Regional Sales Manager

Pro-Match Recruitment; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

Pro-Match Recruitment is seeking an experienced Regional Sales Manager to drive revenue growth across Gauteng and surrounding provinces within the FMCG sector. You will own regional targets, develop territory strategies and lead a high-performing field team.

The role requires strong relationships with major retailers, wholesalers and forecourt groups, plus proven ability to expand distribution, manage accounts and deliver field execution across diverse channels.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in regional FMCG sales leadership across multiple provinces.
• Strong channel development and key account management.
• Excellent negotiation and leadership skills.

Responsibilities

• Own regional sales target and revenue growth across Gauteng and neighboring provinces.
• Develop territory plans and drive distribution in stores and wholesale channels.
• Lead regional sales team and coaching sessions.
• Manage key accounts including major retailers and forecourt groups.
• Forecast revenue and monitor performance against targets.
• Collaborate with marketing, logistics and finance to ensure execution.

Skills

FMCG sales leadership

Channel management

Key account management

Territory planning

Negotiation skills

Team leadership

Job description

Key Responsibilities

Regional Sales Strategy & Revenue Growth

• Own the regional sales target and overall revenue performance across Gauteng, North West, Free State, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
• Develop and execute clear territory sales strategies for each province and channel.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for revenue, volume and distribution growth.
• Drive new business through prospecting, presentations, negotiations and account acquisition.
• Develop plans to increase customer penetration and product distribution across the region.
• Monitor competitor activity, pricing, product ranges and market developments.
• Respond quickly to competitive threats and changing market conditions.
• Identify underperforming territories and accounts and implement corrective sales strategies.

Key Account Management

• Own and grow relationships with major regional key accounts, including SPAR, Pick n Pay, Shoprite and forecourt groups.
• Develop strong relationships with regional buyers, managers and commercial decision-makers.
• Negotiate regional ranging, promotional activity and trading execution within agreed commercial parameters.
• Drive increased product distribution, availability and visibility within key accounts.
• Monitor account performance and identify opportunities for additional listings, ranges and volume.
• Ensure key accounts receive a consistently high level of service.
• Resolve customer escalations, disputes and commercial issues quickly and professionally.
• Build long-term customer relationships that support sustainable regional growth.

Independent Trade & Wholesale

• Drive sales volume and distribution growth across independent retailers and wholesalers.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with independent trade customers.
• Identify new wholesale and independent account opportunities.
• Increase product ranging and repeat ordering across the customer base.
• Develop plans to increase average order value and customer frequency.
• Ensure pricing, credit and stock discipline is maintained.
• Monitor account activity and take corrective action where customer performance declines.

Regional Team Leadership

• Lead, manage and develop the regional sales representatives, key account representatives and merchandisers.
• Set clear individual, channel and team sales targets.
• Establish clear expectations around activity, coverage, distribution and execution.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and one-on-one coaching sessions.
• Conduct field accompaniments and provide practical coaching to sales representatives.
• Monitor individual and team performance against targets.
• Recognise high performance and create a culture of accountability.
• Address underperformance quickly and constructively.
• Develop a disciplined, motivated and high-performance regional sales culture.
• Recruit and onboard additional sales team members as the region grows.
• Develop succession capability and strengthen the overall quality of the regional team.

Territory Coverage, Distribution & In-Trade Execution

• Maximise customer call coverage and route efficiency across the geographically dispersed region.
• Ensure sales representatives are focusing time on the highest-value opportunities.
• Drive product ranging and distribution across all relevant channels.
• Improve product availability and visibility in the market.
• Monitor sell-through, stock holding, returns and customer ordering patterns.
• Ensure consistent merchandising and in-store execution.
• Conduct regular field visits and execution audits.
• Identify gaps in distribution, ranging and availability and implement corrective action.
• Ensure promotional activity is executed correctly and measured in the field.
• Maintain strong execution standards across all provinces.

Sales Forecasting & Reporting

• Prepare accurate weekly and monthly regional sales reports for the National Sales Manager.
• Provide reliable sales forecasts to support stock planning, production and distribution.
• Monitor revenue, volume, customer activity and sales pipeline performance.
• Track regional performance against monthly, quarterly and annual targets.
• Identify risks to target achievement early and implement corrective action.
• Provide accurate information on new business opportunities and pipeline development.
• Provide relevant market intelligence and competitor insights to national management.

Debtor & Commercial Discipline

• Work closely with Finance to manage regional debtor performance.
• Monitor overdue accounts and ensure sales teams understand credit requirements.
• Address customer payment issues before they materially affect sales.
• Ensure representatives maintain appropriate pricing and commercial discipline.
• Escalate significant credit or commercial risks to the appropriate management level.
• Balance revenue growth with responsible customer and debtor management.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Marketing on regional promotions, trade activations and campaigns.
• Partner with Operations to ensure stock availability and reliable fulfilment.
• Communicate regional demand and customer requirements to the relevant internal teams.
• Work with Logistics to address delivery issues affecting customer service.
• Collaborate with Finance on credit, pricing and debtor matters.
• Ensure cross-functional issues affecting sales are identified and resolved quickly.

Key Performance Indicators

• Regional Revenue Growth: Month-on-month and year-on-year revenue performance against target.
• New Account Acquisition: Number of new active accounts opened per quarter, measured by channel.
• Key Account Growth: Revenue and volume growth across SPAR, Pick n Pay, Shoprite and forecourt groups.
• Independent & Wholesale Growth: Growth in active independent and wholesale accounts, revenue and average order value.
• Call Coverage: Active customer coverage against the addressable customer base.
• Distribution Growth: Increase in active customers and product distribution across the region.
• In-Trade Execution: Product availability, ranging compliance, merchandising and share of shelf across audited outlets.
• Forecast Accuracy: Variance between regional sales forecasts and actual revenue.
• Debtor Performance: Reduction and control of overdue regional accounts.
• Sales Pipeline: Value and quality of new business opportunities being actively developed.
• Team Performance: Achievement of individual and collective sales targets.
• Team Productivity: Sales activity, customer coverage and revenue productivity across the regional field team.

Minimum Requirements

• Proven experience in a Regional Sales Manager, Area Sales Manager or equivalent senior FMCG sales leadership position.
• Strong FMCG sales and distribution experience.
• Proven track record of achieving and exceeding sales targets.
• Demonstrable history of delivering measurable regional sales growth.
• Experience managing geographically dispersed field sales teams.
• Proven ability to lead, coach and hold sales representatives accountable.
• Strong key account management experience.
• Experience working with major retail, wholesale, forecourt and independent trade customers.
• Strong business development and new-account acquisition experience.
• Strong commercial negotiation skills.
• Experience managing customer relationships at buyer and regional management level.
• Strong understanding of territory planning, customer coverage and sales execution.
• Strong forecasting, reporting and analytical capabilities.
• Experience managing debtor and credit-related issues within a sales environment.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Valid driver’s licence.
• Own reliable vehicle.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively throughout the Inland region.
• Must be based in Gauteng or willing to relocate before commencement.

Preferred Experience

• Experience managing a multi-province sales territory.
• Experience across Gauteng, North West, Free State, Mpumalanga and/or Limpopo.
• Experience in a fast-growing, founder-led or entrepreneurial FMCG business.
• Experience in the nicotine, vaping, tobacco or regulated consumer goods category.
• Experience managing large retail and forecourt groups.
• Strong existing relationships with regional buyers and independent wholesalers.
• Proven experience turning around an underperforming territory or sales team.
• Experience building a regional sales operation during a period of rapid growth.

Personal Attributes

• Highly results-driven and commercially focused.
• Strong leadership presence.
• Confident and credible when dealing with customers, buyers and sales teams.
• Highly accountable and takes ownership of regional performance.
• Strong relationship builder.
• Excellent communicator and negotiator.