Indirect Channel Account Manager

Shell India Markets Pvt Ltd; Ahmedabad District; On-site; INR 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working hours

Remote/mobile working option

Competitive starting salary and merit-

Paid parental leave

Job summary

Shell India Markets Pvt Ltd is seeking a seasoned sales leader to drive top-line growth through a robust network of distributors. You will recruit, motivate and retain distributors, develop multi-year business plans, and ensure alignment with Shell marketing strategy.

You will monitor performance, coach DSMs, and ensure profitability through value-based selling, pipeline management, and cross-functional collaboration with marketing and technical teams within India.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years of experience in indirect sales, preferably with distributors.
• Demonstrated ability to sell value propositions and achieve business objectives through distributor partnerships.
• Experience in managing distributors as profit centers, including business planning and profitability improvement.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage distributor network to drive top-line growth.
• Align distributors to multi-year business plans with Shell marketing strategy.
• Set targets and monitor performance using CPT and KPIs.
• Provide sales support by engaging Shell functions and field teams.
• Coach and develop Distributor Sales Managers and their teams.

Skills

Indirect sales

Distributor management

Channel sales

Sales analytics

CRM tooling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Marketing/Sales/Engineering

Tools

CRM software

Pipeline Management

Job description

What’s the role

To deliver top line growth by selling Shell CVPs to preferred segments through a network of selected, committed, structured and profitable Distributors, in line with Shell HSSE policy and Shell General Business Principles. To manage all Distributors as profit centres by adding value to their business with a partnership and process driven approach, by creating cross functional business linkages with them, and by making them consider Shell as their preferred business partner

What you’ll be doing

Ensure that Distributors recruit, develop, motivate and retain a sales force that delivers sustainable performance and provide appropriate support for grooming sales of the distributors.

• Ensure implementation and growth of CPT for the territory through usage of tool Pipeline Manager and constructive reviews of the tool with MILO, WILO, DILO.
• Ensure each Distributor is aligned in goal, capability, business focus and capital resources to maximize Shell business and agree a multi-yearly Business Plan that is fully aligned with Shell Marketing strategy and targets, and deliver activities that allow to deliver performance and to develop profitable and sustainable business for both Shell and Distributors.
• Agree, monitor and achieve targets, for both new and existing Distributors and contribute to the overall team performance: Financial performance indicators: Volume, Revenue, Margin, Credit DSO and Controllable Costs Sales Productivity performance indicators: CPT, Business Plan quality, SPANCOP pipeline Strength, Target Delivered, Hit Rate, Cycle Time, Customer Churn, Indirect Channel Efficiency, and Revenue and Margin per Distributor.
• Implement Shell Distributor Value Proposition (DVP) in order to increase Mind Share to Shell from Distributors such like: Provide Sales Support by visiting Distributors key accounts and by engaging all functions in Shell that could help at delivering customer promise.
• Act as business consultant, to efficiently manage relations with the Distributors and to audit/improve financial performance ratios.
• Deliver agreed marketing programs and materials to increase the value to Shell and Distributor through a range of cross-sell, up-sell and new-sell activities.
• Successfully migrate profitable accounts from Shell to Distributors control.
• Ensure linkages with marketing team by implementing Marketing Plan (CVP, Pricing, Brand & Communications campaigns) and by monitoring and reporting market trends and competition initiatives, strengths and weaknesses.
• Develop and maintain good working relationships with all Support Functions to assist sales in resolving complex issues and improve Distributors and Customers satisfaction.
• Link business plans to external alignment and shared vision.
• Review and identifying distributor capability assessment current versus future and developing actions on gap closure.

What we need from you

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in Indirect Sales, preferably within a distributor-led or channel sales environment.
• Proven track record of driving top-line growth through indirect sales channels and distributor networks.
• Demonstrated ability to sell value propositions and achieve business objectives through selected, structured, and profitable distributor partnerships.
• Experience in managing distributors as profit centers, including business planning, performance management, and profitability improvement initiatives.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen with the ability to assess business performance, identify growth opportunities, and improve distributor profitability and return on investment (ROI).
• Proven ability to analyze sales data, conduct business reviews, and develop actionable strategies to improve commercial outcomes.
• Experience in guiding, coaching, and developing Distributor Sales Managers (DSMs) and distributor sales teams to achieve business objectives.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate teams, improve morale, and drive high-performance sales cultures through effective coaching in selling and negotiation techniques.
• Experience in sales pipeline management and sales performance tracking, including the use of CRM or pipeline management tools to drive execution excellence.
• Ability to train and coach distributor sales teams on technical product knowledge, consultative selling, and negotiation skills to improve conversion rates within target sectors.
• Demonstrated experience in working with cross functional teams, including marketing and technical functions, to develop and implement customer value propositions (CVPs) tailored to local market segments.
• Experience supporting and leading strategic customer conversions, including large OEMs, for both initial fill and aftermarket sales opportunities.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to build and maintain long-term distributor relationships through a partnership-driven and process-oriented approach.
• Commitment to upholding Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE) standards and conducting business in accordance with ethical and compliance principles.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, negotiation, and business development skills.

What we offer

• Benefit from flexible working hours, and the possibility of remote/mobile working.
• Perform at your best with a competitive starting salary and annual performance related salary increase – our pay and benefits packages are considered to be among the best in the world.
• Take advantage of paid parental leave, including for non-birthing parents.
• Join an organisation working to become one of the world’s most diverse and inclusive.
• We strongly encourage applicants of all genders, ages, ethnicities, cultures, abilities, sexual orientation, and life experiences to apply.
• Grow as you progress through diverse career opportunities in national and international teams.
• Gain access to a wide range of training and development programmes.

Willingness to relocate to or work in Vadodara or Surat is required.

Shell is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Shell in India Shell is a diversified energy company in India with 13,000 employees, and presence in Integrated Gas, Downstream, Power, Renewable and Upstream. Additionally, we have deep capabilities in R&D, digitalization, and business operations. Our global strategy, Powering Progress, is designed to generate value for our shareholders, customers, and the wider society, and focuses on creating more value with less emissions. The strategy supports our purpose of providing more and cleaner energy solutions, with the aim of profitably transforming Shell into a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050. As India moves towards its target of net-zero emissions by 2070, Shell India aims to play a leading role in securing vital energy for today, while investing in, and helping to build, the energy system of the future through strategic investments in the country. Our Lubricants business serves over 50,000 consumers through a strong network of over 200 distributors, and operates an end-to-end value chain that spans conceptualization, development, and production at a world-class blending plant at Taloja. Through our 350-plus retail stations, we offer an integrated mobility experience including fuels, cafes, and convenience stores, with a prominent network of EV recharging facilities. Shell owns and operates an LNG re-gasification terminal at Hazira, Surat, with a capacity of 5 MTPA and an LNG truck-loading unit that plays a crucial role in helping meet India’s growing demand for gas across sectors. In 2022, Shell acquired Spring Energy in a $1.55 billion deal to build an integrated energy transition business in the country. Spring is a leading renewable energy company in India which develops and manages solar, wind, and hybrid power generation facilities and infrastructure. Our three capability centers across Bangalore and Chennai serve as a technology and innovation powerhouse for Shell globally, working as a delivery engine for core technical, digital, and finance processes: pioneering digital innovation and cutting-edge technologies across the energy sector. We also have strong academic partnerships and collaborations with leading universities and technology institutes to accelerate decarbonization efforts within the energy sector. We are committed to positively contributing to the communities in which we operate through programs on STEM Education, Skilling, and Livelihood across India. We nurture and invest in startups developing initiatives focused on accelerating energy innovation through programs such as Shell E4 and Shell Eco-marathon. We also have strategic investments in new energy companies such as Husk Power, d.light, Orb Energy, and Cleantech Solar.