Manager - International Sales - FMCG/Mfg

AVT McC, a 50-50 joint venture of A.V. Thomas Group of Companies, India and McCormick & Co, Inc. USA was incorporated in 1994. McCormick & Company, USA is the 116 years old spice giant, one of the largest and oldest spice companies in the world. McCormick is the global leader in the manufacture, marketing and distribution of flavors, spices and seasonings to the entire food industry.

A.V. Thomas Group of Companies in India is an 80 year old Agri Business Enterprise with its origins in tea plantations. Over the years the AVT plantation activities were expanded with a crop mix of tea, rubber, coffee, pepper and other spices. AVT expertise of growing, harvesting and exporting “clean spices” and the McCormick understanding of the modern spice processing technology and food safety makes it possible to deliver Quality from Source.

AVT McC offers tailor made spice ingredients to customers who are quality conscious and consumer safety oriented. Over twenty spices that are processed, sterilized & ready to use in whole, cracked, crushed, milled, blended for uniformity, or custom blended spice mixes is available from AVT McC spice range. The company which is situated in Kochi, Kerala, has a turnover of Rs 320 Crores and employs 290 people.

Job Profile:

1. The Opportunity

- The person will be responsible for the international sales performance of AVT McCormick. He / She will report to the Director & CEO Ms. Sushama Srikandath and will be based at Kochi.

- The incumbent will need to nurture existing international clients based in the US, Europe, Australia etc. and also build new clients. Emerging markets such as Africa will be a focus area for new business acquisition. Foreign travel will be necessitated. Demand for spices from customers can be extremely dynamic leading to frequent changes in SKUs ordered. While catering to their needs is priority, the person could also play a role in aligning the customers’ needs to the existing operations scenario at AVT Mc (this can enable better production planning at the factory).

2. Key Responsibilities

- Achieving international sales targets

- Key account management – existing large customers

- New customer acquisition, with a focus on developing emerging markets such as SE Asia, Africa

- Commercial applications – control on pricing on a dynamic basis; contracts finalization

- Peer-to peer collaboration with colleagues in Operations, Finance and other areas to ensure a smooth work environment

- Managing the chain of distributors / representatives in foreign markets

3. Key Competencies:

I. Functional Competencies

1. Knowledge of International market trends with special focus on North America and Food Ingredients.

2. Supports sales teams to implement growth strategy and employ effective territory management techniques across region.

3. Develops and maintains knowledge of customers, industry and business environment and reacts appropriately to changes over time.

4. Understands and addresses geopolitical issues in determining customer strategy.

5. Monitors and develops channel strategy to meet evolving customer needs.

6. Communicates understanding of how our value propositions address customer needs.

II. Behavioral Competencies

a. Builds support from others in situations with no direct authority.

b. Facilitates partnerships across teams and organizations that add value to the business.

c. Translates the change strategy into a workable plan and guides execution of that plan.

d. Establishes and uses systems for internal / external customer relationship management

e. Uses in-depth knowledge of competitors and customer operations/best practices to demonstrate the added value of product and service offerings.

4. Qualification: Graduate with MBA in Sales / Marketing or equivalent qualification in a reputed institute

5. Experience:

- Strong international sales experience especially in North America

- Food industry background mandatory. Spices background will be very useful. Agro-products background can be considered

- Functional exposure to other areas such as planning, QC will be helpful

6. Age: 35 – 40 years

7. Compensation: INR 12 – 16 lacs (not a constraint for the right candidate)

We provide excellent growth opportunities & defined career path for our employees.

Contact - vincentjosephraj@gmail.com