Area Sales Manager - General Trade - FMCG

Position Details:

Designation: Area Sales Manager (ASM) - General Trade (GT)

Location: Chennai (Covering Chennai & Upcountry)

Experience: 15-20 Years

Qualification: Minimum Graduate (Regular)

Industry: FMCG - OTC / Personal Care

Key Responsibilities:

• Drive primary and secondary sales across Chennai and Upcountry markets to achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual sales targets.
• Lead, coach, and motivate a team of 45 on-roll Sales Executives to maximize productivity and market coverage.
• Appoint, develop, and manage distributors to ensure efficient distribution and market expansion.
• Increase numeric and weighted distribution by strengthening retailer and wholesaler networks.
• Prepare and execute beat plans, market visit schedules, and sales strategies to improve outlet coverage.
• Monitor sales performance, distributor stock levels, secondary sales, and inventory to avoid stock-outs.
• Ensure effective implementation of trade schemes, promotional activities, visibility initiatives, and merchandising standards.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with distributors, key retailers, wholesalers, and other trade partners.
• Identify new business opportunities and expand market presence in assigned territories.
• Analyze market trends, competitor activities, pricing, and customer feedback, and recommend appropriate action plans.
• Monitor collections, credit control, and distributor financial health to ensure smooth business operations.
• Review team performance regularly and provide training, coaching, and performance feedback.
• Prepare sales reports, forecasts, and business reviews for management.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, sales processes, and reporting systems.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance, and Customer Service teams to ensure seamless execution and customer satisfaction.

Candidate Requirements:

• 1520 years of experience in FMCG Sales (OTC/Personal Care preferred)
• Strong experience in General Trade (GT) channel
• Proven team handling and distributor management experience
• Must be a local candidate from Chennai
• Excellent leadership, planning, and execution skills