Business Development Manager, HQ Based (Channel Sales - Modern Trade & General Trade)

CUCKOO International has improved the lives of over 4.7 million Malaysians and operates with over 640 branches nationwide. Its subscription-rental model makes Healthy Home solutions more accessible and affordable, reflecting its commitment to enhancing community well-being through extensive outreach programs.

About The Role

We aren’t looking for an account farmer; we are looking for a high-velocity Hunter to be the tip of the spear for CUCKOO International Malaysia's retail expansion. As our Business Development Lead (MT & GT Acquisition), your mission is simple: find the gaps in the market and fill them with CUCKOO products.

You will own the entire "hunt"—from identifying high-potential GT distributors to negotiating aggressive trading terms with major MT chains. This is a high-visibility, individual contributor role where your success is measured by the new doors you open and the market share you capture.

• Identifying and closing new GT (General Trade) distributors and securing new MT (Modern Trade) listings. (e.g General Trade; independents kiosk, pop stores, open markets, while Modern Trade; Hypermarkets , Supermarkets like Lotus, Aeon, Giant, etc.), Convenience stores (Speedmart, KK Mart, etc.)
• Develop bespoke commercial strategies for both MT (Organized Retail) and GT (Independent Trade/Wholesalers) to maximize Numeric & Weighted Distribution.
• Budget Management: Own and control the trade spend budget (discounts, rebates, promotional costs) for each channel to ensure maximum Return on Investment (ROI).

II. Modern Trade (MT) & Key Account Acquisition

• Listing & Range Management: Lead the negotiation for New Product Introductions (NPI) and secure listings in major MT chains (AEON, Lotus’s, Jaya Grocer, etc.).
• Spearhead the Joint Business Planning (JBP) process. Negotiate aggressive Trading Terms (rebates, listing charges, display rentals) that favor brand visibility and market share growth.
• In-Store Excellence: Ensure top-tier execution of SOS (Share of Shelf) and SOV (Share of Voice) through rigorous planogram compliance and secondary display negotiations (e.g., gondola ends, wing sets).
• Regularly review sales data (sell-in and sell-out) with MT buyers to identify trends, address stock issues, and capitalize on category opportunities.

III. General Trade (GT) & Distribution Expansion

• Recruit, onboard, and manage high-performance distributors to expand reach into provision stores, mini-marts, and wet markets.
• RTM (Route-to-Market) Optimization: Analyze and refine Route-to-Market strategies to reduce out-of-stock (OOS) incidents and improve delivery efficiency in the General Trade segment.
• Define and manage the price bridge between MT and GT to ensure price consistency and prevent channel conflict while maintaining healthy margins for partners.

IV. Corporate & Retail Sales (B2B/Direct)

• B2B Acquisition: Identify and secure large business contracts with institutions, government, hospitality, or other enterprises for bulk sales or service provision.
• Direct Retail: Manage direct retail operations, whether through company-owned stores or e-commerce platforms, ensuring consistent branding and profitability.
• New Channel Development: Proactively seek out and develop new strategic sales channels, such as specialized retailers, institutional catering, or unique partnership opportunities.

• Market Intelligence: Continuously track competitor activities, pricing, new product launches, and promotional campaigns across all channels.
• Sales Reporting: Provide accurate, timely, and data-driven sales reports to senior management, highlighting performance versus budget, risk factors, and strategic next steps.
• Cross-Functional Liaison: Serve as the core commercial liaison with Marketing (to align campaigns), Finance (for budget sign-off), and Operations (to ensure product supply and delivery).
• Monitor and optimize Trade Spend (Promotions, Discounts, Sampling) to ensure every dollar spent results in a measurable uplift in volume and brand presence.
• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Economics, or a related field.
• 3–5 years of sales, business development or trade marketing experience in FMCG, Retail, or Consumer Goods. Having previous experience in leading a team would be an advantage, but not a must have.
• Having a deep understanding in the Malaysian retail landscape, specifically the dynamics of Modern Trade (e.g., AEON, Lotus's) and Traditional Trade (distributor networks).
• Proven expertise in hunting for untapped Modern Trade (MT) accounts and Traditional Trade (TT) distributor networks, including the handling of negotiation of commercial terms and listing agreements.
• Strong ability to manage trade budgets and analyze pricing margins/ROI.