Program Manager – Chennai/Bangalore

Talent Linked Consultancy; Bengaluru, Chennai District; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Talent Linked Consultancy in India is seeking a strategic Program Manager to support the Regional Head for Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, driving growth across 2000+ portfolio. The role spans program management and operational excellence with travel across Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

You will lead regional initiatives, coordinate with category teams, and monitor performance dashboards for sales, margins, and customer metrics, while preparing executive reviews and strategic recommendations.

Qualifications

• MBA from a recognized institution with strong academic credentials.
• 5-8 years of experience in retail operations, business consulting, program management, or category management.
• Prior experience in pharmacy retail, FMCG retail, or organized retail chains is highly preferred.
• Strong proficiency in business analytics tools (Advanced Excel, PowerPoint, SQL/Tableau/Power BI preferred).
• Demonstrated experience in managing multi-stakeholder projects and driving business outcomes.
• Strategic thinking with strong execution capabilities.
• Data-driven decision making and analytical rigour.
• Excellent communication skills in English, Tamil and Kannada preferred.
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.
• Strong business acumen across retail operations and category management.
• Stakeholder management and influence without authority.
• Understanding of South Indian retail consumer behaviour and competitive landscape.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Initiative Management across regional stores.
• Drive implementation of central & state cross functional initiatives with operations leaders.
• Lead regional growth programs with Pharma, Generics, FMCG, and Private Labels; monitor performance.
• Monitor and report regional dashboards covering sales, margins, inventory turnover, and customer metrics.
• Conduct deep-dive analysis on underperforming stores/categories.
• Generate insights from competitive intelligence in metro markets to inform strategy.
• Track ROI of regional initiatives and recommend course corrections.
• Act as bridge between regional leadership and store operations; ensure seamless execution of strategies.
• Run surveys to check SOPs, merchandising standards, and customer service benchmarks.
• Coordinate with cluster managers to resolve bottlenecks and scale best practices.
• Prepare executive presentations, business reviews, and strategic recommendations for leadership meetings.
• Collaborate with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka state teams to leverage synergies.

Skills

MBA

Retail operations

Program management

Multi-stakeholder leadership

Analytics tools

English

Tamil

Kannada

SQL

Tableau/Power BI

Excel

Education

MBA (retail/management)

Tools

SQL

Tableau

Power BI

Excel

Job description

Chennai/Bangalore, India | Posted on 04/14/2026

Position: Program Manager

Location: Chennai/Bangalore (with travel across Tamil Nadu and Karnataka)

Experience: 5-8 years

About the Role:

We are seeking a strategic and execution-focused professional to support the Regional Head for Tamil Naduand Karnataka in driving business growth across 2000+ diverse portfolio. This role combines strategic program management with operational excellence, serving as the growth catalyst for one of our most mature and competitive markets.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Initiative Management

Drive implementation of central & state cross functional initiatives across the stores in Tamil Nadu & Karnataka , the candidate will be primarily responsible for implementation of the initiatives in close coordination with operations leaders.

Apart from central initiatives, lead regional growth programs in close coordination with category teams for Pharma, Generics, FMCG, and Private Labels and continuously monitor performance.

Business Analytics & Performance Tracking

Monitor and report regional performance dashboards covering sales, margins, inventory turnover, and customer metrics.

Conduct deep-dive analysis on underperforming stores/categories.

Generate insights from competitive intelligence in metro markets ( Chennai, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Mysore ) to inform strategy.

Track and report on ROI of regional initiatives and recommend course corrections.

Operational Excellence

Act as the bridge between regional leadership and store operations, ensuring seamless execution of strategies.

Run surveys and dipsticks to check compliance with SOPs, merchandising standards, and customer service benchmarks.

Coordinate with cluster managers to resolve operational bottlenecks and scale best practices within the region.

Manage regional calendar including store launches, promotional campaigns, and leadership reviews.

Stakeholder Management

Serve as the primary point of contact for the Regional Head, managing schedules, priorities, and critical communications.

Facilitate collaboration between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka state teams to leverage synergies.

Prepare executive presentations, business reviews, and strategic recommendations for leadership meetings.

Build strong relationships with central teams (category, supply chain, HR, finance) to drive regional agenda.

Required Qualifications:

MBA from a recognized institution with strong academic credentials

5-8 years of experience in retail operations, business consulting, program management, or category management.

Prior experience in pharmacy retail, FMCG retail, or organized retail chains is highly preferred.

Strong proficiency in business analytics tools (Advanced Excel, PowerPoint, SQL/Tableau/Power BI preferred)

Demonstrated experience in managing multi-stakeholder projects and driving business outcomes.

Strategic thinking with strong execution capabilities.

Data-driven decision making and analytical rigour.

Excellent communication skills in English , Tamil and Kannada preferred.

Ability to thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments.

Strong business acumen across retail operations and category management.

Stakeholder management and influence without authority.

Understanding of South Indian retail consumer behaviour and competitive landscape.

What Makes This Role Unique:

Tamil Nadu and Karnataka represent most established markets with intense competition

from regional and national players. This role offers exposure to sophisticated retail operations, diverse urban

and semi-urban markets, and the opportunity to drive innovation in a mature region while working with seasoned

retail leadership.

Organization is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.