Area Sales Manager - General Trade

Randstad Malaysia; West Coast Division; On-site; MYR 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Randstad Malaysia is seeking a Regional Sales Manager based in Sabah to own the region's commercial growth, scale distributor networks, and recruit and lead a dedicated local sales team.

You will focus on expanding Local Key Accounts (LKA) and General Trade (GT) channels, optimizing distributor networks, and delivering revenue and volume targets for Sabah.

Qualifications

• 4–8 years of commercial sales experience in FMCG.
• 3+ years in leadership or regional management.
• East Malaysia LKA and GT distributor experience.

Responsibilities

• Formulate and execute regional commercial strategies to grow Sabah.
• Manage distributors to optimize route-to-market and inventory flow.
• Expand LKA and GT listings across Sabah.
• Recruit and lead a high-performing regional sales team.
• Manage trade spend and achieve revenue targets.

Skills

FMCG sales

Leadership

Account management

Negotiation

Distributor networks

Education

Bachelor Degree

Job description

about the company

Our client is a fast-growing, dynamic manufacturer and distributor in the FMCG food sector. Known for their high-demand product portfolio and aggressive market expansion, they are scaling their footprint across East Malaysia. To spearhead their commercial operations, drive market penetration, and build a local commercial team in Sabah, they are seeking a high-caliber Regional Sales Manager.

about the job

Based in Sabah, you will take full strategic and operational ownership of the region’s commercial growth. You will focus on scaling distribution depth across Local Key Accounts (LKA) and General Trade (GT) channels, optimizing distributor networks, and recruiting and leading a dedicated local sales team to expand overall market reach.

Key Responsibilities:

• Territory Expansion & Strategy: Formulate and execute regional commercial strategies to penetrate and scale the brand's presence across Sabah.
• Distributor Management: Manage, evaluate, and partner with regional third-party distributors to ensure optimal route-to-market execution, inventory flow, and target delivery.
• Network & Account Growth: Leverage existing industry relationships to secure new listings and expand numeric distribution across Local Key Accounts (LKA) and General Trade (GT) outlets.
• Team Building & Leadership: Recruit, structure, mentor, and manage a high-performing regional sales team to ensure strong on-ground commercial coverage.
• Commercial Performance: Manage trade spend, optimize promotional ROI, and deliver monthly and annual revenue and volume targets for the territory.

requirements

• Minimum 4–8 years of commercial sales experience within the FMCG Food Industry, with at least 3 years in a leadership or regional management capacity.
• Extensive experience managing both Local Key Accounts (LKA) and General Trade (GT) distributor networks in East Malaysia.
• Established, active network with major local retail buyers, wholesalers, and key distributors across Sabah.
• Proven track record in hiring, building, and developing a sales team from the ground up.
• Strategic thinker with a strong "hunter" mindset, exceptional negotiation skills, and high commercial drive.

skills

no additional skills required

qualifications

no additional qualifications required

education

Bachelor Degree