Sales Manager AR, South-East Asia

OVERVIEW:

Gates is a global manufacturer of innovative, highly engineered power transmission (PT) and fluid power (FP) solutions. With an over 110 year history, Gates offers a broad portfolio of products to diverse replacement channel customers, and to OEMs as specified components. Our products are sold in more than 130 countries across a variety of sectors in the industrial and consumer markets. Our products play essential roles in a diverse range of applications across a wide variety of end markets ranging from harsh and hazardous industries to everyday consumer applications, including virtually every form of transportation. Our team of 14,000+ employees support customers across the world.

We operate as 'One Gates' and have a common goal of pushing the boundaries of materials science. We invest in our people, bringing real-world experience that enables us to solve our customers' diverse challenges of today and anticipate those of tomorrow.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Sales Manager is the commercial lead responsible for executing profitable growth strategies and aggressive expansion plans across the ASEAN market. This role oversees a team of Sales Engineers (SEs) and is tasked with delivering high EBITDA and market share growth through a robust distribution network.

RESPONSIBILITIES：

• Execute profitable growth strategies and tactical action plans to achieve sales targets, EBITDA goals, and market share expansion.
• Manage the sales and opportunity pipeline; analyze market trends and pivot sales plans to address gaps in identified market opportunities.
• Lead key customer relationships and negotiations, ensuring terms and conditions align with organizational objectives.
• Recruit new channel distributors and evaluate existing partner performance. Drive "outside-in" strategies to place customers at the center of all distributor engagement activities
• Lead sales through distributors, wholesalers, and workshops to maximize coverage across South-east Asia.
• Enable appropriate channel programs, sell-in/sell-out campaigns, and promotional activities to drive demand across the region.
• Monitor and support distributor performance through joint business plans, training, and marketing initiatives
• Act as the final escalation point for sales conflicts, product use issues, and customer complaints, resolving them in coordination with multi-functional leaders.
• Partner closely with the Product Team and regional functional leaders (Innovation, Operations, Finance, Supply Chain) to ensure product localization and market-fit solutions
• Provide high-quality market intelligence reports for the head office, including competitor movements and application trends in ASEAN automotive replacement market.
• Ensure full compliance with corporate policies, HSE regulations, and the HR code of conduct across the sales team.
• Exemplify Gates’ ethics and core values to develop Sales Engineers with the right skills, behavior, and "resilient/enterprising" mindset.
• Advocate for a "reward for performance" environment to drive accountability for sustainable, aggressive growth.
• Design an innovative learning environment to attract a diverse talent pool and facilitate the team’s upskilling into Fluid Power.

Keys to Success

• The "One Gates" Mindset: Successfully integrating the Product team into the sales cycle to drive increase of market share.
• Resilient Leadership: Managing a matrix environment and remote team members across ASEAN with agility and motivation.
• Commercial Integrity: Balancing aggressive growth targets with profitable, sustainable deal structures

Supervisory Responsibilities

Yes.

Requirements and Preferred Skills

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Mechanical preferred) or Business from a reputable university.
• Experience: 10+ years of industrial sales experience, with a proven track record in growing distribution networks in a matrix environment.
• Domain Knowledge: Strong current expertise in Automotive Power Transmission.
• Skills: Strong analytical, negotiation, and interpersonal skills. Must be highly proactive and able to drive "aggressive growth plans."
• Communication: Professional fluency in English (written and verbal).Willing and able to travel across ASEAN markets (estimated 30–40% travel).