Channel Manager - (Discounts & OOH)

Job Title: Channel Manager - (Discounts & OOH)

Reports To: BU Director - Central Middle East (CME)

Function: Sales

Location: KSA

Operating Context

The Channel Manager - Discounter operates within the Central Middle East (CME) Business Unit, led by the BU Director - CME, who has end-to-end accountability for commercial performance across KSA, Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain.

Within this structure, KSA is the most value-significant and execution-intensive market, characterized by:

• MT-dominant retail with rapid growth of Discounters / value retailers
• Extreme price sensitivity, high shopper elasticity, and margin pressure
• Strong regulatory oversight and increasing scrutiny on pricing and promotions
• Elevated risk of price leakage, parallel trade, and margin dilution

The Discounter channel is a strategic growth engine but also a margin-risk channel. Success depends on disciplined pricing architecture, trade ROI control, execution rigor, and governance, rather than pure volume expansion.

The Channel Manager - Discounter is therefore a P&L-owning role, acting as the execution and commercial control arm of the BU Director's strategy for value retail.

Purpose of the Job

The Channel Manager - Discounter is responsible for driving profitable growth in the Discounter channel by strengthening customer partnerships, owning channel P&L, and ensuring disciplined pricing, promotions, and in-store execution. The role protects gross margin and brand equity while unlocking volume growth through value-led mechanics, optimized assortments, and flawless execution.

Key Roles & Responsibilities

1. Channel Strategy & P&L Ownership

• Develop and execute the Discounter channel strategy aligned with BU CME objectives and enterprise guardrails.
• Own full channel P&L including volume, NSR, gross profit, trade spend, and ROI discipline.
• Balance growth ambition with margin protection in a highly price-sensitive environment.

2. Joint Business Planning & Commercial Negotiation

• Lead Joint Business Plans (JBPs) with Discounter customers.
• Negotiate listings, pricing, promotions, rebates, and commercial terms.
• Manage customer contracts and ensure compliance to agreed frameworks.

3. Pricing Architecture & Margin Protection

• Define and enforce Discounter channel price architecture.
• Prevent price leakage, cross-channel arbitrage, and parallel trade.
• Monitor price gaps vs. other channels and competitors, recommending corrective actions.

4. Trade Investment & Promotional Effectiveness

• Design value-led promotional mechanics aligned to shopper behavior.
• Ensure promotions have clear ROI logic, pre- and post-evaluation discipline.
• Govern trade spend allocation to protect margin while sustaining competitiveness.

5. Portfolio, SKU & Space Optimization

• Optimize SKU mix focusing on core SKUs, value packs, and channel-relevant formats.
• Manage listings, delistings, and shelf/pallet space allocation.
• Ensure portfolio choices align with margin, velocity, and shopper needs.

6. Availability, Forecasting & Inventory Alignment

• Partner with Demand Planning and Supply Chain to ensure forecast accuracy and availability.
• Manage inventory risk, avoiding overstocking and obsolescence in promotion-heavy cycles.

7. In-Store Execution Excellence

• Drive execution standards across Discounter outlets including:
• Pallet displays
• Shelf discipline
• Activation quality and compliance
• Collaborate with Sales Operations and Merchandising for flawless execution.

8. Performance Tracking & Insights

• Track channel KPIs including:
• Weighted distribution
• Rate of sale
• Promotional lift
• Price compliance
• Convert insights into corrective actions and growth initiatives.

9. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing, RTM, and Sales Operations to deliver channel plans.
• Act as the single point of accountability for Discounter channel outcomes.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Focus Area

KPIs

Growth

Volume & NSR growth

Execution

In-store execution compliance

Distribution

Weighted distribution

Pricing

Price compliance, price gap control

Trade Effectiveness

Promotional effectiveness, Trade Spend ROI

Experience & Capability Requirements

Experience

• 710 years in FMCG Sales or Channel Management.
• Strong experience in Discounter / value retail environments preferred.
• Proven track record managing large retail accounts and trade investments.

Knowledge

• Discounter operations and Key Account management
• Pricing architecture, promotion mechanics, and margin control

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required
• MBA preferred

Skills & Competencies

Functional

• Channel strategy and P&L management
• Pricing discipline and margin protection
• Trade investment and promo ROI analytics
• Demand planning, forecasting, and inventory alignment
• In-store execution excellence (pallets, displays, shelf discipline)
• Data analytics and performance tracking

Behavioral

• Strategic thinking with strong execution rigor
• Financial discipline and analytical mindset
• Stakeholder management and influence
• Agility in fast-paced, price-sensitive environments
• Strong presentation and communication skills

Direct Reports (if Any)

• Presell Routes
• Supervisor (dotted line)
• Branch Manager (dotted line)