Area Sales Manager at a Multinational Consumer Goods Company

Job Summary:

We are seeking a hands-on Area Sales Manager (ASM) to drive product availability, distribution, and sell-out across an assigned territory. The role is responsible for building a reliable local supply network through strong Wholesale and Distributor partnerships, while ensuring products reach Neighbourhood Stores and Open Market outlets with the right assortment, visibility, and frequency.

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive territory growth: Own sales, distribution, product availability, and sell-out across assigned Wholesale, Open Market, and Neighbourhood Store channels.
• Manage supply partners: Identify, onboard, and manage Wholesalers and Distributors, ensuring strong stock availability, pricing discipline, commercial performance, and sustainable working capital.
• Expand retail coverage: Build outlet coverage across the territory, close distribution gaps, and ensure priority products are consistently available, correctly priced, and well executed.
• Lead field execution: Supervise, coach, and deploy Sales Reps, Van Sales Reps, and Merchandisers to maximise outlet productivity, route efficiency, and sales performance.
• Drive market activation: Execute approved promotions, market activations, and retailer initiatives that increase product visibility, distribution, and sell-out.
• Monitor performance & market intelligence: Track territory performance, distribution, stock levels, and competitor activity, using insights to identify opportunities and resolve execution gaps quickly.
• Own territory performance: Deliver agreed sales, margin, distribution, and productivity targets while maintaining strong relationships with trade partners and retailers.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, or related field.
• 5+ years' FMCG sales and distribution experience, including Wholesale and Open Market/Neighbourhood Store retail.
• Proven track record managing Distributors and Wholesalers.
• Experience leading field sales teams on defined call cycles.
• Solid grasp of last-mile redistribution economics: drop size, route productivity, weighted distribution, must-stock compliance.
• Must be comfortable working open markets and dense neighbourhood trade.
• Strong negotiator and leader.
• Numerate and analytical; fluent in Excel, and field-force tracking tools, able to act on locality data.
• High ownership, problem-solver, execution-focused on the ground.