Regional Sales Manager - FMCG Sales and Distribution

Job Position: Regional Sales Manager - FMCG Sales and Distribution

Ref: 5263

Location: PE/Gqeberha

Salary: R30 000 to R45 000 per month commensurate with qualification and experience + quarterly incentive on KPI, fuel allowance and cellphone

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Essential/non-negotiable:

• Extensive regional travel across the territory required; valid driver's licence and own reliable vehicle
• Minimum 5 years regional sales management or senior key account management experience in FMCG
• Proven track record of delivering sales growth – must be able to evidence with numbers and explain specifically what they did to achieve it
• Demonstrated ability to lead and perform under pressure managing a large, geographically spread territory (must be evidenced from a past role)
• Direct experience managing major retail key accounts – SPAR, Pick n Pay and/or Shoprite – at buyer or regional decision-maker level
• Experience selling into and growing all major forecourt groups
• Strong, demonstrable results in independent trade and wholesale channels
• Experience managing and leading a field sales team – not just individual contributor experience
• Commercially astute – understands margin, pricing, trading terms and their profit impact
• Data-literate – comfortable interpreting sales data, building regional forecasts and reporting to senior leadership
• Relevant qualification – BCom (Marketing / Sales / Business Management), NDip or equivalent

Preferred/advantageous experience:

• Established buyer and trade relationships across the Eastern Cape and Garden Route
• Experience managing distributor or sub-distributor relationships in-region
• Experience in a business scaling through growth – not just steady-state management
• Experience launching new products into trade – ranging, pricing and promotional support
• Exposure to CRM / ERP systems for pipeline, coverage and account management
• Experience managing a team spread across multiple provinces or territories

Key Performance Areas:

• Region covered: the Eastern Cape, including the Garden Route

Regional Sales Strategy and Revenue Growth:

• Own the region's sales targets and revenue performance across all channels and provinces
• Build and execute territory plans across the Eastern Cape, including the Garden Route
• Identify and pursue growth opportunities across retail, wholesale, forecourt and independent trade
• Drive new business – prospecting, pitching and closing new accounts across the region
• Track competitor activity, pricing and range in-region and respond quickly to protect position

Key Account Management:

• Own and grow relationships with regional key accounts – SPAR, Pick n Pay, Shoprite and all forecourt groups
• Negotiate ranging, promotional and trading execution at Regional Buyer / Regional Manager level
• Ensure key accounts are serviced to the highest standard – availability, compliance, share of shelf and relationship depth
• Resolve account escalations and disputes quickly and professionally

Independent Trade and Wholesale:

• Drive volume and distribution growth through independent trade and wholesale across the region
• Build direct relationships with wholesalers and independent retailers to secure ranging and repeat orders
• Ensure pricing, credit and stock discipline is maintained across independent and wholesale accounts

Regional Team Leadership:

• Lead, manage and develop the regional field sales team, reps and merchandisers
• Set clear individual and team targets, run regular performance reviews, coaching and field accompaniments
• Drive accountability – recognise strong performance and address underperformance quickly and constructively
• Build a disciplined, high-performance regional sales culture focused on results and execution
• Recruit and onboard new team members as the region scales

Coverage, Distribution and In-Trade Execution:

• Maximise call coverage and route efficiency across a large, geographically spread territory
• Ensure optimal product ranging, availability and visibility across all trade channels in-region
• Monitor sell-through, stock holding and returns across the regional account base
• Uphold in-store execution and brand standards through disciplined merchandising and audits

Reporting, Forecasting and Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Produce accurate weekly and monthly regional sales reports for the National Sales Manager
• Provide reliable regional forecasts to support production planning and stock allocation
• Track and report against KPI’s – revenue, coverage, new accounts, key account growth and debtor performance
• Work with Finance on credit risk and debtor discipline within the region's account base
• Collaborate with Marketing on regional promotional calendars and trade activation
• Partner with Operations on availability, lead times and fulfilment for regional accounts

Essential/non-negotiable:

• Extensive regional travel across the territory required; valid driver's licence and own reliable vehicle
• Minimum 5 years regional sales management or senior key account management experience in FMCG
• Proven track record of delivering sales growth – must be able to evidence with numbers and explain specifically what they did to achieve it
• Demonstrated ability to lead and perform under pressure managing a large, geographically spread territory (must be evidenced from a past role)
• Direct experience managing major retail key accounts – SPAR, Pick n Pay and/or Shoprite – at buyer or regional decision-maker level
• Experience selling into and growing all major forecourt groups
• Strong, demonstrable results in independent trade and wholesale channels
• Experience managing and leading a field sales team – not just individual contributor experience
• Commercially astute – understands margin, pricing, trading terms and their profit impact
• Data-literate – comfortable interpreting sales data, building regional forecasts and reporting to senior leadership
• Relevant qualification – BCom (Marketing / Sales / Business Management), NDip or equivalent

Preferred/advantageous experience:

• Established buyer and trade relationships across the Eastern Cape and Garden Route
• Experience managing distributor or sub-distributor relationships in-region
• Experience in a business scaling through growth – not just steady-state management
• Experience launching new products into trade – ranging, pricing and promotional support
• Exposure to CRM / ERP systems for pipeline, coverage and account management
• Experience managing a team spread across multiple provinces or territories

Key Performance Areas:

• Region covered: the Eastern Cape, including the Garden Route

Regional Sales Strategy and Revenue Growth:

• Own the region's sales targets and revenue performance across all channels and provinces
• Build and execute territory plans across the Eastern Cape, including the Garden Route
• Identify and pursue growth opportunities across retail, wholesale, forecourt and independent trade
• Drive new business – prospecting, pitching and closing new accounts across the region
• Track competitor activity, pricing and range in-region and respond quickly to protect position

Key Account Management:

• Own and grow relationships with regional key accounts – SPAR, Pick n Pay, Shoprite and all forecourt groups
• Negotiate ranging, promotional and trading execution at Regional Buyer / Regional Manager level
• Ensure key accounts are serviced to the highest standard – availability, compliance, share of shelf and relationship depth
• Resolve account escalations and disputes quickly and professionally

Independent Trade and Wholesale:

• Drive volume and distribution growth through independent trade and wholesale across the region
• Build direct relationships with wholesalers and independent retailers to secure ranging and repeat orders
• Ensure pricing, credit and stock discipline is maintained across independent and wholesale accounts

Regional Team Leadership:

• Lead, manage and develop the regional field sales team, reps and merchandisers
• Set clear individual and team targets, run regular performance reviews, coaching and field accompaniments
• Drive accountability – recognise strong performance and address underperformance quickly and constructively
• Build a disciplined, high-performance regional sales culture focused on results and execution
• Recruit and onboard new team members as the region scales

Coverage, Distribution and In-Trade Execution:

• Maximise call coverage and route efficiency across a large, geographically spread territory
• Ensure optimal product ranging, availability and visibility across all trade channels in-region
• Monitor sell-through, stock holding and returns across the regional account base
• Uphold in-store execution and brand standards through disciplined merchandising and audits

Reporting, Forecasting and Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Produce accurate weekly and monthly regional sales reports for the National Sales Manager
• Provide reliable regional forecasts to support production planning and stock allocation
• Track and report against KPI’s – revenue, coverage, new accounts, key account growth and debtor performance
• Work with Finance on credit risk and debtor discipline within the region's account base
• Collaborate with Marketing on regional promotional calendars and trade activation
• Partner with Operations on availability, lead times and fulfilment for regional accounts

R30 000 to R45 000 per month commensurate with qualification and experience + quarterly incentive on KPI, fuel allowance and cellphone