Head of Sales - Pharmaceuticals

Job Title: National Sales Head / Head of Key Accounts

Location: Mumbai, India

About the Role

We are looking for a seasoned commercial leader to head national sales and key account management for a pharmaceutical company. This is a senior leadership role responsible for driving revenue growth across retail pharmacy, institutional, and distributor channels, building a high-performance sales organization and owning the P&L for the sales function.

Key Responsibilities

Sales Strategy & Revenue

• Own and deliver the national sales target across OTC and generics categories
• Develop and execute go-to-market strategies for new and existing products across geographies
• Drive growth across all channels: retail pharmacy chains, independent pharmacies, hospitals, clinics, and government/institutional accounts
• Identify white spaces and expansion opportunities by geography, channel, or product

Key Account Management

• Lead relationships with national pharmacy chains, hospital groups, buying groups, and institutional clients
• Negotiate and close annual trading agreements, listing deals, and promotional contracts
• Build joint business plans with top accounts aligned to mutual growth objectives
• Ensure consistent service levels, fill rates, and in-stock availability across key accounts

Distributor & Channel Management

• Oversee the national distributor network: appointment, performance management, and development
• Drive sell-through from distributor to retail/institutional end points; manage secondary sales discipline
• Resolve channel conflict and maintain pricing integrity across markets
• Optimize distributor ROI and ensure alignment on targets, coverage, and claims

Team Leadership

• Lead, mentor, and manage a multi-tiered sales team across regions
• Set individual and team targets; conduct performance reviews and build succession pipelines
• Drive a culture of accountability, coaching, and continuous improvement in the field

Analytics & Reporting

• Own sales MIS by tracking primary and secondary sales, market share, coverage, and productivity metrics
• Use data (IQVIA/AWACS, internal sales data) to course-correct and identify growth levers
• Present business reviews and forecasts to leadership and board as required

Cross-functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Supply Chain to ensure demand planning accuracy and service level targets
• Partner with Finance on credit management, distributor outstanding, and sales budgets
• Collaborate with Regulatory and Medical Affairs on product launches and claims

Required Experience

• 13+ years of progressive sales experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with at least 5 years in a national or multi-regional leadership role
• Demonstrated experience managing both OTC and generics portfolios
• Strong track record in distributor management and institutional/key account sales
• Prior experience handling retail pharmacy chains (modern trade and traditional trade) is essential
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to read markets, build strategy, and execute with discipline
• Excellent negotiation and relationship management skills at senior stakeholder levels
• Proven ability to build and lead large, geographically dispersed sales teams
• A data-driven approach
• Strong communication and influencing skills across internal and external stakeholders
• B.Pharma / B.Sc. (Life Sciences) preferred; MBA in Sales & Marketing is a strong advantage