Head of Sales

Overview

Work for a global FMCG company with some of the world’s most trusted and iconic brands. Be part of an exciting business where employees are recognised and career growth is supported.  

Where you can help build a world where there are more possibilities for more people, no matter what role you hold. Together, we’ll make a positive impact for good. For our careers, families, communities and the planet.

Job Overview:

Reporting to the Managing Director, this position is responsible for ensuring the effective overall performance of the Sales team and plays critical role in defining and delivering the subsidiary’s long term growth strategy and expansion by elevating its brand presence across categories. Key to this is the ability to continually innovate and find opportunities for growth by developing and delivering sound business strategies, whilst ensuring strong relationships with customers.

Responsibilities

• Sales Strategy & Business Development
  • Development and implementation of long-term strategic business plan and customer proposition in line with overall business strategy to drive business growth and profitability;
  • Responsible for establishing and executing business plans in line with the global direction of the business, whilst delivering on local market financial and non-financial objectives;
  • Full Business Unit P&L responsibility focused on delivering revenue and margin growth, whilst optimising  end-to-end profitability and managing working capital;
  • Set and manage to yearly, quarterly, and monthly budgets on revenue, costs, inventory and profit targets for the business unit as a whole, categories, channels and key customers; 
  • Lead end-to-end strategy execution, focusing on customer offering, operational excellence and best-in-class implementation;
  • Manage and drive performance of the categories’ product portfolios through clear and differentiated customer offering, optimised customer trade plans, excellent customer omni-channel end-to-end execution;
  • Develop a pricing strategy across all categories that reflects a clear pricing hierarchy, whilst delivering best customer value and drives profitability and growth for the business;
  • Identify and lead development of new business opportunities;
  • Responsible for identifying sales growth opportunities and leading business negotiations to close strategic opportunities and to deliver on strategic objectives;
  • Evolve and optimise customer, channel and product mix to maximise revenue growth and drive profitability;
  • Build the Beverage Category vision and action plan, based on thorough analysis of shopper, consumer and market data;
  • Use data analytics to define commercial strategies for the business and lead reporting and financial analysis for local and global stakeholders;
  • Oversee preparation of budgets and forecasts and present them to relevant stakeholders.
  • Monitor and analyse competitor activity to identify market and growth opportunities, including the use of Inform and regular market visits.
  • Monitor SKU performance at retail, directing discussion of potential upside or downside to the brand teams and ensure adjustments are initiated where required.
  • To champion, plan and effectively manage projects and internal activities cross-functionally and across the brand groups to deliver the agreed business outcomes on time and within budget
  • Build, manage and maintain strong customer relationships in conjunction with Key Account team based on open, transparent and fair dealings;
  • Lead the Key Account Management team to achieve the sales and profit objectives of the business;
  • Overseeing sales strategy and joint business plans across all accounts and sales channels;
  • Drive new business revenue aggressively while ensuring strong profitability while never sacrificing customer experience;
  • Lead and manage the team by providing strategic direction and motivating team members to achieve high performance;
  • Build and continuously adapt an effective and efficient organisation
• Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP)
  • Lead the Inventory management and the SC team members to ensure appropriate inventory levels are available to anticipate and satisfy sales demands.
  • Provide input on standardised build codes for inventory products.
  • Achieve or exceed all KPIs relating to sales, profit, inventory, and delivery to customers on time and in full
• Commercial Sales, Business Intelligence & analytics
  • Develop and define the go-to-market strategies and the business development approaches.
  • Development and execution of the market validation, customer engagement, and sales activities to support commercial targets.
  • Execute the commercialisation strategies that drive new revenue opportunities.
  • Provide market specific feedback on competitive landscape and customer trends.
  • Evaluate competitive programs, including market pricing and inventory levels.
  • Assist with driving value to the customer by providing comprehensive equipment solutions, with compelling purchase options.
  • Maximising sales growth and profitability
  • Be a constructive contributor to the Senior Leadership Team and the culture across all functions ensuring all teams are able to cohesively meet their KPIs
  • Maintain a strong knowledge of competitive activity and utilize information when creating account strategies.
  • Devise new and innovative ways to market products and services.
• Financial & Commercial Performance
  • Set and achieve commercial KPIs, including revenue targets, profit margins, and market share.
  • Develop and manage budgets for sales and marketing activities, ensuring cost-effectiveness.
  • Optimize pricing models and trade spend to maximize profitability.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Sales and Marketing or related field. MBA is a plus.
• Proven track record in FMCG sales leadership roles
• Demonstrated success in managing major accounts and driving significant growth into new markets and customers
• Entrepreneurial and ability to work in fast paced environment
• A demonstrated track record of exceeding sales quotas and maintaining high quality deal flow.
• Effective executive leadership and managerial skills with a proven history of building highly effective teams.
• Experience in leading and developing high-performing sales teams
• Strong commercial acumen with P&L management experience
• Ability to think ahead and plan over a 1-2-year time span.
• Problem analysis and problem resolution at both a strategic and functional level.
• Technical skills in strategic planning and sales planning.
• Strong knowledge of best practice and contemporary sales practices and methods
• New product development and launch experience
• Established network within the FMCG (food) industry
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with the capacity to interpret data and make data-driven decisions.
• Thorough understanding of sales best practices, customer relationship management, and market trends.
• Ability to think strategically and develop innovative sales strategies.
• Strong leadership qualities and the ability to foster a collaborative, high-energy sales culture
• Experience with data analytics and reporting tools and ability to translate data into actionable insights
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, capable of influencing and collaborating across all levels of the organization.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a focus on innovation, adaptability, and a passion for delivering results.