National Sales Manager

Job Purpose

The National Sales Manager (NSM) will be responsible for leading the overall sales performance and business growth across the assigned region, covering Central and outstation territories.

The NSM will directly manage and develop the Field Sales Manager (FSM) team and provide strategic direction, commercial leadership, coaching, and performance management to ensure the achievement of regional sales, revenue, market growth, and customer engagement objectives.

The NSM will translate the company's overall commercial strategy into effective regional execution through the FSM team. The role will oversee regional sales planning, forecasting, field-force effectiveness, customer development, market expansion, and talent development across three key business channels:

• General Practitioners (GPs)
• Private Hospitals
• Independent Pharmacies

The NSM will work closely with Marketing, Commercial, Finance, Medical, and other internal stakeholders to identify business opportunities, strengthen market presence, support product growth, and provide strategic recommendations to management.

Key Responsibilities

Regional Sales Strategy & Business Planning

• Develop and execute the regional sales strategy and business plan in alignment with company objectives, revenue targets, and growth priorities.
• Translate company and national sales strategies into clear regional priorities, targets, action plans, and execution plans for FSMs.
• Execute and communicate regional sales targets and performance expectations assigned by senior management, ensuring clear alignment and accountability across all FSMs.
• Analyse market potential, territory opportunities, customer segmentation, product performance, and competitor activities to identify opportunities for business growth.
• Develop strategies to increase sales, market penetration, customer coverage, product uptake, and regional profitability.
• Ensure FSMs develop effective territory business plans and sales strategies for their respective areas.
• Take overall accountability for achieving regional sales, revenue, growth, and profitability targets.

FSM Leadership & Performance Management

• Directly manage, lead, coach, and develop the FSM team across Central and outstation territories.
• Conduct regular one-to-one meetings, performance reviews, and business reviews with FSMs.
• Set clear KPIs, performance standards, and business priorities for each FSM.
• Coach and develop FSMs in leadership, sales management, business planning, customer management, performance management, and problem-solving.
• Monitor FSM performance and provide timely feedback, guidance, and corrective actions where required.
• Hold FSMs accountable for the performance, productivity, development, and engagement of their respective Medical Sales Representative (MSR) teams.
• Identify capability gaps within the FSM team and implement appropriate coaching and development plans.
• Identify high-potential talent and support succession planning and career development within the sales organisation.

Field Force Effectiveness & Territory Management

• Ensure effective sales execution across all assigned territories through the FSM team.
• Review territory coverage, customer prioritisation, call planning, tour plans, lead generation, and field activity effectiveness with FSMs.
• Ensure FSMs optimise the deployment and productivity of their Medical Sales Representative (MSR) teams according to territory potential and business priorities.
• Monitor the effectiveness of field-force deployment across Central and outstation territories.
• Conduct regular field visits with FSMs to assess territory performance, customer engagement, execution quality, and leadership effectiveness.
• Ensure FSMs consistently conduct effective field coaching and development of Medical Sales Representatives (MSRs).
• Identify gaps in territory coverage, customer engagement, sales productivity, and resource allocation and work with FSMs to implement corrective actions.

Sales Performance & Business Analytics

• Review regional sales performance by territory, FSM, product, customer segment, and business channel.
• Identify performance gaps and develop appropriate recovery and action plans with FSMs.
• Monitor sales growth, achievement versus target, product contribution, customer acquisition, and other agreed KPIs.
• Ensure effective execution of product launches, promotional campaigns, and strategic commercial initiatives.
• Own the regional sales forecasting process and ensure accurate and timely forecasts from FSMs.
• Analyse historical sales trends, market potential, customer demand, pipeline opportunities, and territory performance to improve forecast accuracy.
• Prepare regular regional business reviews, sales reports, forecasts, and management presentations.
• Provide senior management with relevant market intelligence, competitive insights, business risks, and growth recommendations.

Customer & Business Development

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers and strategic healthcare stakeholders across the assigned region.
• Support FSMs in managing key accounts, major customers, and complex business opportunities.
• Personally, engage with selected strategic customers where senior-level involvement is required.
• Support the resolution of escalated customer issues and ensure timely follow-up through the relevant FSM.
• Identify new business opportunities, untapped territories, potential accounts, and market expansion opportunities.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Marketing to ensure effective implementation of product strategies, promotional activities, campaigns, launches, and customer engagement initiatives.
• Collaborate with Commercial and Finance teams on sales forecasting, budgeting, profitability, pricing, and commercial planning.
• Provide regional market feedback and customer insights to support business and marketing strategies.
• Work closely with Medical and other relevant internal functions to support appropriate customer engagement and product-related initiatives.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to resolve operational issues that may impact sales performance or customer satisfaction.

Product Knowledge & Team Development

• Maintain strong knowledge of the company's product portfolio, therapeutic areas, competitive landscape, and market developments.
• Ensure FSMs maintain the necessary product, market, and commercial knowledge to effectively lead their teams.
• Identify training and development needs within the FSM team and recommend appropriate development initiatives.
• Ensure FSMs develop the product knowledge, selling skills, customer engagement capabilities, and business acumen of their respective Medical Sales Representatives (MSRs).
• Promote continuous learning, professional development, and a high-performance culture across the regional sales organisation.

Reporting, Compliance & Governance

• Ensure FSMs comply with company policies, SOPs, sales processes, reporting requirements, and applicable pharmaceutical industry standards.
• Review and validate sales reports, forecasts, business plans, tour plans, and performance updates submitted by FSMs.
• Ensure timely and accurate submission of regional reports and management presentations.
• Maintain accurate historical records of regional sales performance, customer activities, market developments, and business initiatives.
• Promote a culture of accountability, ethical sales practices, continuous improvement, collaboration, and high performance.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of company business objectives.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree, Post Graduate Diploma, or Professional Degree in Science, Pharmacy, Life Sciences, Business, Marketing, or another relevant discipline.
• Minimum 8–12 years of relevant experience in the pharmaceutical, healthcare, medical, or related industry.
• Proven experience in pharmaceutical sales management with progressively increasing leadership responsibilities.
• Must have experience managing Field Sales Managers, Area Sales Managers, or equivalent first-line sales leaders.
• Proven track record of achieving and exceeding sales targets and driving sustainable business growth.
• Experience managing multiple territories and geographically dispersed sales teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and PowerPoint; experience with CRM or sales-force automation systems is preferred.
• High level of accountability, ownership, integrity, and professionalism.
• Willingness to travel extensively across the assigned region, including Central and outstation territories.