Country Manager - Retail - India & SAARC

Country Manager India

Job Title: Commercial Manager - India & SAARC

Reporting to: Commercial Director Export

The Position :

The Regional Commercial Manager will have P&L responsibility for the company's business activities within the Region, comprising of India, Sri Lanka, Nepal & Pakistan as well as to lead the commercial operation by means of sales and trade marketing. The Regional Commercial Manager's primary responsibility is to provide strategic direction and leadership in his/her region to facilitate the long term growth and profitability of the business.

This executive will be responsible for the development and execution of a five year strategic business plan agreed with senior EMEA management and to deliver his/her annual budget. An important short and long term objective is to significantly grow sales in the existing markets on a profitable basis.

Key areas of the management include the selling and marketing of the full range of products as well as customizing new items for the specific need of consumers or retailers within the region.

A special objective for the new incumbent will be his/her ability to reorganize and upgrade his/her team in order to achieve the aggressive sales growth targets.

The position will directly report to the Commercial Director Export and has P&L responsibility.

Direct reports to the Regional Commercial Manager include :

- Four Sales Managers

- One Marketing Manager

- One Office Coordinator

Responsibilities :

- Lead the Area Sales Managers & Marketing Manager (Sales & Marketing)

- Develop excellent relationships with the Finance, Customer Service and Operation teams both in India and France to ensure an efficient and winning culture

- Development and implementation of short and long term growth plans and strategies

- Deliver the annual budget, including sales, gross margin and EBITDA

- Manage the operations and working capital, Accounts Receivable and Inventory

- Develop profitable and long term relationships with strategic accounts

- Negotiate with top customers/distributors

- Continuously search for better utilisation of investment, search for new ideas, for new customers and for new ways to enhance shareholder value

- Actively participate in the EMEA business development, support new product development

- Accountable for all activities relates to sales and marketing

- Further develop and implement the distribution strategy and identify white spots

- Together with the Financial Controller steer and achieve the financial goals

- Establish and continuously evaluate key measures of performance in order to ensure that targets are achieved or corrective actions will be implemented

- Ensure proper organisational growth by recruiting, developing, coaching a winning team

- Close cooperation with his team as well as Senior Leadership of EMEA

Qualifications :

- 8 -10 years experience mainly in sales roles (and marketing preferred)

- Looking for sales experience with B2B, internet customers, and modern trade

- Ideally have been in small Country Manager type role for the last 3 years

- Experience with International (US based) companies in the durable business

- Experience in P&L management

- Excellent customer relationship management

- Strong negotiation skills

- Strong organisational skills

- Aggressive leader, high ethical standards, entrepreneurial, participative, team oriented, high sense of urgency

- Good presentation skills, able to influence, persuade and motivate others even in difficult situations

- Able to work with transverse teams in order to achieve his/her P&L goals

- Advanced business degree will be considered an important asset

- Needs to be fluent in English, French a plus

- An affinity with outdoor activities an advantage

- Location Mumbai, but expected to travel within the region as well as occasional visits to Europe