Rice Division | West Africa

Position: Regional Sales Manager

Location: West Africa (Nigeria / Ghana / Cameroon)

Reporting To: Country / Cluster Head, Rice Division

Experience: 58 Years

Education: MBA / PGDM from a Premier B-School (Tier 1)

Industry: FMCG / Food & Beverages / Agri-Commodities

Employment Type: Full-Time | Permanent

Role Purpose:

The Regional Sales Manager will be the primary commercial driver for bulk rice portfolio across assigned West African territories. The incumbent will own regional revenue targets, develop go-to-market strategies, manage a high-performing field sales team, and build deep relationships with distributors, wholesalers, and modern trade partners. This is a high-impact, P&L-influencing role requiring a blend of FMCG rigour and on-ground market intuition.

Key Responsibilities:

Sales Strategy & Revenue Delivery:

- Own and deliver monthly, quarterly, and annual revenue, volume, and market share targets for the assigned region.

- Develop territory-level sales plans aligned to the division's commercial strategy and brand priorities.

- Identify and unlock growth opportunities with a primary focus on General Trade (GT) kirana/mom-and-pop stores, wholesale markets, and sub-stockists.

- Drive numeric distribution expansion and in-market execution quality across all SKUs.

Distributor & Channel Management:

- Appoint, manage, and develop a robust network of primary and secondary distributors across the region.

- Set and monitor distributor targets; drive joint business planning with key trade partners.

- Ensure optimal trade inventory levels, replenishment cycles, and credit management in coordination with Finance.

- Build structured coverage models to improve last-mile reach in urban, semi-urban, and rural geographies.

Team Leadership:

- Lead, coach, and inspire a team of Area Sales Managers and Sales Representatives across the region.

- Set performance KPIs, conduct regular field accompaniments, and drive capability development.

Trade Marketing & Execution:

- Partner with Marketing to execute in-market activations, consumer promotions, and visibility drives.

- Ensure adherence to planogram standards, branding guidelines, and scheme implementation at the trade level.

- Track competitive activity and provide regular market intelligence inputs to the leadership team.

Reporting & Analytics:

- Maintain accurate sales data, forecast models, and MIS reports for senior leadership review.

- Use data analytics to identify performance gaps and course-correct in real time.

- Present periodic business reviews, highlighting wins, challenges, and strategic priorities.

Candidate Profile:

Educational Qualification:

- MBA / PGDM from a Premier B-School IIMs, XLRI, ISB, MDI, SPJIMR, FMS, or equivalent Tier 1 institution.

- Bachelor's degree in Business, Commerce, Agriculture, or a related discipline.

Experience:

- 58 years of progressive sales experience, with at least 3 years in a field sales leadership role.

- Mandatory background in FMCG food, beverages, staples, or packaged goods strongly preferred.

- Demonstrated success managing distributors and channel partners across General Trade ecosystems in high-complexity, price-sensitive markets.

- Strong understanding of General Trade dynamics beat planning, route-to-market design, stockist management, and outlet-level execution.

Competencies & Skills:

- Deep expertise in General Trade (GT) sales proven ability to drive coverage, visibility, and offtake through kirana, wholesale, and sub-distributor networks.

- Excellent negotiation, influencing, and relationship-building skills with trade partners.

- People leadership capability experience building and motivating distributed field teams.

- Data-driven mindset with proficiency in sales analytics, forecasting, and reporting tools.

- High adaptability and resilience; comfortable operating in dynamic, frontier market conditions.