Role Purpose

The Zonal Manager – Sales Planning & Business Excellence will play a critical role in transforming sales planning, forecasting, sales performance management, and GTN governance into a ROI-driven, insight-led execution engine.

Reporting to the GM – Business Effectiveness, this role will work closely with Sales Leadership, ABMs, and ZBMs to convert business growth ambitions into executable plans, monitor sales performance, drive forecasting excellence, and ensure disciplined execution of commercial priorities.

The role is responsible for orchestrating decision-making and ensuring timely closure across sales planning, forecasting, and GTN processes, even when final approval authority resides elsewhere.

Key Responsibilities

1. Sales Planning & Target Architecture

• Own the end-to-end sales planning process, translating Commercial Unit (CU) ambitions and Annual Operating Plan (AOP) commitments into actionable execution plans.
• Partner with Area Business Managers to cascade targets across zones, territories, products, and channels.
• Ensure alignment between sales plans, demand assumptions, liquidation objectives, product priorities, and market realities.
• Drive clarity and accountability in target deployment and performance expectations.

2. Forecasting Excellence & Performance Governance

• Lead the sales forecasting process across territories and zones.
• Ensure forecasts are aligned with sales targets, liquidation plans, billing expectations, retail execution priorities, and GTN assumptions.
• Monitor billing, retail placements, collections, liquidation performance, and sales trends in near real time.
• Proactively identify deviations and work with ABMs and the GM-BE to implement corrective actions.
• Ensure timely and accurate demand forecasting submissions.
• Drive dynamic forecast revisions based on market developments while maintaining process discipline and visibility of business impact.

3. GTN Excellence & Commercial Decision Support

Working closely with Marketing, this role will drive governance, discipline, and transparency across GTN processes.

Key accountabilities include:

• Coordinate GTN planning architecture, governance frameworks, and operating calendars.
• Consolidate and normalize GTN inputs across regions and portfolios.
• Analyze GTN impact on sales performance, forecast accuracy, and execution effectiveness.
• Facilitate commercial decision-making by presenting data-driven recommendations and trade-offs.
• Escalate unresolved issues to ABMs and the GM-BE to ensure timely decision closure.
• Support GTN scheme rollout through:
  • Communication plans
  • FAQ development
  • Training materials
  • Tracking and reporting mechanisms
• Track industry best practices related to:
  • Promotional schemes
  • Pricing strategies
  • Product launches
  • Competitive dynamics
  • Commercial resources

4. Performance Management, Reporting & Digital Enablement

• Drive adoption and utilization of performance dashboards and executive review tools.
• Monitor key business metrics such as:
  • Sales liquidation
  • Sales realization
  • Collection performance
  • Past dues management
  • Demand forecasting
  • Retail placements
  • Distributor analysis
  • Channel and customer strategies
• Deliver performance reporting focused on:
  • Performance versus plan
  • Root cause analysis
  • Corrective action plans
  • Accountability and ownership
• Lead governance rhythms and performance review forums at zonal and regional levels.
• Monitor productivity and resource utilization across commercial teams.
• Track budgets against plans and ensure SOP compliance.
• Highlight spending risks and recommend mitigation actions.

5. Commercial Analytics & Leadership Decision Support

• Leverage commercial, customer, and performance data to generate actionable insights.
• Analyze GTN effectiveness and business performance trends.
• Identify productivity gaps, execution bottlenecks, and structural business constraints.
• Support leadership teams with decision-ready analysis on business risks, opportunities, and trade-offs.
• Provide fact-based recommendations to improve execution and commercial outcomes.

6. Process Excellence & Change Leadership

• Continuously improve sales planning, forecasting, GTN governance, and execution processes.
• Drive adoption of new ways of working through structured governance, capability building, and stakeholder engagement.
• Champion operational excellence and process simplification initiatives.
• Support business transformation efforts in partnership with ABMs and the GM-BE.

Behavioral Competencies

This role requires an individual who can challenge constructively, influence stakeholders, and drive disciplined execution in complex commercial environments.

Influence Without Authority

• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive alignment without relying on formal reporting relationships.
• Strong stakeholder management and consultative leadership skills.

Data-Driven Decision Making

• Uses data, analytics, governance mechanisms, and structured frameworks to support decisions and drive accountability.
• Brings objectivity and commercial rigor to business discussions.

Emotional Maturity & Resilience

• Comfortable operating in complex environments with diverse stakeholder expectations.
• Maintains composure and professionalism during high-pressure situations.
• Demonstrates sound judgment and balanced decision-making.
• Effectively navigates ambiguity and conflicting priorities.

Qualifications & Experience

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Agriculture, Engineering, Economics, or a related discipline.
• MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification preferred.

Experience

• 5 to 10 years of progressive experience in:
  • Sales
  • Sales Planning
  • Business Planning
  • Commercial Excellence
  • Sales Operations
• Experience working within large, complex, multi-region organizations.
• Proven experience translating strategic business objectives into actionable sales plans and execution frameworks.
• Strong exposure to GTN structures, including:
  • Schemes
  • Rebates
  • Discounts
  • Price-offs
• Track record of partnering effectively with field sales leadership.
• Experience influencing senior stakeholders and driving decision closure.
• Strong analytical and reporting capabilities, with expertise in dashboards, business reviews, and performance management frameworks.

Preferred Industry Background

Experience in one or more of the following sectors is preferred:

• Agriculture / Agri-Inputs
• Crop Protection
• FMCG
• Consumer Durables
• Consumer Electronics
• Beverages
• OTC / Consumer Health
• Similar go-to-market intensive industries