L'Oréal SA_ Regional Sales Manager (Professional Products Division)

Regional Sales Manager - L'Oral Professional Product Division

Location: Woodmead, Johannesburg, South Africa

Reports to: Commercial Director

Job Summary

The Regional Sales Manager (RSM) for L'Oral Professional Products Division leads and manages sales activities within a designated geographic region to achieve or exceed sales targets, market share growth, and profitability goals. This role requires a strategic thinker with strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills who is passionate about the professional industry and can inspire high-performing teams operating and supporting independent businesses, retailers and key distributors.

Responsibilities

• Sales Strategy & Execution: Develop and execute a comprehensive regional sales strategy aligned with the overall PPD division's objectives, considering market trends, competitive landscape, and customer needs. This includes setting sales targets, identifying growth opportunities, and implementing effective sales initiatives. Over and above ensure the team drives conquests (new business), nurturing the current relationships (reactivation) and always re-visit laps opportunity (past customer base that no longer trades with PPD). Develop, communicate, and monitor monthly, quarterly and annual mutually signed off (LOral and Customer) Sell in and sell out targets in line with the divisions annual financial set plan and growth ambition, steered through quarterly in-depth business reviews for Key accounts and Distributor partners. Ensure seamless innovation buy-in from customer end to end: Present innovation to customer with the support of Marketing/ Education and manage listing process in line with customers process. Travel to outline areas and manage and coordinate an online offline approach for catch ups, meetings, and trade visits.
• Team Leadership & Development: Lead, coach, and mentor a team of sales representatives, fostering a culture of high performance, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Conduct regular performance reviews, provide constructive feedback, and identify training and development needs. Steer, support and develop internal teams to ensure optimal account support and strategic execution with the independents and distributors.
• Customer Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with key professional independent businesses, retailers, and distributors. Negotiate contracts, manage pricing and promotions, and ensure optimal product placement and visibility. Build a strong partnership and intense working relationships with set identified key accounts and distributors within the specified region. Represent LOral PPD and communicate critical business information to the appropriate internal and external contacts for action.
• Business Analysis & Reporting: Analyze sales data, market trends, and competitor activity to identify opportunities and challenges. Generate regular sales reports, track key performance indicators (KPIs), and provide insights to senior management.
• Budget Management: Manage the regional sales budget effectively, controlling expenses while maximizing return on investment (ROI). Work close with internal control and BI to ensure business metrics and measured and tracked in line with the strategic PPD agenda and direction.
• Forecasting & Planning: Develop accurate sales forecasts based on market analysis and historical data and pro-actively contribute to forecast decisions by brand based on regions data. Contribute to the annual sales planning process and provide input on regional market dynamics. Build, accurately forecasts with key accounts and distributors with the planning team and achieve the account (s) results: Forecast accuracy, infill over 95%, optimal service levels and healthy sustainable forward stock covers. Ensure optimal input in the internal colab meetings and drive quarterly forecast meeting with the customer. Communicate with the support of the PPD planning team weekly OOS, low stock levels and back in stock communication to client and manage orders accordingly, upkeeping a transparent partnership. Work with Education to suggest alternatives to best manage OOS situations.
• Collaboration for Regional Success: Work with customer, customer service as well as the commercial team on the ground to coordinate all orders, account issues, statements, returns and collections, DC variables and all related back-end account admin (examples: Openings, closings, change of address, term changes, credit limits, credit blocks). Analyse monthly stock and sales data (sell in and sell out) by account, and ensure relevant actions transpire in accordance. Plan all growth drivers by client accordingly internally- driving the necessary rhythms internal to ensure top of mind and optimised execution. Prepare and lead the Account (s) negotiations, serve as gatekeeper of the relationship, and escalate when relevant. Act as the expert of his account to feed an omni channel approach and ensure account planning process, admin and rhythms are in place to drive optimal internal and external alignment.
• Communication: Communicate and Collaborate effectively with other departments, including marketing, education, and operations, to ensure a cohesive and integrated approach to achieving business objectives. Communicate effectively with internal and external stakeholders, providing clear and timely updates on sales performance and initiatives.
• Market Knowledge & Expertise: Stay abreast of the latest trends in the luxury beauty industry, including new product launches, competitive activity, and consumer behavior. Maintain a deep understanding of the L'Oral Luxe brand portfolio and its positioning within the market.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field with proven track record of success in sales management, preferably within the luxury and/or professional beauty or cosmetics industry.
• Strong leadership and team management skills with the ability to motivate and inspire sales teams.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and develop actionable insights.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).
• Solid negotiation and customer relationship management.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, medical condition or disability. We adhere to all local Labour Relations legislation.

Closing Date: 07 April 2025