Recruiting a strong sales or commercial leader is only half of the task. How the first ninety days are handled often decides whether the appointment delivers. In FMCG, where customer relationships, promotional calendars and route to market all move quickly, a new leader who is poorly introduced can lose months of momentum. This guide sets out a practical plan for the first ninety days.
Why onboarding decides the outcome
A new commercial leader arrives with credibility but little context. They do not yet know your customers, your trade terms, your team or your internal politics. Employers who structure the first ninety days give the new leader the information, relationships and authority to make good decisions early. Those who do not often discover that a capable hire has spent months simply working out how things operate.
Before day one
Agree the objectives for the first year and the way success will be measured
Confirm reporting lines, decision rights and budget authority in writing
Prepare systems access, reports and customer data so that nothing delays the first week
Plan introductions to the most important customers and internal stakeholders
Brief the team on the appointment, the person and the reasons for the change
Days one to thirty: listen and learn
The first month is for understanding. The new leader should meet each member of the team individually, review sales and margin data by customer, channel and category, and learn how trade terms and promotional plans work in practice.
Early introductions to key retail buyers and wholesale partners, ideally alongside a senior colleague, build credibility. Resist the urge to demand major changes before the leader has seen the business from the inside.
Days thirty-one to sixty: diagnose and align
In the second month, the leader should form a view. Which customers and categories offer the greatest opportunity? Where are margin and promotional spend being lost? Does the team have the capability and structure it needs? Which routes to market deserve more or less investment?
This is the point to agree a short list of priorities with the managing director or CEO, so that the leader and the business are aligned on what will be tackled first.
Days sixty-one to ninety: act and show progress
The third month is for action. The leader should launch two or three priorities, set clear targets for the team, communicate the plan to key customers and internal colleagues, and begin to deliver early results. A review at ninety days, against the objectives agreed before day one, closes the loop and sets the direction for the rest of the year.
Common pitfalls
Starting in the middle of a major promotional cycle without a proper handover
Failing to introduce the new leader to the retail buyers who matter most
Leaving authority unclear, so that decisions are delayed or reversed
Providing no structured feedback in the first three months
Expecting results too quickly, or too little, without agreed milestones
The recruiter's role after the offer
A good search does not end when the offer is accepted. The period between acceptance and start, and the first few months in role, are when appointments are most vulnerable. At SET Consulting, we stay in regular contact with the candidate from the moment they accept an offer, so that any concern reaches the client as feedback rather than as a resignation. Aftercare is included in the placement and is not billed as an extra.
How SET Consulting recruits for FMCG and consumer businesses
SET Consulting recruits manufacturing, commercial, sales, marketing, supply chain, procurement and senior leadership roles for FMCG and consumer businesses in South Africa. Our consultants bring more than twenty years of market knowledge and a median tenure of more than a decade, which means the person who understands your business is still here when you hire again.
Frequently asked questions
How long should an FMCG leader's onboarding last?
Ninety days is a useful framework for the core plan, but support and review should continue through the first year, particularly across a full promotional cycle.
Who should introduce a new sales leader to customers?
Ideally a senior colleague, such as the managing director or the person to whom the new leader reports, who already has the relationship.
What should be agreed before the new leader starts?
Objectives, reporting lines, decision rights, budget authority and the way success will be measured.
Does SET Consulting support clients after a placement?
Yes. We stay in regular contact with the candidate from the moment they accept an offer, and aftercare is included in the placement at no extra charge.
Read more about our work in this sector.