Head of Sales, China

Head of Sales

This role is the strategic leader for Diageo's General Trade channel in China, which represents a significant portion of the company's sales. The holder is fully accountable for the P&L objectives for this critical channel. The role requires managing a large, nationwide sales team and a complex network of distributors and key accounts to drive sustainable and profitable growth.

About this role

To create a robust, high-performing, and healthy General Trade network for Diageo China. This involves developing and executing a winning trade strategy to ensure superior product availability, impactful in-store presence, and compelling consumer promotions. The role is central to maximizing return on investment, evolving Route-to-Market, and building best-in-class commercial capabilities

• Develop and implement the comprehensive General Trade channel strategy and commercial plan for China, fully aligned with the overall commercial and marketing strategy.
• Own the full P&L responsibility to achieve the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) for the General Trade business.
• Prioritize and provide clear direction for all commercial activities and initiatives to ensure plan delivery.
• Embed Sales Drivers into all plans and operations to focus investment on the right customers, channels, and categories for growth.
• Create a robust, bottom-up process for budget management, forecasting, and ensuring spend effectiveness.

• Provide strong leadership, direction, and coaching to the national GT sales team and direct reports.
• Manage sales resources to maximize return on investment and achieve market share growth.
• Grow talent, build a solid pipeline of commercial talents, and ensure a robust succession plan for the department.
• Foster a high-performance culture through continuous employee development and high employee engagement.
• Oversee the delivery of tools and capabilities required for excellent sales execution.

• Plan and implement the overall RTM strategy, including wholesaler selection, engagement, and development.
• Negotiate trading terms with distributors and key accounts to ensure account-wise profitability and target coverage.
• Ensure excellent relationships with authorized distributors and key on-trade & off-trade customers.
• Develop and oversee the execution of annual account plans for all key customers.

• Ensure the effective utilization of the promotion budget, leveraging data and global best practices to create innovative programs.
• Coordinate with the Marketing team to ensure the development of effective visibility tools, POP materials, and customer incentive packages.
• Secure dominant space and execution, particularly during critical peak and festive seasons where a significant portion of sales occurs.
• Ensure the right products are available at the right place with the right promotions.

• Analyze market trends and consumer preferences, providing strategic inputs to the Marketing and Strategy teams.
• Create accurate rolling forecasts and ensure high adherence to projections.
• Closely collaborate with Finance, Supply, Marketing, and HR on cross-functional projects to drive business goals.
• Sponsor global commercial capability programs, tailoring them into localized initiatives to drive commercial excellence in China.

• Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field; MBA is a plus.
• Minimum of 10+ years of progressive commercial experience in Alcohol, Beverage, or FMCG, with a strong preference for the alcohol beverage industry.
• Proven track record of leading a large, national sales team and managing significant P&L responsibilities.
• Deep expertise and a strong network within China's General Trade channel, including both on-trade and off-trade environments.
• Demonstrated success in developing trade strategy, Route-to-Market evolution, and managing key distributor relationships.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, collaboration, and analytical skills. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment, with strong attention to detail and the ability to work under pressure.
• Knowledge of legal and regulatory requirements in the alcohol industry in China.

• Lack of strategic commercial planning and P&L management skills.
• Inability to build and maintain strong relationships with customers and internal stakeholders.
• Failure to lead, develop, and inspire a large, diverse team.
• Poor analytical skills and inability to leverage data for decision-making.