About the position
A leading company in the nicotine and tobacco industry is looking for an experienced Regional Sales Manager with strong experience in regional sales leadership, key account management and FMCG distribution to join their team in the Eastern Cape. The successful candidate will be responsible for driving regional revenue growth, managing major retail and forecourt accounts, developing independent and wholesale trade, and leading a geographically dispersed field sales team across the Eastern Cape and Garden Route.
This is a high-ownership, hands-on regional role requiring a proven track record of measurable sales growth, strong commercial acumen and the ability to operate strategically while remaining closely involved in field execution and key customer relationships.
Responsibilities:
- Own regional 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 through prospecting, pitching and closing new accounts.
- Track competitor activity, pricing and range within the region and respond appropriately.
- Own and grow relationships with major retail key accounts, including SPAR, Pick n Pay and Shoprite.
- Negotiate ranging, promotional and trading execution at regional buyer / regional manager level.
- Ensure key accounts are serviced to a high standard, including availability, compliance, share of shelf and relationship depth.
- Resolve account escalations and disputes professionally and efficiently.
- Drive volume and distribution growth through independent trade and wholesale channels.
- Build relationships with wholesalers and independent retailers to secure ranging and repeat orders.
- Maintain pricing, credit and stock discipline across independent and wholesale accounts.
- Lead, manage, coach and develop the regional field sales team, representatives and merchandisers.
- Set individual and team targets, conduct performance reviews, coaching and field accompaniments.
- Manage performance and address underperformance constructively.
- Build a disciplined, high-performance regional sales culture focused on results and execution.
- Recruit and onboard new sales team members as required.
- Maximise call coverage and route efficiency across the geographically spread territory.
- Ensure optimal product ranging, availability and visibility across all trade channels.
- Monitor sell-through, stock holding and returns across the regional account base.
- Uphold in-store execution and merchandising standards through audits and field activity.
- Produce accurate weekly and monthly regional sales reports.
- Provide reliable regional forecasts to support production planning and stock allocation.
- Track and report on KPIs including revenue, coverage, new accounts, key account growth and debtor performance.
- Work with Finance on credit risk and debtor discipline.
- Collaborate with Marketing on regional promotional calendars and trade activation.
- Partner with Operations on product availability, lead times and fulfilment.
- Deliver measurable regional revenue growth, new account acquisition, key account growth, independent and wholesale growth, call coverage and in-trade execution.
Requirements:
Non-Negotiable Requirements:
- Relevant tertiary qualification – BCom in Marketing, Sales or Business Management, NDip or equivalent.
- Minimum 5 years' FMCG sales experience.
- Minimum 5 years' experience in regional sales management or senior key account management.
- Proven responsibility for growing annual regional revenue of R18 million or more.
- Proven track record of delivering measurable sales growth, with specific and quantified results and clear evidence of the actions personally taken to achieve them.
- Experience managing a large, geographically spread sales territory across multiple provinces / regions.
- Experience directly managing 5 or more field sales / merchandising team members.
- Direct experience personally managing major retail key accounts, including SPAR, Pick n Pay and/or Shoprite, at buyer or regional decision-maker level.
- Experience managing and growing major forecourt group accounts.
- Demonstrated ability to drive measurable growth in independent trade and wholesale channels.
- Proven experience opening new accounts and growing a customer base from scratch.
- Experience directly managing and leading a field sales team, rather than only coordinating or supervising.
- Experience setting targets, conducting performance reviews and formally managing underperformance.
- Direct experience in FMCG, consumer goods or distribution.
- Experience managing accounts across retail, wholesale, forecourt and independent trade.
- Strong commercial understanding of margin, pricing, trading terms and their impact on profitability.
- Comfortable working with sales data, building regional forecasts and presenting to senior leadership.
- Experience producing weekly or monthly sales performance reports.
- Comfortable operating at both strategic and hands-on field level.
- Valid driver's licence.
- Own reliable vehicle.
- Willingness and ability to travel extensively across the Eastern Cape and Garden Route.
- Based in the Eastern Cape or willing to relocate to the region before the start date.
Preferred Requirements:
- Experience in the nicotine, vaping, tobacco or regulated consumer goods category.
- Established buyer and trade relationships across the Eastern Cape and Garden Route.
- Experience managing distributor or sub-distributor relationships in the region.
- Experience working in a business scaling through growth.
- Experience launching new products into trade, including 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.
- Experience recruiting and onboarding new sales staff.
- Experience working with Finance to manage credit risk, debtors or payment terms.
- Proven ability to turn around an underperforming team member or territory.
Benefits:
Contact Hire Resolve for your next career-changing move.
Apply for this role today, contact Abigail King at Hire Resolve or on LinkedIn.
You can also visit the Hire Resolve website: [URL Removed] or email us your CV: [Email Address Removed].com
We will contact you telephonically in 3 days should you be suitable for this vacancy. If you are not suitable, we will put your CV on file and contact you regarding any future vacancies that arise.
Desired Skills:
- Regional Sales Manager
- Regional Sales Manager
- Regional Sales Manager
