SALES MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION 

A Sales Manager in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) business is responsible for leading a team of sales representatives and driving the growth of the company’s products. The main responsibilities of a Sales

Manager in this industry include:

• Developing and executing sales strategies: The Sales Manager will create and implement sales plans and goals to increase revenue and market share.
• Building and managing a sales team: The Sales Manager will be responsible for hiring, training, and managing a team of sales representatives. They will also provide ongoing coaching and support to help the team reach its targets.
• Building and maintaining relationships with key customers: The Sales Manager will establish and maintain strong relationships with key customers and partners to ensure their continued business and to identify new business opportunities.
• Analyzing market trends and consumer behavior: The Sales Manager will stay up-to-date on market trends, consumer behavior, and competitors’ strategies to identify new opportunities and adjust sales strategies accordingly.
• Managing budgets and resources: The Sales Manager will be responsible for managing budgets and resources to ensure that sales targets are met and that costs are controlled.
• Reporting on sales performance: The Sales Manager will provide regular updates on sales performance, identifying areas of success and areas that need improvement.
• Building brand awareness: The Sales Manager will work to increase brand awareness and ensure that the company’s products are well-represented in the marketplace.

A Sales Manager should also be able to motivate and push his team by:

• Set clear expectations: Make sure that your sales team understands what is expected of them in terms of performance, attendance, and behavior. Be specific about the metrics they need to hit to earn their bonuses and make sure they understand the consequences of not meeting those goals.
• Provide feedback and recognition: People often feel more motivated and engaged when they receive regular feedback and recognition for their work. Take the time to acknowledge your team’s successes and provide constructive feedback to help them improve.
• Offer incentives beyond bonuses: While bonuses can be a great motivator for some employees, others may respond better to other incentives, such as extra time off, team outings, or other perks. Consider offering a variety of incentives to cater to different personalities and preferences.
• Foster a positive work culture: Creating a positive work environment can help foster motivation and engagement among your team. This might include regular team-building activities, offering opportunities for professional development, and encouraging a healthy work-life balance.
• Address underlying issues: If your sales team is frequently absent or not performing up to expectations, there may be underlying issues that need to be addressed. Take the time to listen to your team members and identify any obstacles that might be preventing them from performing their best.

The ideal candidate for this role will have several years of sales experience, preferably in the FMCG industry, along with excellent leadership, communication, and analytical skills. They will also have a proven track record of achieving sales targets and driving growth.

Sales Manager Interview Questions:

Here is a sample interview questionnaire for a Sales Manager role:

• Can you tell us about your previous sales management experience, including the size and composition of the sales teams you managed?
• How do you approach setting and achieving sales goals and targets? Can you provide an example of a successful sales campaign you led?
• How do you motivate and coach your sales team to achieve their targets? Can you give an example of a time when you had to motivate a team member through a difficult situation?
• Can you tell us about a complex sales situation you faced and how you resolved it?
• How do you stay informed about market trends, consumer behavior, and competitor strategies?
• How do you prioritize and manage your time and resources to meet sales goals and deadlines?
• Can you describe a time when you had to adapt your sales approach to meet changing market conditions or customer needs?
• How do you build and maintain relationships with key customers and partners? Can you give an example of a successful long-term relationship you developed with a customer or partner?
• How do you manage conflict within a sales team and resolve disputes between team members?
• Can you give an example of how you have contributed to increasing brand awareness and market share for a company you worked for in the past?
• Can you tell us about a difficult customer or situation you faced and how you handled it?
• How do you stay organized and ensure all necessary sales information and reporting is completed accurately and on time?
• Can you discuss your leadership style and how you encourage collaboration and teamwork within a sales team?
• How do you approach continuous learning and professional development for yourself and your team?

These questions are designed to provide insight into the candidate’s sales management experience, leadership style, and problem-solving skills, as well as their understanding of the FMCG industry and market trends.

TESTING EXCEL SKILLS

Here are a few ways to test an interviewee’s Microsoft Excel skills:

• Give a practical test: Provide the interviewee with a real-life data set and ask them to perform a specific task using Excel, such as creating a pivot table, using formula functions, or analyzing data with charts and graphs. This will give you a hands-on assessment of their Excel skills.
• Ask specific questions: Ask the interviewee questions about specific features of Excel, such as how to use formula functions, how to use conditional formatting, or how to create pivot tables. You can also ask them to walk you through how they would complete a specific task in Excel.
• Observe their experience: If the interviewee has a laptop or device with Excel, ask them to demonstrate their skills by opening Excel and working on a simple task. This will give you a chance to observe their familiarity with Excel and their ability to complete tasks quickly and efficiently.
• Provide a scenario: Provide the interviewee with a scenario, such as analyzing sales data for a company, and ask them to show how they would approach the task using Excel. This will give you an understanding of their problem-solving skills and their ability to use Excel for data analysis.
• It’s important to keep in mind that not everyone may have the same level of experience with Excel, so be sure to tailor the test to the candidate’s level of experience and the specific requirements of the role.

How to apply: 

All applications will be received and Reviewed through Brightermonday Portal by Clicking on the ‘Apply Here’ section