Head of Sales - Middle East & Africa

The Hershey Company; Dubai; On-site; AED 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A global confectionery firm is seeking a Head of Sales – MEA to drive commercial strategies in the Middle East and Africa, particularly focusing on Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The position requires at least 10 years of commercial experience in FMCG, including a minimum of 2.5 years in a sales leadership role. The ideal candidate will lead a sales team, manage distributor networks across multiple markets, and ensure effective execution of growth strategies.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of commercial experience.
• 2.5+ years in a sales leadership role in FMCG.
• Experience managing multi-market distributor networks.

Responsibilities

• Drive sales targets across MEA with a focus on Saudi Arabia and UAE.
• Lead and coach a sales team of 3 direct reports.
• Manage distributor relationships across 10+ markets.

Skills

Commercial experience

Sales leadership

People management

Channel Experience

Distributor Management

Strategic thinking

Negotiation skills

Job description

Role Summary

The Head of Sales – MEA will be responsible for driving Hershey’s commercial agenda across the Middle East and Africa, with a sharp focus on high-priority markets like Saudi Arabia and the UAE. The role will oversee the regional sales team, manage a complex distributor network of over 10 partners, and lead the execution of commercial strategy across all trade channels (Modern Trade, Traditional Trade, E-commerce, and Travel Retail). This is a senior leadership role requiring strong strategic vision, operational excellence, and people leadership to accelerate growth, improve profitability, and enhance Hershey's go-to market execution across the region.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and deliver the MEA region’s sales targets, with a strong focus on Saudi Arabia and UAE.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing sales team of 3 direct reports.
• Manage and optimize distributor relationships across 10+ markets, ensuring effective Joint Business Plans (JBPs), forecasting accuracy, and in-market execution.
• Drive channel-specific growth strategies across Modern Trade, Traditional Trade, E-commerce, and emerging formats.
• Lead annual commercial planning, pricing strategy, trade investment allocation, and market prioritization.
• Collaborate closely with marketing, finance, and supply chain to ensure end-to-end business alignment.
• Monitor KPIs, market share, and competitive trends, adjusting plans as needed to deliver performance.
• Champion RTM (Route-to-Market) optimization and margin accretive growth across priority markets.

Soft Skills & Leadership Traits

• Inspirational leader who develops talent and builds winning teams.
• Collaborative mindset with a strong ability to influence across functions.
• Resilient, agile, and highly adaptable in fast-changing environments.
• Results-driven and highly accountable.

Qualifications and Experience

• Must have at least 10 years of commercial experience
• Must have at least 2. 5 years of experience in a sales leadership role in FMCG
• Must have people management experience
• Must have Channels Exprience (Modern Trade, Traditional Trade, and E-commerce)
• Must have Distributor Management Experience
• Must have Regional Experience (KSA + Dubai or any Middle East Country)
• Must have FMCG Experience
• Must have Full P&L Accountability
• Must be amenable to a hybrid setup of 3 days a week at the office
• Proven track record in managing multi-market distributor networks in the Middle East and / or Africa.
• Strong experience in managing key accounts and channel development across Modern Trade and Traditional Trade.
• Strategic thinker with a strong bias for action and executional excellence.
• Strong commercial acumen, negotiation skills, and financial understanding.
• Experience working in matrix organizations is a plus.