Distributor Sales Supervisor job description
A Distributor Sales Supervisor manages a telecom distributor's field team that sells SIMs, recharges and devices to retailers. The role keeps shelves stocked, retailers active and daily sales on track in the territory.
Why the role exists
Telecom operators reach most Indian customers through distributors, who in turn serve thousands of small retailers. The Distributor Sales Supervisor guides the sales executives and retailer partners in a territory, checks stock and activations, and reports to the distributor's sales manager or the operator's area team. The role needs strong ground presence and clean records.
What the person does
- Plan daily beat routes for the sales executives and retailers in the territory, and check that every outlet is visited on schedule.
- Track SIM, recharge voucher and device stock with the distributor, and arrange refills before retailers run out.
- Review daily activations and recharges by outlet, and follow up on outlets whose numbers have fallen.
- Train retailers and executives on current plans, offers, KYC steps for new SIMs and the operator's partner app.
- Visit retail outlets to check display material, signage and offer communication against the operator's brand guidelines.
- Check that new SIM sales follow the verification process set by the operator, and report lapses to the area team.
- Settle retailer commission queries and payment follow-ups with the distributor's accounts team.
- Send daily and weekly reports on sales, stock, outlet coverage and competitor activity to the sales manager.
Skills and tools
- Managing a beat plan and outlet coverage for a mixed urban and semi-urban territory
- Reading daily activation, recharge and stock reports from the operator or distributor system
- Retailer relationship skills, including handling disputes about commission or stock
- Knowledge of prepaid and postpaid plans, SIM activation flow and recharge channels
- Coaching and tracking a team of field sales executives on a day-to-day basis
- Using partner apps, spreadsheets and WhatsApp groups for daily reporting
- Spotting competitor offers and local market changes quickly
- Travel on a two-wheeler across the territory, with long days on the road
Education and experience
Preferred, never a bar: equivalent experience counts.
- Preferred: graduate degree or equivalent sales experience in telecom, FMCG or consumer distribution.
- Preferred: two to five years in field sales, with some time leading or guiding a small team.
- Past work with a telecom operator, distributor or recharge partner is useful but not essential.
- Ability to read and speak the local language of the territory is preferred, along with workable English for reports.
How the work is judged
- Active outlets in the territory against the plan the company sets
- Stock availability at outlets, measured by how often retailers run out
- Activation and recharge growth by outlet and by executive
- Quality of retailer onboarding and adherence to the SIM verification process
- Accuracy and timeliness of daily reports and retailer commission settlements
Where the role can lead
- Move to Territory Sales Manager or Area Sales Manager at the distributor or operator.
- Grow into channel development or distribution management roles across several districts.
- Progress to regional distribution head or partner management positions.
Interview questions to ask
Ask every candidate the same questions in the same order and score them against written anchors, so the decision rests on the work and not the impression.
- How would you plan a week of beat visits for forty outlets spread over a district?
- Several retailers complain that SIM stock is short. How do you find the cause and fix it?
- A top retailer threatens to switch to a competitor's SIMs. What do you do?
- You find an executive has been logging visits that did not happen. How do you handle it?
- Describe how you train a new retailer on KYC steps for activation.
- How do you tell if a drop in recharge numbers is local or part of a wider trend?
Hiring tips for this role
- Check for honest reporting. Ask how they verify visits and stock counts. Inflated numbers from the field are a known risk in distribution roles.
- Test numeracy with a simple stock and sales reconciliation case. Supervisors who cannot read the data often lose control of the territory.
- Be clear about who employs the supervisor, the distributor or the operator, and who sets targets. Confusion here causes disputes later.
- Ask for retailer references where possible. Good supervisors are known by the outlets they serve, and those retailers will talk about how they were treated.
Questions about hiring a distributor sales supervisor
It varies. Many work for the distributor, with targets set jointly with the operator. State the employer, reporting line and who sets targets in the job description.
It is mainly a field job. Most of the day is spent on the road visiting outlets, with a short time on reports. Candidates should be ready for daily travel.
Field sales experience in telecom, FMCG or consumer products works well. The core skills are managing outlets, tracking stock and guiding a small team, which transfer across industries.
GullyHR agrees the job description with you, screens candidates for field sales and team handling, and supports the offer on a permanent hire. You choose the final candidate after your own interviews.
Hiring a distributor sales supervisor?
GullyHR runs talent acquisition for permanent roles. We agree the job description with you, find and screen candidates against it, and support the offer through to joining. We recruit permanent employees. We do not supply contract or temporary staff.