National Sales Manager Traditional Trade

We are hiring a for an established global consumer goods business with a significant presence in Saudi Arabia. The business operates through a lean commercial structure supported by a large third-party distribution network.We are looking for a commercially sharp, hands-on leader who understands the Saudi Traditional Trade landscape from the ground up. Someone who has grown through sales and distribution management, understands the economics of the channel, and knows how to drive growth through a distributor organization without relying on direct reporting authority.This is a national role, responsible for driving Traditional Trade performance across Saudi Arabia.Key ResponsibilitiesCommercial Growth & Channel ManagementOwn the national Traditional Trade sales targets, market share and distribution growth agenda.Develop and execute channel strategies across wholesalers, traditional groceries, mini-markets and independent retailers.Identify opportunities to expand numeric distribution, improve outlet productivity and strengthen market penetration.Distributor Management & Route-to-MarketLead the commercial relationship with the appointed distribution partner for the Traditional Trade channel.Drive distributor accountability across sales targets, market coverage, execution standards and salesforce productivity.Evaluate and improve route-to-market effectiveness, including direct coverage, van sales, wholesale and sub-distribution.Monitor primary and secondary sales, inventory levels, stock availability and distribution performance.Commercial Planning & ExecutionDevelop annual business plans, sales forecasts and channel growth initiatives.Manage trade promotions, pricing discipline and channel investments with a focus on sustainable profitability.Drive effective execution of new product launches, visibility programmes and distribution expansion.Conduct regular market visits and distributor business reviews to ensure plans translate into measurable results.Partner with Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance and the Country Manager to align commercial priorities and execution.Candidate Profile8–12 years of progressive FMCG sales experience, with substantial exposure to the Saudi market.Proven experience managing Traditional Trade at a national or significant regional level.Strong understanding of Saudi wholesale, independent retail, van sales, sub-distribution and route-to-market dynamics.Demonstrated success managing substantial business volumes and delivering measurable sales and distribution growth.Hands-on experience working with third-party distributors and influencing large sales organisations.Strong commercial understanding of pricing, margins, trade investment, inventory and distributor economics.Ability to negotiate effectively with distributors, wholesalers and senior commercial stakeholders.