Job Description

Department: Sales & Business Development | Location: Pune | Reports To: FoundersRole OverviewThe Head of Growth & Sales will be responsible for driving top-line growth and expanding market share across all product categories and channels. This role involves formulating and executing innovative sales strategies, establishing a robust sales & distribution (S&D) system, and developing cohesive operations across Sales, Merchandising, Trade, and Consumer Activation. The role requires a strong blend of strategic thinking, data-driven decision-making, and hands-on leadership to accelerate the company's growth trajectory in both domestic and international markets.Key Responsibilities :Strategic Planning & Sales Execution :- Formulate and execute comprehensive sales strategies to achieve primary and secondary sales targets across product categories.- Develop growth strategies, sales plans, and policies to increase and sustain market share and profitability.- Implement activities, processes, and mechanisms to ensure delivery of sales plans and objectives.- Monitor sales performance metrics, identify gaps, and deploy corrective actions to achieve monthly and quarterly goals.Market Expansion & Business Development :- Identify and develop new markets - domestic and export - in line with business goals.- Strengthen and expand the company's distribution network, ensuring deep market penetration.- Lead business development initiatives through modern trade, institutional sales, and emerging channels.- Drive brand visibility and sales through trade promotions, merchandising, and local market activations.Channel & Partner Management :- Establish and maintain strong relationships with dealers, distributors, and stockists to ensure smooth functioning and partner satisfaction.- Create policies and guidelines for efficient partner engagement, trade promotions, and channel incentives.- Monitor pricing and product positioning regularly to ensure competitiveness and profitability.- Ensure timely collections, payment reconciliation, and healthy working capital management.Market Intelligence & Competitor Insights :- Continuously scan the environment for competitor activity, pricing, demand-supply trends, and regulatory changes.- Build and manage a market intelligence system to provide regular updates on new opportunities, product trends, and consumer insights.- Present actionable insights to top management to guide sales strategy and decision-making.Team Leadership & Performance Management :- Hire, train, and develop a high-performing sales and distribution team.- Establish performance metrics and monitor individual and regional achievements.- Build an effective people and field force management system to improve team productivity and motivation.- Drive a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement within the sales organization.Key Deliverables : - Achievement of company growth and revenue targets.- Expansion and strengthening of distribution networks.- Development of new markets and sales channels.- Successful execution of sales, retail, and marketing strategies.- Implementation of CRM tools and systems for better customer lifecycle management.- Relationship building with key accounts, distributors, retailers, and institutional clients.- Optimization of retail operations and trade marketing costs.- Effective collection management and reduction in outstanding payments.- Continuous market intelligence and data-driven insights for growth planning.Qualifications, Knowledge & SkillsEducation:- MBA in Marketing or Sales (preferred)Experience:- Minimum 4+ years of experience in Sales & Distribution, within the Health Food / FMCG industry.Skills & Traits:- Entrepreneurial thinking with bias for action- Willingness to roll up the sleeves to drive execution- Strong understanding of market dynamics and competitor activities.- Proven ability to build markets from scratch for new and innovative product lines.- Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.- Expertise in managing distributors, trade partners, and sales teams.- Experience in recruiting and mentoring a sales force.- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills (English proficiency required).- Attention to detail, data orientation, and financial acumen.- Proficiency in business analytics, CRM tools, and reporting systems.Remuneration :As a core team member of an early-stage FMCG startup, the compensation package includes:- Competitive industry-level salary- Performance-linked incentives- Participation in the company's ESOP pool (ref:updazz.com)

Skills Required