Area Sales Manager -General Trade

Job Title

Area Sales Executive / Manager General Trade (ASE/ASM GT)
Function: Sales – General Trade
Location: Rajasthan– Jaipur, Kota, Bikaner, Alwar
Reports To: RSM / ZSM

Role Purpose

To drive sustainable sales growth and profitability across the assigned General Trade market by ensuring strong distributor management, effective market coverage, superior in-market execution, retailer relationships, team productivity, and achievement of primary and secondary sales targets.

Key Responsibilities

1. Sales & Business Growth

• Achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual primary and secondary sales targets in value and volume.
• Develop and execute area-wise business plans aligned with company sales strategy.
• Drive market expansion, outlet addition, SKU penetration, and product-wise growth.
• Identify new business opportunities across assigned territories and markets.
• Ensure effective implementation of company sales strategies, schemes, and initiatives.

2. Distributor & Channel Management

• Manage and develop strong relationships with distributors, super-stockists, wholesalers, and key retailers.
• Ensure optimum distributor inventory, billing, stock rotation, and working capital discipline.
• Monitor distributor sales, stock, outstanding, claims, returns, and ageing.
• Ensure timely replenishment and availability of fast-moving SKUs.
• Appoint and develop new distributors wherever required for market expansion.

3. Market Coverage & Retailer Management

• Ensure effective beat planning, route coverage, and outlet productivity across the assigned territory.
• Drive regular coverage of retailers, wholesalers, and key outlets.
• Develop strong relationships with retailers and ensure product availability and visibility.
• Increase numeric distribution, weighted distribution, SKU penetration, and productive outlets.
• Monitor market execution and take corrective actions wherever required.

4. In-Market Execution & Visibility

• Ensure product availability, visibility, merchandising, and correct placement at retail outlets.
• Drive execution of POSM, shelf visibility, displays, danglers, posters, racks, and other visibility elements.
• Monitor and reduce out-of-stock (OOS) situations.
• Ensure proper implementation of trade schemes, discounts, and promotional activities.
• Conduct regular market visits to evaluate execution and identify improvement areas.

5. Trade Marketing & Promotions

• Implement trade schemes, retailer promotions, consumer offers, and market activations as per company guidelines.
• Ensure proper communication and execution of schemes across the distributor and retailer network.
• Monitor scheme effectiveness and market response.
• Ensure adherence to trade spend budgets and company compliance guidelines.
• Coordinate with Marketing/Trade Marketing teams for local market activations.

6. Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead, coach, and motivate a team of Sales Officers, Sales Executives, Territory Sales Officers, and/or Sales Representatives.
• Set clear sales and productivity targets for team members.
• Ensure discipline in daily journey plans, outlet coverage, call reports, and market working.
• Conduct regular field visits, performance reviews, and coaching sessions.
• Improve team productivity, market knowledge, and execution capability.

7. Distribution, Inventory & Supply Chain Coordination

• Coordinate with distributors and supply chain teams to ensure adequate stock availability.
• Monitor distributor inventory, stock ageing, returns, expiries, and damaged stock.
• Ensure proper forecasting of market demand to minimize stock-outs and overstocking.
• Track distributor fill rates and ensure timely replenishment of high-velocity SKUs.

8. Market Intelligence & Reporting

• Track competitor pricing, schemes, launches, visibility, distribution, and market activities.
• Identify changing market trends and share actionable insights with management.
• Prepare and present daily/weekly/monthly MIS reports covering sales, target achievement, distribution, outlet coverage, productivity, and market performance.
• Conduct regular business reviews with Regional/National leadership and recommend corrective actions.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Achievement of primary and secondary sales targets – value & volume.
• Numeric and weighted distribution growth.
• Outlet coverage and productive call percentage.
• SKU penetration and outlet productivity.
• Distributor inventory and stock availability.
• Market execution and visibility compliance.
• New outlet/distributor additions.
• Team productivity and field execution quality.
• Trade scheme effectiveness and budget adherence.

Candidate Profile

Education

• Graduate in any discipline; MBA/PGDM in Sales/Marketing preferred.

Experience

• 5–10 years of experience in FMCG/Consumer Goods/General Trade Sales, with at least 2–4 years of experience in an ASM/Area Sales Manager or equivalent role.
• Experience in handling distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and general trade markets.
• Proven track record of achieving sales targets and leading a field sales team.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong distribution and distributor management skills.
• Excellent retailer relationship and negotiation skills.
• Strong understanding of General Trade/FMCG market dynamics.
• Good analytical and MIS/reporting skills.
• Strong leadership, communication, and team-management skills.
• High energy, field-oriented, with strong execution and follow-up discipline.
• Good command over MS Excel/PowerPoint and familiarity with CRM/sales reporting tools.

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