Trade Marketing Manager

About Cholayil:

Cholayil Pvt Ltd (CPL) is one of the leading and fastest-growing companies in India with a strong presence in the FMCG industry.

The company, rooted in tradition but modern in its thought and approach, is a pioneer in the field of Ayurveda and natural personal care products. CPL introduced its flagship brand Medimix in 1969, followed by the acquisition of Cuticura and Krishna Thulasi brands in 2001 and 2011 respectively. It has implemented several strategic initiatives to become a dominant player with strong brand equity in the personal care industry.

Cholayil Pvt. Ltd. is also the parent company of Dr. Sidhan's Ayur Mix, Sadayush, Sadhev and Jullaaha brands.

Today, CPL has a portfolio of brands that are popular not only in India but also have a global footprint across 35+ countries, with a prominent presence in the Middle East, Far East, Europe and Asia Pacific markets. Cholayil has also entered into a Joint Venture in Kenya to manufacture products for the African region. The company has established its e-commerce presence in India, USA, Singapore and Malaysia, with plans for expansion into the GCC region.

Cholayil Pvt. Ltd. is a 700+ employee strong organisation, headquartered in India, with manufacturing facilities at Tada, Andhra Pradesh and Haridwar, Uttarakhand.

Website: www.cholayil.com

Role Overview

The Manager – Trade Marketing will be responsible for planning, executing and monitoring trade marketing initiatives that drive sales, strengthen channel engagement and ensure effective utilisation of trade investments.

The role will work closely with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain, Accounts and external technology/service partners to design and execute channel programs, manage trade budgets and claims, drive POS and in-store visibility, support NPD launches, and ensure effective utilisation of trade inputs across channels.

The ideal candidate should have prior field sales experience as an ASE/ASM, combined with hands-on experience in Trade Marketing within the FMCG/Personal Care industry.

Key Responsibilities

1. Trade Marketing Strategy & Channel Programs

• Develop and execute trade marketing strategies and channel programs aligned with business, sales and brand objectives.
• Design and track channel-specific programs, schemes and trade inputs to drive sales and improve channel productivity.
• Ensure effective and efficient utilisation of trade marketing budgets across channels and markets.
• Analyse market trends, competitor activities, channel dynamics and sales data to identify opportunities for growth.
• Work closely with the Sales team to translate market requirements into effective trade marketing interventions.
• Monitor program effectiveness and provide recommendations for improving ROI and trade spends.

2. Trade Budget & Claims Management

• Plan, allocate and monitor the trade marketing budget in line with business priorities.
• Track trade spends and ensure timely utilisation, reconciliation and reporting of budgets.
• Coordinate closely with Accounts/Finance and Sales teams for timely processing and clearance of trade claims.
• Ensure on-time claim clearance with Accounts, including follow-up and resolution of discrepancies or pending claims. (Mandatory)
• Analyse claims, trade spends and program effectiveness to ensure financial discipline and optimum ROI.

3. Field Sales & Channel Execution

• Leverage prior ASE/ASM field experience to understand distributor, retailer and market-level requirements.
• Work closely with the Sales team to ensure effective implementation of trade programs across markets.
• Track execution of schemes, trade inputs, visibility initiatives and channel programs.
• Identify gaps in market execution and coordinate with relevant stakeholders for timely corrective action.
• Ensure alignment between trade marketing plans and actual market requirements.

4. DMS / SFA Management

• Manage and monitor DMS/SFA platforms used by the Sales organisation.
• Coordinate with DMS/SFA vendors for issue resolution, system enhancements and new developments.
• Understand business requirements and work with technology partners to translate them into system/process improvements.
• Track implementation of new features, enhancements and process changes.
• Ensure effective adoption and utilisation of DMS/SFA systems by the Sales team.
• Analyse system-generated data and reports to support trade and sales decision-making.

5. POS & In-Store Activation

• Plan and execute POS deployment and in-store activation initiatives across relevant channels.
• Ensure timely availability and effective utilisation of POS materials at the market level.
• Coordinate with Sales teams and vendors for execution, installation and deployment of POS materials.
• Monitor in-store visibility and merchandising standards and identify execution gaps.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of in-store activations and recommend improvements.

6. NPD Planning & Tracking

• Support New Product Development (NPD) planning and launch readiness from a trade perspective.
• Coordinate with Sales, Marketing and Supply Chain teams to ensure trade readiness for new launches.
• Develop and track NPD distribution, visibility, circulation and channel activation plans.
• Monitor NPD performance post-launch and provide insights for corrective actions.
• Ensure timely communication and execution of NPD-related trade initiatives across channels.

7. MIS, Analytics & Stakeholder Management

• Prepare and maintain regular MIS and dashboards covering trade spends, claims, channel programs, POS deployment and NPD performance.
• Analyse sales and trade data to measure program effectiveness and identify improvement opportunities.
• Work cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Finance, Accounts, Supply Chain and external vendors for seamless execution.
• Present key insights, performance updates and action plans to management.
• Ensure timely closure of issues and effective coordination among internal and external stakeholders.

Key Experience & Qualifications

• Graduate/Postgraduate in Marketing, Business Management or a related discipline.
• Relevant experience in Trade Marketing within FMCG, preferably Personal Care/FMCG.
• Prior hands-on field sales experience as ASE/ASM is preferred/required.
• Strong experience in trade budget planning, monitoring and utilisation.
• Mandatory experience in timely trade claim clearance with Accounts/Finance.
• Experience in handling DMS/SFA systems, including vendor coordination, issue resolution and new system developments.
• Experience in designing and tracking channel programs, schemes and trade inputs.
• Experience in POS deployment and in-store activations.
• Experience in NPD planning, launch readiness and performance tracking.
• Strong analytical skills with good proficiency in MS Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong stakeholder management, coordination and execution skills.

Key Competencies

• Trade Marketing & Channel Management
• Trade Budget Management
• Trade Claims & Reconciliation
• Field Sales & Market Execution
• DMS / SFA Management
• Channel Program Management
• POS & In-Store Activation
• NPD Planning & Tracking
• Data Analysis & MIS
• Vendor Management
• Cross-functional Stakeholder Management
• Execution & Problem-Solving