Area Sales Manager - South - Kerala

The role will be responsible for driving primary billing and secondary sales across EBOs, secondary sales through MBOs, store-level profitability and productivity, operational excellence, inventory management, franchisee/partner relationships, team performance, and market development.

The Area Sales Manager will manage a large field team of 50+ employees and will be responsible for translating business strategy into actionable territory plans, ensuring consistent execution at store and counter level, identifying growth opportunities, and strengthening the brand's presence across Kerala.

The incumbent will work closely with internal functions including Retail Operations, Visual Merchandising, Supply Chain/Logistics, Marketing, Finance, HR and Customer Service to ensure seamless execution and achievement of business objectives.

Particulars

Details

Department

Retail Operations

Designation

Area Sales Manager

Position

Area Sales Manager - Kerala

Location

Kochi, Kerala

Region

South

Reporting To

Regional Manager

Experience

8+ Years

Qualification

Graduate / Postgraduate

Key Responsibilities

1. Sales & Business Performance

• Own and drive sales performance across the Kerala territory, covering both EBO and MBO channels.
• Deliver monthly, quarterly and annual sales targets in line with business objectives.
• Drive primary billing and secondary sales for EBOs & Francise and effectively manage secondary sales through MBOs.
• Develop territory-wise and store-wise sales plans to achieve revenue and productivity targets.
• Monitor sales performance at outlet, cluster, channel and territory levels and take timely corrective actions.
• Identify underperforming stores/counters and develop specific action plans to improve productivity.
• Drive like-for-like growth, conversion, average transaction value, units per transaction and other relevant retail KPIs.
• Identify opportunities for revenue growth through new locations, improved productivity, assortment optimization and stronger partner engagement.
• Ensure effective execution of promotions, campaigns and business initiatives across the territory.

2. EBO Management

• Take overall responsibility for the commercial and operational performance of assigned EBOs.
• Ensure achievement of store-wise sales and productivity targets.
• Monitor daily sales, footfall, conversion, ATV, UPT, stock availability and other key performance indicators.
• Ensure effective utilization of store inventory and minimize stock-outs and excess inventory.
• Drive timely replenishment based on sales trends and store requirements.
• Ensure adherence to company policies, SOPs, operational processes and brand standards.
• Conduct regular store visits and performance reviews.
• Identify operational gaps and implement corrective measures.

3. MBO & Partner Management

• Drive secondary sales and business growth across assigned MBO counters.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with MBO partners and key retail accounts.
• Regularly visit MBO counters to understand business performance, market conditions, stock position and competitive activity.
• Work closely with partners to improve sell-through, product visibility and brand performance.
• Monitor stock availability and proactively communicate replenishment requirements.
• Understand partner-level business challenges and provide timely solutions in coordination with relevant internal teams.
• Identify potential MBO expansion opportunities within the assigned territory.
• Ensure adherence to agreed commercial and brand execution standards.

4. Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead, manage and develop a team of 50+ employees across the assigned territory.
• Set clear daily, weekly and monthly objectives for team members.
• Monitor individual and team performance against agreed KPIs.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide constructive feedback.
• Coach and mentor store managers, sales teams and other field employees to improve productivity and capability.
• Motivate the team to achieve business targets while maintaining high standards of customer service and operational discipline.
• Identify training and development needs and coordinate with the HR/L&D teams.
• Build a strong performance-oriented culture with clear accountability and ownership.
• Address performance gaps through timely interventions and structured action plans.
• Support employee engagement and retention initiatives within the territory.

5. Recruitment & Manpower Planning

• Assess manpower requirements based on store productivity, business plans and operational needs.
• Partner with HR/Recruitment teams for timely hiring of store and field positions.
• Participate in candidate evaluation and selection for relevant retail positions.
• Ensure timely onboarding and deployment of employees.
• Monitor manpower availability, vacancies, attrition and staffing productivity.
• Ensure optimum deployment of manpower across stores and counters.

6. Inventory & Stock Management

• Monitor inventory levels across EBOs and ensure optimum stock availability.
• Analyze sell-through and stock movement to identify replenishment requirements.
• Minimize stock-outs, excess inventory, ageing stock and inventory inefficiencies.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain/Logistics teams to ensure timely replenishment.
• Monitor stock requirements for MBOs and ensure timely communication of requirements.
• Ensure proper inventory handling and adherence to stock management processes.
• Review inventory and sales reports to identify gaps and opportunities for improving stock productivity.

7. Retail Operations

• Ensure smooth and consistent execution of retail operations across the territory.
• Conduct regular store and counter audits to ensure compliance with company SOPs.
• Ensure adherence to operational, administrative and customer service standards.
• Monitor store opening/closing processes, cash handling, housekeeping, staffing and other operational requirements.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and implement effective solutions.
• Ensure stores are adequately prepared for seasonal peaks, launches, promotions and business campaigns.
• Drive continuous improvement in store processes and operational efficiency.

8. Visual Merchandising & Planogram Execution

• Ensure effective implementation of VM guidelines and planograms across EBOs and MBOs.
• Ensure timely execution of new launches, campaign visibility and seasonal VM initiatives.
• Conduct regular checks to ensure compliance with approved layouts, product placement and brand presentation standards.
• Coordinate with the VM team to resolve execution gaps.
• Ensure timely implementation of VM changes and communicate market-level feedback.
• Monitor competitor visibility and merchandising practices and share relevant insights with internal stakeholders.

9. KPI Monitoring, Reporting & Analytics

• Monitor key sales and operational KPIs on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
• Prepare and review sales, productivity, inventory and operational reports.
• Analyze store-wise and territory-wise performance to identify trends and gaps.
• Use data and insights to develop corrective and growth-oriented action plans.
• Track target versus achievement and ensure timely escalation of significant deviations.
• Provide regular business updates and performance insights to the reporting manager.
• Maintain accurate and timely reporting on EBO and MBO performance.
• Leverage data to support decision-making and improve overall territory productivity.

10. Market Intelligence & Competition Tracking

• Develop strong understanding of the Kerala retail and footwear market.
• Regularly monitor competitor activity across EBOs and MBOs.
• Track competitor pricing, promotions, product launches, store expansion, merchandising and customer engagement initiatives.
• Prepare and share regular competition reports with relevant stakeholders.
• Identify emerging market trends, customer preferences and business opportunities.
• Provide actionable market feedback to leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Identify potential locations, channels and partners that can contribute to territory growth.

11. Store Visits & Field Execution

• Maintain a structured store and market visit plan covering EBOs and MBOs.
• Conduct regular visits to assess business performance and operational execution.
• Interact with store teams, franchisees, MBO partners and customers to understand market realities.
• Identify issues at ground level and ensure timely resolution.
• Validate execution of sales, VM, inventory, staffing and operational initiatives.
• Share timely and actionable feedback with the relevant internal stakeholders.

12. Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Retail Operations, HR, Finance, Supply Chain, Logistics, Visual Merchandising, Marketing and Customer Service teams.
• Ensure effective communication and coordination between the field team and corporate functions.
• Support new store openings, relocations, renovations and other business projects.
• Coordinate with relevant teams to resolve operational and commercial issues.
• Contribute to cross-functional initiatives aimed at improving customer experience, sales and operational efficiency.

13. Customer Experience

• Ensure consistently high standards of customer service across EBOs.
• Coach teams on customer engagement, selling skills and service standards.
• Monitor customer feedback and identify recurring service issues.
• Ensure customer complaints and escalations are addressed promptly.
• Drive a customer-centric culture across the assigned territory.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The Area Sales Manager will be evaluated on a combination of commercial, operational and people metrics, including:

• Primary sales / billing achievement
• Secondary sales achievement
• EBO sales growth
• MBO secondary sales growth
• Like-for-like sales growth
• Store-wise target achievement
• Store productivity
• Conversion rate
• Average Transaction Value (ATV)
• Units Per Transaction (UPT)
• Inventory availability and stock productivity
• Stock ageing / inventory health
• Manpower productivity
• Attrition and vacancy management
• VM and planogram compliance
• Operational audit compliance
• Customer service standards
• Franchisee / MBO partner satisfaction
• Competition and market intelligence reporting
• Timeliness and accuracy of MIS/reporting
• Team capability and performance improvement

Educational Qualification

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, Sales, Retail Management, Operations Management, Marketing or a related discipline.
• Postgraduate qualification such as an MBA will be an advantage.

Experience

• 7+ years of relevant experience in retail sales, retail operations, area sales or territory management.
• Prior experience managing EBO, MBO & Franchise channels are strongly preferred.
• Experience in the fashion, footwear, lifestyle, sportswear, consumer retail or similar industries will be an advantage.
• Demonstrated experience of managing a large field/store team, preferably 50+ employees.
• Proven track record of achieving sales targets and improving retail/store performance.
• Experience in franchisee and/or channel partner management will be preferred.

Technical & Functional Skills

• Strong understanding of retail sales and operations.
• Strong knowledge of EBO, MBO & Franchise business models.
• Good understanding of primary and secondary sales processes.
• Strong numerical and analytical ability.
• Proficiency in MS Excel, PowerPoint and other reporting/MIS tools.
• Ability to interpret sales, inventory and productivity reports.
• Strong understanding of retail KPIs and performance metrics.
• Good knowledge of inventory and replenishment processes.
• Understanding of VM and planogram execution.
• Ability to prepare business reports, dashboards and presentations.
• Strong market and competition analysis capabilities.

Core Competencies

Commercial Acumen

Strong understanding of sales drivers, retail economics, store productivity and business profitability.

People Leadership

Ability to lead, motivate, coach and develop a large and diverse team while maintaining accountability for results.

Analytical Thinking

Ability to analyze data, identify trends and root causes, and convert insights into actionable business plans.

Execution Excellence

Strong focus on translating plans into measurable results through disciplined field execution.

Customer Centricity

Strong commitment to delivering an excellent customer experience and maintaining high service standards.

Decision Making

Ability to make quick, practical and informed decisions in a dynamic retail environment.

Stakeholder Management

Ability to build effective relationships with internal teams, franchisees, MBO partners and other business stakeholders.

Problem Solving

Ability to identify operational and commercial challenges, determine root causes and implement sustainable solutions.

Ownership & Accountability

Takes complete ownership of territory performance, team outcomes and execution standards.

Adaptability

Ability to respond effectively to changing market conditions, business priorities and customer requirements.

Behavioral Attributes

The ideal candidate should be:

• Results-oriented and commercially driven.
• Highly energetic and comfortable working in a field-intensive retail environment.
• A strong people leader with the ability to manage large teams.
• Customer-focused and service-oriented.
• Data-driven and analytical in decision-making.
• Proactive in identifying business opportunities.
• Strong in communication and interpersonal skills.
• Comfortable working with multiple stakeholders.
• Able to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong in execution and follow-through.
• Willing to travel extensively across Kerala as required.
• Resilient and capable of working effectively under pressure.
• Committed to high standards of integrity, professionalism and accountability.

Role Expectations

The successful candidate will be expected to:

Own the overall business performance of the Kerala territory. Drive sales growth across EBO and MBO channels along with Franchise business. Lead and develop a team of 50+ employees. Strengthen relationships with franchisees and MBO partners. Ensure strong inventory availability and stock productivity. Drive operational excellence and adherence to brand standards. Ensure effective execution of VM and planograms. Regularly monitor KPIs and translate data into actionable plans. Provide relevant and timely market and competitor intelligence. Identify new business and market growth opportunities. Maintain strong cross-functional collaboration. Build a high-performing, customer-centric retail team.

About Skechers

Skechers, a global Fortune 500® company, develops and markets a diverse range of lifestyle and performance footwear, apparel, and accessories. Serving over 180 countries and territories, Skechers connects customers to products through department and specialty stores, e-commerce and digital stores, and through our more than 5,300 Skechers retail locations.