Job Description:
Job Purpose:
In line with MEA strategy and business aspiration to continue accelerating the business in Iraq which is a stage 3 market under NALT cluster, we have opened an excellent opportunity to lead the market development for Mars Snacking categories in Iraq which have been identified as growth opportunity markets. Iraq is top growth market in NALT with a big potential for our future Mars business in the region. The market leader will be responsible for accelerating and building Mars future RTM in this high potential market to accelerate top and bottom lines growth.
The market leader will be responsible for all the on-ground execution and focusing to protect and leverage on our Leadership to accelerate the category and market growth with accelerated speed.
This role will own the channels development and be responsible for building and engaging the distributor sales organization to deliver the market objectives, execution guidelines and perfect store ambitions.
In addition, the role is critical in partnering with key stakeholders across Mars cross-functions and our partners to build the distributors’ capabilities, customer relationships and mutual profitability.
Roles & Responsibilities:
Market Strategy
· Develop and deploy the market’s OGSM in line with overall NALT OGSM
· Develop the 3 to 5 years efficient route to market strategy for Iraq market
Financial Shape
· Accountable for delivering the growth P&L shape on both NS & MAC level
· Accountable for trade, distribution and M&P budget management and optimization
Business Performance
· Deliver against market share, category and brand growth
· Deliver against all Sales & Distribution KPIs
Distributor Relationship & Development
· Deliver distributor sales targets for the Mars Snacking business as per the annual business plan
· Assume key point of contact between the distributor and Mars Snacking and lead the business operations to drive category and brand growth.
· Support the TDS in the market for Mars categories (distributor sales force) to expand distribution and ensure the delivery of the sales target / KPI’S for the Mars unit periodically and annually.
Trade Channels & Customer development
· Develop & Execute channel strategies in the country
· Develop strategic relationships with the top 5 Key Accounts
· Pre-align and support the distributor in all business development negotiations and lead the checkouts agreement with top customers in both markets.
· Drive excellent execution and delivery of picture of success ambitions through the implementation of category and shopper centric initiatives with key partners in the assigned markets
Cross functional Collaboration
· Lead market demand planning (forecasting) process
· Collaborate with Mars supply team on replenishment process and with distributor logistics team on inventory management & key customer service levels
· Partner with the Customer Growth team to ensure the delivery of appropriate tools and solutions which enable the field sales team to deliver a best-in-class customer experience and excellent execution.
Education & Professional Qualification
Graduate calibre, with 6+ years of extensive experience in a blue chip FMCG / consumer product with strong communication and field sales/channel management experience.
Knowledge/Experience
- Own the development of the business plans, leading the distributors in joint collaborative business planning process with customers and negotiating the implementation of the agreed category drivers.
- Manage a rolling 24-month business forecast by channel and deliver the periodical forecast, agreed volume and value KPI’s.
- Ability to navigate complex situations and challenge the status quo with a can-do attitude. Self-reliant, decisive and resilient and able to respond and adapt to a fast moving, swiftly changing environment.
- Experience of developing best-in-class efficient coverage and resource models which optimize physical availability, conversion and ROI for the company and the customer, adopting a continuous improvement mindset to identify opportunities for enhancement.
- Manage the financial KPI’s and ensuring the delivery of the targeted DSO and Trade spend in the market.
- Co-develop the customer activation calendar utilizing the customers’ leaflets to implement both central and local activities and seasons.
- Ability to navigate complex situations and challenge the status quo with a can-do attitude. Self-reliant, decisive, and resilient and able to respond and adapt to a fast moving, swiftly changing environment.
Skills Required
- Graduate-level education or equivalent qualification
- 6+ years of extensive experience in blue-chip FMCG or consumer products
- Strong communication experience
- Field sales and channel management experience
- Experience developing business plans and leading distributor collaborative business planning
- Experience managing rolling 24-month business forecasts and volume and value KPIs
- Ability to navigate complex situations, challenge the status quo, and adapt to a fast-changing environment
- Experience developing efficient coverage and resource models that optimize availability, conversion, and ROI
- Experience managing financial KPIs, DSO, and trade spend
- Experience developing customer activation calendars and implementing central and local activities
Mars Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Mars and has not been reviewed or approved by Mars.
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Healthcare Strength — The benefits package is positioned as comprehensive, with broad medical coverage and additional protections like life insurance and short- and long-term disability. Mental health support is emphasized, including free mental health services and wellbeing programming under initiatives such as Mars Be Well.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is highlighted as market-leading in the U.S., with an example of 18 weeks fully paid for both parents. Additional family-related leave types such as sick time for caregiving and bereavement leave are also described as part of the overall package.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings are described as strong, including 401(k) matching (with a 6% match cited) and pension plans in some cases. The broader package also references retirement savings options and contributions aligned to local market practice, supporting long-term financial security.
Mars Insights
What We Do
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, Pet Partners™, and VCA™. We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.
