Regional Sales Manager (Oleochemicals)

Apical · India

The incumbent will be responsible for overseeing all Oleo sales and marketing activities within the India market. Key responsibilities include the formulation and execution of sales channel strategies for Basic Oleo products—namely Fatty Acids, Fatty Alcohols, Glycerine, Soap Noodles, and Esters. The role is accountable for driving business revenue and profitability growth, developing new business opportunities, and expanding market share in India.

This position reports directly to the GM, Commercial–Oleo, and maintains a dotted-line reporting relationship with the respective Product Group Business Managers.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1) Commercial Strategy & Execution

Develop, refine, and implement the India go‑to‑market and sales channel strategy for the Basic Oleo portfolio, aligned with regional and global priorities.

• Own annual sales plans, pricing frameworks, and promotional calendars; ensure disciplined execution and timely course corrections.
• Drive profitable growth in line with budgeted revenue, gross margin, volume, and working capital objectives.

2) Customer & Channel Management

• Build, maintain, and expand strategic relationships with key accounts, distributors, and channel partners; negotiate terms, contracts, and service levels.
• Develop and maintain healthy customer mix comprising of end-users, distributors and traders.

3) Market Intelligence & Pricing

• Continuously monitor and analyse market trends, competitive actions, and macroeconomic factors to inform decisions and long-term planning.
• Implement pricing strategies grounded in cost-to-serve, value-in-use, and competitive benchmarking; maintain pricing discipline and approval compliance.
• Provide timely market feedback to Product Groups on product positioning, feature/quality requirements, and innovation opportunities.

4) Forecasting and Demand Planning

• Lead monthly forecasting for India, delivering accurate demand signals (volume/mix).
• Collaborate with Supply Chain to balance service levels, inventory turns, and cost-to-serve.

5) Performance Management & Reporting

• Track and report sales KPIs (sales volume, turnover, gross margin, pipeline) and market/competitor activity.
• Identify performance variances, root causes, and corrective actions; present insights and recommendations to management.

6) Compliance, Governance, and EHS

• Ensure compliance with contracting, pricing approvals, anti-bribery/anti-corruption, and company Code of Conduct.
• Support adherence to applicable regulatory and trade compliance requirements (e.g., import/export, documentation, Incoterms).
• Promote a culture of safety, quality, and Responsible Care, collaborating with internal stakeholders to meet corporate standards.

Experience & Education Requirements

• Minimum of five (5) years of commercial experience in the chemical industry, with strong preference for candidates with direct exposure to the oleochemicals sector.

• Bachelor’s degree in Science or Engineering, preferably in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering; advanced qualifications (e.g., MBA or related postgraduate studies) are an advantage.

• Demonstrated business acumen and industry expertise, with the ability to manage multiple priorities effectively in a fast‑paced environment.

• Strong commercial orientation, with proven capability in budget management, pricing strategy, margin optimization, and overall profitability improvement

• Strong analytical, critical‑thinking, and problem‑solving abilities; capable of influencing decisions and collaborating effectively within cross‑functional teams.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage effectively with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and familiarity with CRM platforms for managing customer and pipeline information.