Área Sales Manager

STRATEGIC AND BUSINESS LEADERSHIP

•Responsible in ensuring the achievement of volume and distribution objectives in territory.
•Drive and oversee the execution of Trade, Brand and Key Account initiatives and convey a clear picture of current performance to team members.
•Recommends remedial actions needed for Distribution/Distributor eventual underperformance in own territory.
•Manage the productivity through the control of resources & operational budgets (NBSE budget, including trade specific initiatives).
•Drive implementation of Key Control Check-list within TM&D to minimize level of business risk to the company.
•Develop and maintain a performance TM&D dashboard for own territory.
•Participate in the EMF2 process by ensuring that (1) market objectives are addressed through active participation in the End Market EMF2 planning process and that (2) EMF2 practices are adhered to.
•Evaluate the success of all activities implemented (trade and brand) in the assigned territory versus set objectives within the prescribed timelines.
•Educate and ensure team follows and applies trade merchandising policies and space management practices by channel and outlet type in order to achieve the highest in-store visibility of the key strategic brands.
•Ensure team effectively executes agreed pricing strategies for own area, and pricing communication targets are achieved.
•Ensure market works in accordance to IMS II, corporate guidelines and within local applicable Tobacco Control Act by ensuring all activities and initiatives are signed by CORA and Legal.
•Build and maintain a control environment in line with control guidelines and ensure that all audit action points are addressed OTIF
•Acclimatise and ensure that all activities and process to the trade follow IMP and corporate guidelines, also making sure these are signed off by CORA/Legal.

FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP

•Deliver volume and operating profit targets for territory.
•Custodian of all Distribution related information as well as performance tracking and reporting for respective territory.
•Effectively develop and translate cycle plan initiatives into detailed operational plans to be promptly cascaded to respective teams for execution.
•Collate information at all levels of the Secondary Supply chain (including logistics info e.g. OTIF, shipment, inventory levels) for territory.
•Analyse information and Insights against Key Performance Indicators, and detail to Head of Marketing proposed corrective actions to address any deviation.
•Ensures trade margins in his/her territory as well as RSP at POS are correctly adhered to, and price communication is implemented at all POS.
•Responsible to ensure that monthly audits are performed at all distributor’s depots in his/her territory with regards to Inventory, Returns, Product Freshness and Quality, Sales.
•Drive, manage and evaluate cycle initiatives and respective results together with distributor’s sales manager, proposing ideas for trade activities in own territory with the purpose of improving our relationship with retailers and in the process increase our sales through the distributor’s staff.
•Provide distribution intelligence/analysis for the Marketing Management, as well as the EMF2 process forum.
•Run monthly and quarterly distribution reviews for territory with his/her counterpart at distributor level.
•Develop (with input from HoM), implement, embed and constantly evaluate the Trade Coverage Plan, Brand Coverage Plan, and Territory Management model as well as defined Standard practices for own area of coverage.
•Supervising management of service providers involved in logistic preparation of activities.
•Ensure TM&D objectives (volume and value share, Numeric and Weighted Distribution for key brands, OOS, visibility, pricing culture, and IMS2 compliance) in own territory are addressed OTIF.
•Responsible to ensure that own team achieves trade coverage, visit frequency and outlet visit plan in order to maximise route effectiveness and efficiency.
•Contribute to the development of Account profiles and plans, and drive implementation of Account plans which meet the objectives of TM&D and is in line with trade / brand / price strategy and the needs of the trade in order to achieve the Company objectives.
•Ensures information management within territory is accurate and team captures (in own territory) all outlets’ relevant information into RCS database.
•Manages the concept, allocation and control of merchandising in the territory.
•Drive continuous business improvement in the secondary supply chain to optimise cost efficiencies and effectiveness by means of regular updates and tracking of issues and opportunities in conjunction with the Head of Marketing.

PEOPLE LEADERSHIP

•Develop and manage an effective marketing team (BAT DRs including distributor DRs) through formal and informal coaching, monitoring and training in sales and area coverage techniques (sharing new outlets), to ensure that sales calls and coverage are done more effectively in respective territories.
•Educate the retail trade with regards to product, right placement (planogram), pricing and communication at POS is adhered to.
•Provide support to the trade through regular and accurate communication, problem solving, specialised advice and fair trade.
•Responsible to own and team development with regards to trade marketing initiatives and tools provided by the business.
•Provide leadership in the identification of opportunities and weaknesses in own area, and ensure that issues are addressed in good time through adequate planning.
•Ensure that TM&D team is well trained and motivated in order that trade marketing and distribution representation is superior to the competition in respect of both core and added value services.
•Give recognition for superior performance, Innovation and proactively deal with performance issues.
•Responsible to schedule coaching sessions for members through direct engagement, provide clear and timely feedback on opportunities for development.
•Ensure team members and self complete TalenT (when applicable), have a career and development plan and quarterly reviews are done.
•Accountable to drive Strategic Leadership Agenda’s initiatives within the team.
•Update and keep line manager fully informed at all times of new developments to highlight trends, achievements, competitor’s activity, etc, to allow for opportunities and weaknesses to be addressed in good time through adequate planning within the territory.
•Responsible to setup quarterly individual and/or collective meetings with his/her counterpart at distributor level to guarantee that area targets are achieved.
•Responsible to agree and follow up with distributor’s ASM on his/her territory regarding the combined targets to be achieved as well as respective Key Performance Indicators, and ensure these targets are achieved.
•Ensure team and self build strong understanding/knowledge and relations with internal and external stakeholders to ensure delivery of results.
•Coordinate with CORA and AIT to develop and execute strategies for the management and monitoring of regulation and AIT.
•Implement and establish close working relationships with partners (BAT, distributors, other FMCG, trade and retailers) in order to gain high levels of trade support and loyalty whilst enhancing understanding of the trading environment.
•Keep the team fully informed at all times of objectives, progress and future action plan in order that effective and proactive planning and activities can be implemented.
•Achieve a mutually supportive and beneficial working relationship with the trade by giving assistance and support through regular communication and the prompt handling of problems and requests.

•Business degree in Business Administration/Marketing MBA or any other relevant qualifications.
•Computer Literacy and basic knowledge in MS Office package.
•MXS Intro and TM&D module completed.
•Good spoken and written Portuguese and English proficiency.
•Basic Project Management knowledge, methodology and exposure (PRINCE2 an advantage)
•Familiar with IMP key aspects
6.2 Skills
•Demonstrate good strategic leadership by means of:
-providing direction and focus;
-managing innovation and initiating/managing change; and
-drive to achieve results.
•Demonstrate good people leadership by means of:
-engaging and inspiring when it comes to building relationships; and
-supporting and driving high performance teams by means of talent development.
•Demonstrate good business leadership by means of:
-Leveraging risks and opportunities in every situation; and
-Proactively engaging stakeholders.
•Demonstrated good communication skills written, verbal and interpersonal skills.
•Capacity for independent and rational decision-making
• Ability to lead, motivate and develop a diverse team.
•Good negotiation and influencing skills and capable of obtaining agreement through persuasion
•Planning and selling skills
•Dynamic, innovative, self motivated, team player and proactive
•Ability to work under pressure.
•Good understanding of the EMF II process in an organisation.
•In depth understanding of the consumer and purchasing behaviour.
•Proven track record in expense tracking, budget and internal controls.
•Good negotiation and influencing skills and capable of obtaining agreement through persuasive skills.
•Good knowledge of environmental economy, local culture and retail trade (especially the informal sector).
•Good understanding of the Supply Chain process (especially secondary Supply Chain).
•Understanding of Marketing Research tools and information analysis.
•Ability to engage with high level internal & external partners/stakeholders.
•Proven people leadership skills with ability to motivate, develop and energize team, getting the most out of them in terms of performance deliverables.
•Familiar with legislation and regulations on tobacco
•Experience in operating in difficult and complex environments.