Sales Acceleration Manager

Role Purpose

The Sales Acceleration Manager will drive sales acceleration and distribution excellence across India. Based out of Cochin and reporting to the National Product Head, the role will work closely with Sales, Marketing, Category, HR, L&D, Brand Communication, Branch Teams, and external Sales Acceleration Consultants to accelerate business growth through distribution expansion, execution excellence, sales analytics, and cross-functional collaboration.

The role will act as the custodian of field execution, sales productivity, and sales ways of working while ensuring the successful implementation of strategic initiatives across the country.

Roles & Responsibilities

1. Sales Acceleration

• Drive sales acceleration initiatives for the Electrical business (Wires, Switches & Switchgear) across India.
• Partner with the National Product Head to execute category growth strategies and focus projects.
• Work closely with Sales Acceleration Consultants to improve sales productivity and execution.

2. Distribution Expansion

• Drive distribution expansion in line with the Annual Operating Plan (AOP).
• Track Plan vs. Achievement for distributor appointments, market coverage, and numeric distribution.
• Identify execution gaps and work with Branch Managers and Product In-Charges to ensure timely closure.

3. Sales Performance & Analytics

• Analyze sales performance, distribution productivity, Cost-to-Serve, Gross Margins, Distribution Costs, and sales scheme effectiveness.
• Develop actionable insights and recommend interventions to improve business performance and profitability.
• Prepare sales dashboards and review reports for management.

4. Sales Governance & Execution

• Conduct periodic sales reviews with Regional Managers, Branch Managers, and Product In-Charges.
• Govern Sales Ways of Working (WoW) and monitor frontline productivity.
• Ensure effective execution of category priorities across branches.

5. Market Development

• Identify white-space opportunities and recommend market expansion strategies.
• Monitor competitor activities, pricing, promotions, and category trends.
• Share market and competitive insights with the Category and Product teams to support business decisions.

6. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with HR on sales manpower deployment and productivity improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate with Learning & Development (L&D) to identify capability gaps and execute sales training programs.
• Work with Brand Communication and Branch Sales teams to plan and execute BTL activities for the Electrical portfolio.
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Finance, and Category teams to ensure seamless execution of business initiatives.

7. Category Focus Projects

• Work closely with National Product Heads to drive strategic projects for Wires, Switches, and Switchgear.
• Monitor project milestones, track outcomes, and ensure timely execution across regions.
• Support new product launches and category-specific market activation initiatives.

8. Market Engagement

• Spend a minimum of 12 market working days per month to assess market execution, coach field teams, understand customer requirements, and identify growth opportunities.

9. Stakeholder Management

• Build strong working relationships with Sales, Marketing, Category, Branch Teams, and external consultants.
• Influence stakeholders without direct authority to ensure alignment and timely execution of business priorities.

Qualifications & Experience

Educational Qualification

· Graduate in any discipline (Mandatory).

· MBA in Marketing, Sales, or Business Management (Preferred).

Experience

• Minimum 8 years of overall experience, comprising:

6 years in frontline Sales, with strong exposure to channel sales and distribution management and 2 years in Trade Marketing, Sales Excellence, GTM, or Sales Acceleration roles.

• Experience in the Electrical industry, preferably in Wires, Switches, Switchgear, Cables, or related Electrical Products.
• · Proven track record in driving distribution expansion, sales execution, market development, and sales analytics.

Preferred Skills

• · Strong understanding of the Electrical sales & distribution ecosystem.
• · Good analytical skills with the ability to interpret sales performance, Cost-to-Serve, gross margins, distribution costs, and sales scheme effectiveness.
• · Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills without direct authority.
• · Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• · Proficiency in MS Excel and PowerPoint; exposure to BI tools is an added advantage.
• · Proficiency in English and Hindi is mandatory.
• · Willingness to travel extensively across India with a minimum of 12 market working days per month