Sales Manager (Kuching)

We are looking for a results-driven and people-focused individual to join us as a Sales Manager for our sales team in Kuching. In this role, you will drive sales growth, profitability, and market share within your assigned area while leading a high-performing sales team to deliver business objectives. You will also strengthen customer and stakeholder relationships, ensure compliance with company policies, and champion execution excellence across the territory. If you enjoy leading teams, building strong partnerships, and driving commercial success, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

What you’ll be doing

• Drive sales and profitability of the Company’s products/brands.

• Translate strategies into specified area’s action plans aligned to Company’s objectives; focusing on, but not limited to:

    a. The Sales strategy, annual business plan and sales priorities

    b. The Marketing brand plans and portfolio strategy

i. Coordinate Brand and Channel marketing to maximise sales and channel effectiveness

    c. Channel (area, district and sub-trade), customer and consumer insights

      i. Collate and review channel deviation against plan, by area, district, sub-trade, outlet class and outlet, and collaborate with the Sales Planning team to formulate

         effective sales plans to drive the specific area’s volume and value

     ii. Collate and monitor competitor activity and contribute to the development of a comprehensive counter strategy

    d. Commercial and sales best practices

• Ensure achievement of sales and distribution targets (volume and revenue) by:

    a. Planning clear and stretch targets, sales activities/campaigns and budgets

    b. Providing clear performance measures and guidelines to team

    c. Regularly analysing, reviewing and evaluating sales activities and its effectiveness and productivity of the team

• Manage the specified area’s performance measurements / key performance indicators (KPIs) with stretch targets and achievement, reflecting:

    a. Growth in sales volume and revenue and market share

    b. Improvements in sales to cost ratios e.g. Gross Profit after Logistics (GPaL), etc

    c. Execution excellence i.e. quality of services, speed to market, etc

• Regularly monitor and review the sales incentive achievement against plan and drive performance improvement.

• Ensure availability of the Company’s products/brands in the specified area.

    a. Regularly review forecast accuracy reports and provide timely and accurate reports for effective cycle planning

    b. Manage the distribution chain efficiently to ensure the right products are distributed in the right channels/outlets

• Drive awareness and visibility of the Company’s products/brands in the specified area.

    a. Manage implementation of category plans

    b. Develop and drive localised promotion campaigns for the specified area

    c. Drive the execution of national promotion campaigns in compliance to the designed mechanics

• Analyse variances in distributor performance and initiate corrective action to maximise specified area’s volume and profit.

• Drive sales by collaborating with Marketing for the development of a robust marketing plan and campaigns/activations.

         a. Select the right customers to market the products/brands 

         b. Feedback to Marketing on customer and consumer trends, new products and competitor’s campaigns/activations

         c. Recommend activations and marketing plans which will drive growth in the area

         d. Review and oversee utilisation of POSMs in the specified area

• Ensure sufficient coverage of all the customers through:

         a. Regular updates of the customer list in the specified area

         b. Preparation of an effective coverage plan for the sales team to service the customers

         c. Regular review and update of the route to market for optimal coverage

• Drive expansion of customer base and coverage and build/maintain outlet leadership in the specified area.

         a. Identify new customers/outlets and opportunities

         b. Maintaining existing customer base through quality service

         c. Establish and maintain good business relationships and rapport with key opinion leaders, trade associations, distributors, customers, etc.

• Optimise the area’s budget based on Company allocation to derive maximum returns on investment (ROI).

    a. Prepare, manage, control and regularly review the area’s budget for optimal spend

    b. Manage sales expenses and spend, channel plan within budget allocation and drive compliance to Company and department policies & procedures

    c. Initiate corrective actions in budget utilisation and spend for the specified area

• Drive value management to deliver the best returns to stakeholders.

    a. Identify opportunities to improve productivity of the sales team, forecast accuracy and win rates

    b. Drive process efficiencies and improvements

• Drive compliance to achieve sales excellence.

• Implement and monitor metrics for sales team compliance to Sales Priorities, in alignment with the specified region.

• Manage the reporting process to ensure timely and accurate reporting and for effective cycle planning i.e. daily sales reports, tracking tools, monitoring sell-out, forecasting, planning, etc.

• Ensure the sales team adhere to policies and procedures set for:

         a. Outlet classification and alignment to the Investment Matrix & Channel POSM guidelines

         b. Accuracy in census updates

         c. Profit and loss management

         d. Contract management

         e. Sales strategies for all market segments (On and Off Trade)

• Accountable for the sales team’s compliance to the sales execution methodologies and processes i.e. 6 FIT (Focus, Implement, Track) Steps and In-Outlet Execution.

• Ensure distributors and trade outlets are are managed in accordance with the Company’s policies and procedures.

    a. Drive contract negotiations

    b. Review and provide recommendations on appointment/revision/termination of distributors/trade outlet agreements

• Ensure right resources and capabilities to meet the Company’s objectives and goals.

    a. Manage and drive the people competencies required to achieve the Company’s objectives

    b. Select and recruit people based on the competencies set out

• Manage, coach and develop team in all aspects of sales towards a high performing and high quality team; in accordance with the Company’s People standards, policies and procedures.

    a. Create an environment that supports high performance including promoting safe and responsible driving in the team, removing obstacles, etc.

    b. Assess team capability and manage performance

    c. Lead and motivate team to drive for high performance and execution excellence

    d. Build a highly engaged team with effective leadership and functional competencies

    e. Provide ongoing coaching, guidance, training and development to the team

    f. Craft clear succession plan and develop team for talent pipeline

• Undertake any additional duties or responsibilities that may be assigned from time to time.

What we’re looking for

• A proven sales leader with a strong track record of delivering business results and leading high-performing teams to achieve ambitious growth targets.

• A commercially astute professional with a solid understanding of channel management, customer segmentation, profitability drivers, and market dynamics.

• A strategic negotiator who combines strong business and financial acumen to identify opportunities, create value, and drive sustainable growth.

• An influential stakeholder manager who can build alignment, gain buy-in, and foster collaboration across customers, distributors, and cross-functional teams.

• A well-connected relationship builder with the ability to establish and maintain strong partnerships with local businesses, associations and regulatory authorities.

What you can expect

An organisation that invests in your growth and empowers you to excel.

We consciously create an environment that genuinely focuses on developing our people through coaching.

We empower individuals to take ownership, make decisions, and learn from both successes and challenges. In line with our Growth Culture, we are committed to supporting you in reaching your full potential while creating meaningful impact.

A positive, inclusive, and high‑energy workplace where your contributions matter. The role places you at the heart of consumer experiences, and you will be supported by a team that values collaboration, compassion, and diverse perspectives.

You can expect a team that celebrates wins together, moves with speed, and embraces innovation to deliver extraordinary results. Your ideas, courage to challenge the status quo, and passion for our consumer will be recognized and appreciated.

Requirements

• Preferably holds a degree in Business, Commerce, Marketing, or a related discipline.
• At least 5-6 years experience in a progressively growing capacity in sales management, preferably in the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) environment.
• Experience in leading and managing teams.
• Strong command of written and verbal English.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint and Word).
• Must be mobile and able to travel extensively throughout the specific area.

We regret to inform only shortlisted candidates will be notified.

Carlsberg Malaysia: Brewing for a Better Today and Tomorrow

For us success has always been in the diverse mix of our people, our products and our brands. At Carlsberg, we want to recruit and develop people with a global mindset, cultural understanding, and experience to ensure that our organization stays agile, inclusive and prepared for future growth.