Sr. Key Account Manager - General Trade (GT) & Modern Trade (MT)

Industry: Retail (Home Textile Soft Furnishing)

Department: Sales & Business Development

Reports To: National Sales Head / Business Head

Exp Required: Minimum 7 Years of Experience.

Job Purpose:

To drive revenue growth by managing and expanding the retail distribution network across both General Trade (traditional retail, wholesalers, distributors) and Modern Trade (large format stores, supermarkets, institutional retail chains) for our home textile product lines.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Channel Management & Expansion:

- General Trade: Manage existing distributor networks and recruit new partners to increase retail penetration in assigned territories.

- Modern Trade: Oversee relationships with major retail chains (e.g., Reliance Retail, Lifestyle, Shoppers Stop) and negotiate commercial terms, margins, and space allocation.

- Product Placement: Ensure optimum visibility and stocking of core home textile categories (bedsheets, towels, curtains, blankets) across all formats.

2. Sales Strategy & Revenue Growth:

- Target Achievement: Primary responsibility for achieving monthly, quarterly, and annual sales volume and value targets.

- Market Intelligence: Monitor competitor pricing, product launches, and promotional activities to pivot sales strategies quickly.

- Inventory Control: Forecast demand to ensure optimal stock availability at warehouses and partner outlets, reducing stock-outs or aging inventory.

3. Marketing & Merchandising Execution:

- Visual Merchandising: Collaborate with the marketing team to execute impactful in-store displays and Planograms in Modern Trade stores.

- BTL Activations: Design and implement Below-The-Line (BTL) promotions, scheme rollouts, and trade discounts for GT dealers to boost liquidation.

4. Financial Discipline & Team Leadership:

- Collections: Ensure timely collection of outstanding payments from distributors and strict adherence to credit policies by corporate retail accounts.

- Team Management: Lead, mentor, and track the performance of a field sales team (Area Sales Managers, Sales Executives, and In-Store Promoters).

Required Candidate Profile:

Experience & Education:

- Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or Textile Management (MBA preferred).

- Experience: 5 - 8 years of proven sales experience in the Home Textile or FMCG/FMCD industry.

- Track Record: Minimum 3 years specifically managing both GT and MT channels concurrently.

Key Skills & Competencies:

- Relationship Management: Strong existing network and rapport with major Modern Trade category managers and regional GT distributors.

- Negotiation: Sharp commercial acumen to handle joint business planning (JBP) with large retail accounts.

- Product Knowledge: Deep understanding of fabric types, thread counts, GSM, and textile design trends.

- Analytical Skills: Proficiency in sales data analysis, forecasting tools, and advanced Excel.