National Sales Manager

We are partnering with an established Saudi food manufacturer with its own brand in the market to recruit a National Sales Manager.

The business produces and markets branded food products, including meat and frozen food lines, selling across general trade, modern trade, and food service channels throughout the Kingdom and the wider GCC. It goes to market through sponsored companies, agency representatives, distributors, and a direct sales team.

This opportunity is designed for a national sales leader who will own field sales delivery across the Kingdom, lead regional and channel teams and distributor partners, and drive national sales targets. The role reports to the Sales & Marketing Director.

About The Role

The National Sales Manager is responsible for the overall management and performance of the company's sales operation across Saudi Arabia and other GCC markets, including sales delivered through sponsored companies, agency representatives, distributors, and the direct sales team. Reporting to the Sales & Marketing Director, the role ensures the implementation of commercially viable sales plans and marketing strategies that maximise returns and deliver customer service excellence. The single most important measure of success in this role is the consistent, profitable achievement of national sales targets.

The National Sales Manager leads regional and channel sales teams, manages relationships with distributors, agencies, and key accounts, and works in close coordination with Marketing, Operations, Production, supply chain, and Finance to align sales plans with stock availability, order fulfilment, and collections.

Key Responsibilities

National sales leadership

• Supervise, direct, and control sales activities across general trade, modern trade, and food service in Saudi Arabia and other GCC markets, delivered through sponsored companies, agency representatives, distributors, and the direct sales team, ensuring attainment of planned sales targets
• Translate the commercial strategy set by the Sales & Marketing Director into national, regional, and channel sales plans, targets, and route-to-market coverage
• Approve sales plans across product lines and monitor implementation and overall national sales performance
• Drive numeric and weighted distribution, product availability, and visibility across regions and channels
• Continuously track sales results against target, analyse variances, and take timely corrective action
  
  
  

Planning, policies, and budgets

• Develop sales work policies, procedures, plans, business budgets, and performance standards in cooperation with distributors, agency representatives, and the Marketing function, for approval by the Director
• Set and communicate KPIs for regional and channel teams, aligned to the national sales plan
• Review and assess the outcomes of market research and promotional campaigns to build effective sales plans and targets inside and outside the Kingdom
  
  
  

Distributor, agency, and key-account management

• Build and manage relationships with sponsored companies, agency representatives, and distributors to ensure coverage, availability, and market penetration
• Negotiate trading terms, targets, and joint business plans with distributors and key retail accounts
• Maintain strong relationships with high-end and modern-trade retailers, category managers, and store managers
• Conduct regular market visits to assess product performance and competitor activity at point of sale
  
  
  

Coordination and operations

• Liaise on confirmed sales orders, shipping of sold products, stock availability, purchase orders, customer service, and billing
• Coordinate with Finance on collection of payments, billing of key customer accounts, credit control, and the opening of letters of credit to suppliers as required
• Liaise with suppliers, manufacturers, and government agencies on relevant matters and escalate important issues in good time
• Coordinate with supply chain and warehouses to ensure timely, accurate order fulfilment and avoid out-of-stock situations
  
  
  

Reporting and analysis

• Present periodic sales progress reports to the Sales & Marketing Director with detailed analysis and recommendations for improvement
• Provide insight on market trends, competitor activity, pricing, and new business opportunities to support decision-making
  
  
  

Team leadership

• Recruit, train, appraise, and motivate a competent national sales team
• Set priorities, assign territories and tasks, and uphold company standards and good conduct
• Build a culture of teamwork, accountability, and customer focus
• Conduct work-related special assignments as required by the Director
  
  
  

Authority and Decision-Making

• Operates within the company Authority Matrix
• Approves sales plans and monitors sales performance across product lines and regions
• Recommends trading terms and pricing within delegated limits, and credit decisions in line with policy
• Sets priorities and assigns territories and tasks across the sales team
• Conducts performance appraisals and leads recruitment, training, and development of sales staff
  
  
  

Qualifications And Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business Management, Marketing, or a related field; a postgraduate qualification is an advantage
• Eight or more years of experience in FMCG sales, including several years in a national or multi-region sales management role; experience in meat processing or frozen food is strongly preferred
• Proven track record of managing distributors, agencies, and key accounts, and delivering national sales targets across general and modern trade
• Demonstrable track record in sales, business development, or account management with high-end and modern-trade retailers
• Professional certifications such as CBDM, PCM, or CSCP are an advantage
• Proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and core tools for sales operations
• Fluency in written and spoken Arabic and English
• Strong leadership, decision-making, multitasking, and team-building skills, with a self-motivated, disciplined, well-organised, and adaptable personality and the ability to build rapport at all levels
• Willingness to travel across the Kingdom and the wider GCC as required