Area Sales Manager

Asthamurti Foods; Bhawanipatna; On-site; INR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Asthamurti Foods is seeking an Area Sales Manager to drive growth across FMCG channels, including General Trade and Modern Trade, in assigned areas. You will lead distributors, stockists and retailers, ensuring product availability, merchandising and timely collections.

The role requires strong field leadership, trade marketing execution, and hands-on distribution knowledge. Travel across targeted regions is expected, with focus on expanding coverage and optimizing revenue streams.

Qualifications

• Minimum bachelor's degree in business or related field; MBA/PGDM advantageous.
• Strong FMCG sales experience with channel management exposure.
• Ability to recruit, train and lead field sales teams.
• Experience with distributors, wholesalers and modern trade channels.
• Proficient in Excel, CRM/ERP tools and data-driven sales planning.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and execute sales plans to achieve targets across channels.
• Drive primary/secondary sales through distributors and retailers.
• Identify and onboard channel partners per policy and grow coverage.
• Monitor stock, ageing, near-expiry inventory and credit limits.
• Expand distribution in untapped territories and improve product visibility.
• Develop institutional and modern trade business with hotels, schools, hospitals.
• Lead and coach field sales team with joint market visits and coaching.
• Ensure timely collections and maintain credit discipline.
• Coordinate with production, dispatch and quality for stock issues.
• Prepare forecasts and market feedback to avoid stockouts and losses.

Skills

FMCG sales

Channel management

Trade marketing

Distributors management

Excel

CRM/ERP tools

Team leadership

English

Hindi

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration / Marketing / Commerce

MBA/PGDM in Sales / Marketing

Tools

Excel/Spreadsheets

CRM/ERP tools

Job description

Namaskar Dear, We thank you for expressing interest in joining our team. We value talented individuals like yourself and look forward to the possibility of growing and succeeding together.

We are seeking an Area Sales Manager to drive sales growth, expand distribution, manage channel partners and strengthen retail, institutional, General Trade and Modern Trade presence across assigned areas. The role requires strong FMCG sales experience, team leadership, trade execution, collection discipline and hands-on knowledge of food and beverage distribution.

Key Responsibilities-

• Prepare and execute monthly, quarterly and annual area sales plans to achieve sales, revenue, volume, outlet coverage, SKU mix, new-product placement and collection targets.
• Drive primary and secondary sales through distributors, stockists, wholesalers, general trade, modern trade and institutional/B2B customers.
• Identify, appoint, onboard and develop distributors, super-stockists, wholesalers and other channel partners as per company policy.
• Monitor channel partner sales, stock levels, ageing, near-expiry inventory, returns, damages, claims, credit limits and collection performance.
• Expand numeric and weighted distribution by adding productive retail outlets and improving reach in untapped markets and high-potential territories.
• Ensure product availability, freshness, price compliance, shelf visibility, merchandising, display quality, product facings and replenishment at retail outlets.
• Build strong relationships with retailers, distributors, wholesalers, supermarkets, kirana stores, cafs, bakeries, caterers, hotels, canteens, institutions and other key customers.
• Develop institutional and modern trade business by converting hotels, restaurants, caterers, hospitals, schools, offices, factories and bulk buyers into recurring customers.
• Execute local trade marketing activities, retailer schemes, sampling, demonstrations, promotions, activations, product launches and visibility campaigns within approved budgets.
• Recruit, train, coach, motivate and monitor Sales Executives and other field team members through joint market visits, route audits, performance reviews and on-the-job coaching.
• Ensure timely collections, control overdue receivables and maintain customer accounts within approved credit limits and credit periods.
• Coordinate with production, dispatch, quality and accounts teams to resolve stock, billing, shortage, damage, return, claim and service-related issues.
• Prepare sales forecasts, stock requirements and market feedback to prevent stock-outs, excess inventory and expiry losses.
• Conduct regular market mapping and competitor analysis covering pricing, products, schemes, distribution, consumer preferences and growth opportunities.
• Submit accurate daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly MIS, including sales, collections, stock, outlet coverage, market activities, expenses and team-performance reports.
• Ensure compliance with company policies on pricing, discounts, credit, schemes, expenses, food safety, product handling, documentation and ethical business conduct.

Key Performance Indicators-

• Primary and secondary sales achievement against target
• Net revenue and sales-volume achievement
• Contribution of strategic, high-margin and newly launched SKUs
• Number of new channel partners appointed and activated
• Productive outlet additions and active outlet coverageNumeric and weighted distribution growth
• Product availability and stock-out percentage
• Merchandising, display and visibility compliance score
• Productive calls, beat-plan adherence and field-working discipline
• Collection achievement and overdue outstanding percentage
• Credit-limit and credit-period compliance
• Partner stock cover, inventory ageing and expiry/return losses
• Number of institutional accounts activated and repeat-order rate
• Trade marketing ROI, scheme utilisation and sales uplift
• Team target achievement, coaching days and vacancy closure rate
• Timeliness and accuracy of sales, collection, stock and market MIS
• Compliance with pricing, discounting, credit, expense, documentation and food-safety policies.

Key Result Areas-

The Area Sales Manager will be responsible for achieving sales, revenue, volume, distribution and collection targets within the assigned area. The role will focus on expanding and managing distributors, stockists, retailers, wholesalers, modern trade and institutional customers while ensuring strong product availability, visibility, merchandising and execution in the market.

The ASM will lead and develop the field sales team, drive productive market coverage, improve outlet additions, control receivables and maintain credit discipline. The role will also ensure effective inventory planning, prevention of stock-outs and expiry losses, successful trade promotions and product launches, timely reporting, policy compliance and regular market intelligence to support business growth.

Core Competencies-

• Strong understanding of FMCG sales, primary and secondary sales, retail distribution, outlet coverage and SKU-wise execution.
• Proven ability to manage distributors, stockists, wholesalers, retailers and institutional customers.
• Strong knowledge of general trade, modern trade, channel partner management, merchandising and trade marketing.
• Sound commercial understanding of collections, receivables, credit control, trade margins, schemes and promotional ROI.
• Ability to recruit, lead, coach and motivate field sales teams.
• Strong negotiation, relationship-building and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to analyse area-wise, channel-wise, distributor-wise and SKU-wise sales data.
• Proficiency in Excel/Spreadsheets, CRM, ERP and digital sales-reporting tools.
• Excellent communication skills in English and Hindi; knowledge of Odia or other locally relevant languages will be an advantage.
• High level of integrity, accountability, market orientation and willingness to travel extensively within the assigned area.

Required Qualifications-

• Bachelors degree in business administration, Marketing, Commerce, Management, Food Technology, or a related discipline preferred.
• MBA/PGDM in Sales, Marketing, Rural Management or Business Management will be an advantage.
• Candidates with strong practical FMCG sales experience may be considered even if academic qualifications differ.
• Valid driving licence preferred, depending on areas travel requirements.
• Ability to use digital reporting systems, spreadsheets, email and basic ERP/CRM tools.

Growth Path-

An Area Sales Manager can progress through strong achievement in sales and marketing, distribution expansion, collection discipline and team leadership:

1. Successful ASM can advance to Senior Area Sales Manager then Regional Sales Manager overseeing larger territories and multiple sales teams.

2. With continued strong performances and strategic capabilities, growth can extend to Zonal Sales Manager, National Sales Manager, Head of Sales and ultimately Business Head, Commercial Head with responsibilities for wider sales and marketing strategy, profitability, channels and overall business growth.