTIF
- Ensure Branch wise agile stock is present and getting to rotation in line with forecasted number in his assigned area

Business Development:

- Increasing business opportunities in Retail business to expand numeric business, setting sales target by OB as per potential along with coverage
- Ensure the city wise distribution penetration numbers by brand are agreed with line manager and then followed up on monthly basis
- Planning and executing channel and new town expansion along with the OB/Sales Field team

Customer Satisfaction, Retention and Key Corporate Relationships:

- Develop a strong area network and capacity of influence among key customers (Major Wholesaler, Sub Distributors and weighted self-service stores)
- Assist line manager in managing channel partners in the assigned area and collaborating with them to ensure healthy ROI
- Manage winning customer business relationships that facilitate "best in industry" execution of our categories
- Ensure regular training and development of Distributor teams is happening and evaluate resources on targets and providing insights to ZSM

Business Report(s) Development & Professional Recommendations:

- Collect and prepare sales data and trends using various reports using data from DAS+/ Compass/ Sales Flo software
- Fully understand category and insights knowledge and report sales needs and field intelligence to ZSM, commercial-Trade Marketing and marketing teams
- Maintain Sell-in vs sell-out reports, ensure input to Zonal Sales Manager
- Provide reporting for different Channels- Mass, Retail, Distribution, sub-distribution, wholesale or as required
- Assist ZSM in identifying new product opportunities, service delivery benchmarks (product related) after analyzing consumer needs, trends and competitor moves in the assigned area

Continuous Improvement:

- Drive Simplicity across all business processes and communication

Cross Functional Teamwork & Relationship Management:

- Ensure continuous communication between management and his/her team. Inform Zonal Sales Manager on significant initiatives in the field (from his/her team, from the competition and from distributors)
- Work closely with key stakeholders including the Trade Marketing team, Marketing, Supply Chain and customer finance to provide the optimum return across the assigned area
- Builds a strong network with key stakeholders at the retailer's. Facilitates good relations between L'Oréal and Retailers
- Collaborate with TM team for implementing trade marketing activities, merchandising and sales training in his/her area

People Management:

- Recruit, motivate and develop Sales team (Branch Managers, Supervisors and Order Bookers) by maintaining a culture of excellence and also implement organization wide learning programs
- Train his/her team on product, selling skills via work reviews
- Coaching the team in the use of category tools to engage and influence customers to make informed decisions that will grow categories and deliver annual plan
- Ensure clarity of objectives is present in the teams - IBOs are clearly communicated and followed up

COMMUNICATIONS & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

- Internal: Marketing, Finance, Operations Other departmental within L'Oréal Pakistan.
- External: Distributors, Retailers and Field Team

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE, & SKILLS:

Minimum Qualifications:

- Bachelor's degree in business administration with major in Sales or Marketing

Minimum Experience:

- 3-5 years prior work experience of Field Sales Experience, handling distribution and proven track record of sales preferably in FMCG sector
- Solid experience in sales and customer service
- Demonstrable experience in negotiating and meeting clients requirements
- In-depth understanding of sales performance metrics

Behavioral Skills:

- Good negotiation skills
- Relationship Management
- Customer Centricity
- Business Acumen for a sustainable business growth.
- Good numeracy and ability to control budget
- Planning and organization skills
- Team building skills
- Critical thinking and good analytical skills
- Effective communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.

COMPETENCIES

Technical Competencies

- Basic understanding of cross functions and business operations
- Hands on experience with CRM software, MS Excel and PowerPoint skills
- Understanding of P&L
- Builds Selling stories for specific initiatives
- Ability to identify market driver and translates trends and consumer knowledge into meaningful insights
- Imagines disruptive products & services
- Delivers excellence with agility and rigor
- Integrates sustainable, business consciousness
- Creates collaboration for bigger success

About the Company

For more than a century, we have devoted our energy and our competencies solely to one business: beauty. We have chosen to offer our expertise in the service of women and men worldwide, meeting the infinite diversity of their beauty desires. We are committed to fulfilling this mission ethically and responsibly.