Area Sales Manager - Perfume & Wellness Firm - IIM/ISB/MDI/FMS (1-5 yrs)

Job Title: Area Sales Manager - Perfume and Wellness Category

Location: Mumbai

Business Unit: Perfumes and Wellness

Educational Qualifications:

- MBA from premier Tier 1 business schools is mandatory.

- Strong academic track record with demonstrated leadership experience during academic or professional tenure.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Sales Strategy & Execution:

- Drive sustainable growth across primary and secondary sales channels, aligned with overall category objectives.

- Formulate and execute territory-specific sales strategies to ensure robust market performance and achievement of revenue targets.

2. Market Development:

- Strategically expand the retail footprint by identifying and unlocking high-opportunity markets.

- Lead trade engagement initiatives to enhance product availability, visibility, and consumer uptake.

3. Distributor & Channel Partner Management:

- Identify, appoint, and manage high-performing distributor partners to ensure consistent supply chain efficiency and commercial compliance.

- Monitor stock movement, order fulfilment, and distributor ROI while enforcing strict adherence to organizational policies and commercial terms.

4. Team Leadership & Capability Building:

- Lead, mentor, and empower a team of front-line sales professionals to exceed individual and collective performance benchmarks.

- Facilitate ongoing capability development through regular coaching, field accompaniment, performance reviews, and training programs.

5. Promotions & Brand Visibility:

- Spearhead execution of trade marketing initiatives, including in-store activations and retailer-specific promotional campaigns.

- Ensure retail excellence by enforcing brand visibility standards and adherence to merchandising guidelines.

6. Retailer Relationship Management:

- Cultivate strong and trust-based relationships with key retailers to enhance brand advocacy and trade loyalty.

- Address and resolve escalated market issues with agility and tact, while capturing critical market intelligence.

7. Market Intelligence & Competitive Benchmarking:

- Proactively track competitor strategies, market dynamics, consumer behavior, and pricing shifts.

- Provide actionable insights to the category team to inform strategic interventions and product enhancements.

8. Reporting & Business Analytics:

- Maintain accurate and comprehensive dashboards capturing sales performance, market feedback, and operational KPIs.

- Deliver structured business reviews to senior leadership, highlighting wins, gaps, and future growth levers.

Candidate Profile:

- Minimum 1+ years of sales leadership experience in FMCG, personal care, or allied consumer product sectors.

- Demonstrated success in managing distributors and complex trade environments across diverse territories.

- Strong interpersonal, negotiation, and communication skills with a strategic and analytical mindset.

- Proven ability to operate independently, drive execution on the ground, and manage multiple stakeholders.

- Willingness to travel extensively within the assigned territory to ensure market presence and execution rigor.