Head Modern Trade

Reporting To: Offline Business Head

Location: Andheri, Mumbai

Role Overview:

The Senior Head Modern Trade will be responsible for the overall leadership and performance of the brands Modern Trade business. This role carries end-to-end ownership of strategy, revenue growth, profitability, and execution across national and regional Modern Trade accounts. The incumbent will be expected to build scalable systems, drive disciplined P&L management, and strengthen the brands offline market presence.

Key Accounts & Channel Coverage:

- Management of existing national and regional Modern Trade accounts

- Identification, negotiation, and onboarding of new Modern Trade key accounts in line with the companys growth strategy.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Business Strategy & Growth:

- Define and execute the Modern Trade strategy and annual operating plans

- Drive sustainable revenue growth while ensuring profitability and cost discipline

- Evaluate and pursue expansion opportunities across national and regional retail chains

2. Key Account & Commercial Management:

- Lead senior-level engagement with buyers, category managers, and merchandising teams

- Own commercial negotiations, Joint Business Plans, pricing, margins

- Ensure strong sell-in, sell-out, and long-term account performance

3. P&L Ownership & Financial Disciplinal:

- Own the Modern Trade P&L with specific accountability for:

i. Discounting and promotional investments & visibility, branding, and in-store marketing costs

ii. Merchandising and execution-related expenses

- Ensure disciplined ROI management at the store level and continuous optimization of trade spends

4. Trade Marketing & Execution:

- Oversee trade marketing strategy, including promotions, in-store visibility, and activations

- Ensure consistent, high-quality execution across all Modern Trade partners

- Lead the offline launch and scale-up of new products

5. Planning, Forecasting & Cross-Functional Alignment:

- Own revenue planning, forecasting, and performance reviews

- Work closely with Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, and Operations teams to ensure alignment

- Represent the Modern Trade function in cross-functional and leadership forums

6. People Leadership:

- Lead and develop the Modern Trade organization, including ground sales teams and offline functions

- Establish clear performance metrics, governance, and review mechanisms

- Build a high-performing, execution-focused team aligned to business objectives

What Were Looking For:

- Modern Trade sales and leadership roles

- Demonstrated experience in scaling Modern Trade businesses within consumer brands

- Strong existing relationships with major Modern Trade key accounts in the Beauty & Personal Care industry

- Proven track record of P&L ownership, including discounting, visibility spends, and merchandising cost management

- Experience managing national key accounts independently

- Beauty & Personal Care background preferred; FMCG experience acceptable

Skills & Competencies:

- Strong commercial acumen and negotiation capability

- Deep understanding of Modern Trade structures, economics, and governance

- High level of financial and analytical rigor

- Structured, process-oriented leadership style

- Effective stakeholder management and communication skills