Modern Trade Manager - FMCG

Job PurposeThe Modern Trade Manager is responsible for leading and developing the Modern Trade channel across key retail accounts, delivering sales, profitability, distribution, and market share objectives across the assigned FMCG portfolio.The role owns the commercial relationship with key retailers and ensures effective execution of annual business plans, promotional activities, listings, pricing strategies, assortment, visibility, and trade investment. The Modern Trade Manager will work closely with Key Account Managers, Brand Management, Trade Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, and Merchandising teams to drive profitable and sustainable growth.Key Responsibilities1. Modern Trade Strategy & Business PlanningDevelop and implement the Modern Trade channel strategy in line with company and brand objectives.Prepare annual customer business plans, sales forecasts, promotional calendars, and growth initiatives for key accounts.Translate company and brand strategies into clear account-specific commercial plans.Identify opportunities to expand distribution, assortment, visibility, and market share across Modern Trade customers.Conduct regular business reviews and recommend corrective actions based on account and category performance.2. Key Account ManagementManage strategic relationships with major Modern Trade customers including hypermarkets, supermarkets, and retail groups.Lead annual negotiations covering trading agreements, listing fees, rebates, promotional support, visibility, payment terms, and other commercial conditions.Ensure Joint Business Plans and agreed customer objectives are implemented effectively.Maintain strong relationships with buyers, category managers, commercial teams, and senior customer stakeholders.Resolve commercial, operational, and service-related issues while protecting company profitability and long-term customer relationships.3. Sales & Target AchievementDeliver monthly, quarterly, and annual sales targets across assigned accounts and brands.Monitor sales performance against budget, forecast, and prior-year results.Drive sell-in and sell-out growth through distribution expansion, promotional activities, assortment optimization, and improved execution.Identify sales gaps and develop recovery plans with the relevant account and internal teams.Ensure adequate pipeline management and achievement of customer-level objectives.4. Profitability & Trade InvestmentManage customer profitability and ensure commercial agreements are aligned with approved margins and financial objectives.Monitor trade spending, rebates, listing investments, promotional costs, and customer-specific support.Evaluate the ROI and ROAS of promotional and visibility investments.Ensure promotional claims, credit notes, deductions, and customer agreements are properly controlled and reconciled.Recommend improvements to customer value chains, pricing structures, and promotional mechanics.5. Distribution, Availability & AssortmentEnsure listed SKUs achieve targeted distribution across agreed customer doors.Monitor out-of-stock levels, lost sales, delisted products, inactive SKUs, and distribution gaps.Coordinate with Demand Planning and Supply Chain to maintain healthy stock availability.Support new product launches by securing listings, distribution, visibility, and promotional activation.Review SKU productivity and recommend assortment expansion, rationalization, or corrective actions.6. Promotions & Trade Marketing ExecutionWork closely with Trade Marketing and Brand teams to develop customer-specific promotional plans.Ensure effective implementation of promotional calendars, displays, secondary placements, gondola ends, and other visibility activities.Evaluate promotional effectiveness using sales uplift, ROI, volume, profitability, and execution results.Negotiate additional visibility and merchandising opportunities with customers.Ensure brand execution complies with agreed planograms, promotional mechanics, and brand guidelines.7. Forecasting & Inventory ManagementProvide accurate sales forecasts based on customer plans, promotional activity, seasonality, historical performance, and market trends.Coordinate closely with Demand Planning to minimize out-of-stock situations and excess inventory.Monitor ageing, near-expiry stock, slow-moving items, and customer returns.Develop action plans to accelerate stock movement where required.Support disciplined FIFO/FEFO execution through coordination with the relevant internal teams.8. Team LeadershipLead, coach, and develop Key Account Managers and sales team members responsible for Modern Trade accounts.Set clear sales targets, KPIs, and account objectives.Conduct regular performance reviews and customer account reviews.Ensure the team maintains high standards of commercial discipline, reporting, negotiation, and execution.Build accountability around sales achievement, distribution, collections, visibility, and profitability.9. Market & Competitor IntelligenceMonitor competitor pricing, promotions, assortment, launches, visibility, and customer activities.Track category developments and identify emerging market opportunities and risks.Provide management and Brand Principals with regular insights on customer and category performance.Recommend commercial actions based on market intelligence and customer developments.10. Reporting & Cross-Functional CoordinationPrepare weekly and monthly reports covering sales, achievement, distribution, OOS, promotional performance, profitability, ageing, and key account developments.Conduct monthly and quarterly business reviews with senior management and relevant Brand Principals.Coordinate with Finance on collections, deductions, rebates, claims, and customer profitability.Work with Supply Chain and Demand Planning to resolve availability and service-level issues.Collaborate with Brand Management and Trade Marketing to align customer activities with overall brand strategy.Experience, Qualifications & Skills Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Sales, or a related field.7–10 years of FMCG sales experience, with significant exposure to Modern Trade / Key Account Management.Minimum 2–3 years in a managerial or team leadership position preferred.Strong experience managing major supermarket and hypermarket customers.UAE FMCG distribution experience is strongly preferred.Proven experience in annual negotiations, customer business planning, trade investment, promotions, and profitability management.Strong understanding of FMCG distributor economics, customer value chains, margins, rebates, and trade terms.Strategic account management, Sales and business planning, P&L and profitability managementExperience with ERP, sales reporting, and BI tools such as Power BI is an advantageLeadership, people management and Stakeholder managementAbility to operate effectively in a fast-paced FMCG environment