Sales Manager, Dairy & Fresh Food

Job description / Role

Excellent opportunity for a General Sales Manager, within Saudi, who is keen to develop further in their career in the dairy industry.

This General Sales Manager role has a focus on customer relationships and developing accounts, within two assigned regions in the KSA, with retailers. The successful candidate will work in a complex food area, across a number of categories with a focus on dairy. This is a position which focuses on project management and commercial positioning; but crucially the role is building relationships with retailers in the market.

The focus of the role is selling to retailers, both modern trade and traditional, and candidates will be expected to have experience in both.

This position is part of a wider team and this allows sharing of best practice. The General Sales Manager works closely with Category Managers, jointly presenting to the Retailer on category leading initiatives and wider market trends. The successful candidate would be the "go to" person with both internal and external stakeholders and as such should have exceptional market knowledge.

There is real opportunity within this position to develop into a more senior internal position. The business is keen to attract a candidate that can form part of the succession planning for the wider commercial team. This is a vacant position because of an internal promotion.

The successful candidate will work with the customers on joint business plans and also focus on the innovation pipeline, ensuring the launch programmes are on track.

Requirements

The General Sales Manager will have a team of five to six Sales Managers reporting to them and will report directly to the Country Sales Director

Because this is a Kingdom wide role that is based in Jeddah, KSA, the candidate must be male and be able to acquire a working visa for Saudi Arabia.
- Experience of working in an FMCG environment, ideally within dairy or fresh products
- Excellent English language communication skills and fluent Arabic language skills
- BA educated, ideally with a Masters or MBA level qualification
- Significant experience working in KSA
- Excellent experience dealing with both modern and traditional trade retailers
- Excellent commercial acumen
- Experience of owning a category strategy
- Appreciation of category management
- Developed project management skills
- Management and mentoring experience
- Ability to demonstrate excellent working relationships with the Major Retailers.

Candidates who are in the GCC will be considered for relocation if they have significant market experience within KSA.

This is an opportunity for a proven sales professional that has potential to develop further, if you enjoy pace and have the drive to succeed then please apply for this role today.

About the Company

Why Focus International?

Firstly, we know our market and we deliver. Based in the UAE & The United Kingdom we have a track record of developing long term relationships with candidates & clients over the last 10 years who see the benefit of strategic Talent Management, from Graduates to Main Board appointments.

Our main areas of expertise lie within the following:

Functions:
Production & Engineering Food Technology Sales & Marketing Product Development Supply Chain & Logistics Human Resources
Finance
Purchasing

Channels: Manufacturing Retail Foodservice Distribution Ingredients Packaging
Hospitality
Equipment & Services

Categories: Bakery Dairy Grocery Added value chilled foods Frozen foods Fresh Produce Meat, Poultry & Fish Drinks and Beverages

To support our work, we have an extensive database of internationally based food, drink & FMCG professionals. We advertise on all relevant websites, we network constantly and with a team of experienced Search Consultants we know the people you will want to talk to.

We are the regions largest and only dedicated Food and Drink recruiter complimented by a number of excellent relations within many non food FMCG companies across the MEA who see the value our approach offers. Born out of a strategic vision from our parent group Focus Management Consultants Ltd to be closer to our international partners across the MEA region, we have rapidly become one of the premier FMCG recruitment consultancies working with both large multinational businesses and local operations. Supporting our consultative recruitment activity we utilise the most optimised and developed web and social media engagement techniques available in the market allowing our team of specialist consultants to engage with candidates & clients on many different media platforms. As innovative leaders of our sector, we are constantly investing in creative ways to source and attract candidates and add value to the recruitment process for our clients.

Our business approach is ethical and honest, and it is our clear objective to maintain integrity with both clients and candidates at all times.

The aim is to become your preferred recruitment contact who will work in partnership with you, assisting and advising at all times your search for that next career opportunity. We also desire to become the preferred partner of choice to FMCG businesses for your ongoing and long term recruitment needs. We will achieve this by delivering you highly effective solutions and committing to you for both your immediate and future business needs.