Country Sales Manager, Singapore / Brunei / Myanmar

Job Location: ​Singapore​

Company description

Ferrero is a family-owned company with a truly progressive and global outlook and iconic brands such as Nutella®, Tic Tac®, Ferrero Rocher®, Raffaello®, Kinder Bueno® and Kinder Surprise®. As the love for our brands continues to grow, so too does our global reach. Represented in more than 50 countries, with products sold in more than 170, the Ferrero Group is loved by generations around the world. The secret to our global success? 38,767  dedicated employees who celebrate care and quality to craft a business, careers and brands we are proud of. Join us, and you could be one of them.

Diversity Statement

Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all of our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative and highly rewarding.

About the Role:

The role of the Country Sales Manager will lead the direct sales team and distributor relationship to develop and deliver annual business growth plan and channel strategy (visibility and pricing, growth pillars). The position is responsible for establishment of the action plan with key milestones and timeline. It ensures systematic and efficient performance monitoring with clear KPIs to deliver target business results (topline sales, trade spend, market share, stock coverage and freshness). The role will require building up and maintaining a good rapport with distributor and key trade customers.

Main Responsibilities:

• Manage the sales strategy, develop and propose the annual operational sales plan and medium-term sales strategy for the Country
• Ensure development and propose commercial policies, trade terms and customer plans; work on annual and monthly sales activity and marketing support plan
• Develop the national standard of building blocks KPIs by channel / type of POS (distribution, freshness, visibility, consumer price, display)
• Support the development of tools for the strategic development of the retail mix: spaces, exhibits, promotion, POSM, planogram (shelf, off shelf, check out, displays)
• Assess market positioning and support the process of product needs and changes necessary to meet Country sales objectives
• Manage PMT, budget, objectives and sales forecast
• Propose Country sales volume and sales costs for PS/budget and monitor regularly
• Allocate volume target and trade spending to customers and clearly communicate with distributors
• Ensure alignment with business objectives and proper management of budget (reach targets on trade spending, returns, profits)
• Coordinate with the distributor the implementation of the  sales plan in the Country, ensuring the achievement of sales volume and growth objectives
• Monitor continuously the Country marketplace and Customers' performance to determine possible market opportunities and improvement of market penetration
• Assure Ferrero Brands are marketed or introduced in the Country in accordance with Company policies to obtain maximum profitability, assure alignment and knowledge transfer to distributors
• Support Distributors in managing negotiations with major customers to ensure implementation of the Ferrero guidelines, in presentation of the activities plan and the trade budget to main customers
• Manage distributors to ensure achievement of the sales targets (building blocks KPIs)and manage application of key account agreements (if any)
• Ensure payment to Ferrero, follow up credits and assure the information flow from distributor on sales and expenses
• Propose the optimal sales force structure in terms of headcount, dedicated vs shared reps, roles and location
• Monitor field activities, performances and accomplishment of sales conditions, agreements, relevant building blocks KPIs and the customers’ profitability and regularly and clearly communicate to the General Manager
• Ensure stock management and control; propose actions to solve over-stocks and out-of-stock situation
• Control the Trade spending through the approval of the PO
• Ensure all agreed reports are provided timely and accurately
• Implement brand and trade marketing strategies, regularly feedback on opportunities and obstacles
• Make proposals to Trade Marketing on new types of POS Material and in-store activities
• Share with Marketing and Trade Marketing the local best practices results to be converted into sales stories for other activities and countries
• Manage the team and get actively involved in recruitment, performance management and team development through coaching

Who we are looking for:

• University degree, preferably in Business related programme
• Strong professional experience in multinational FMCG sales and trade marketing, category management experience is considered a strong plus
• Experience in SPF category (sweet packaged food) is an advantage
• Strong analytical, negotiation and leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Proactiveness, dynamism, strategic mindset, openness to challenges and good change management
• Strong sense of mutuality and empathy, respectful partnership attitude
• Advanced people management skills, previous experience in leadership role is required
• Knowledge of MS Office tools, SAP experience is a plus
• Fluency in English, written and spoken; fluency in Chinese is a plus

How to be successful in the role and at Ferrero:

We encourage all our people to think creatively to set personal targets and objectives and push new, better ways to work. Employee contribution and engagement at Ferrero is based on the individual, team and organization dimension, so should have the ability to work independently, as a part of the team and be able to build proper relations with stakeholders at all levels. A demonstrable consumer-focused attitude and autonomy in managing relationships will help you in building your position among stakeholders and achieving expected sales outcomes.