Senior Customer Account Manager – Homecare Category

Job Title: Senior Customer Account Manager – Homecare Category

Location:  Kingston Office 2 Days per Week

Function: Customer Development

Terms & Conditions: ​Full time

WE ARE UNILEVER

Established over 100 years ago, we are one of the world’s largest consumer goods companies based in the UK. We're committed to boosting employment, skills, and growth, whilst making great products and taking care of our people, planet and communities.

• Our products are sold in 190 countries.
• 3.4 billion people use our products every day.
• 128,000 people employed by Unilever worldwide.
• 74% reduction in GHG emissions in our operations since 2015

At Unilever, you’re much more than your job title. Here, you can uncover the work you’re most passionate about. And you can put your fresh thinking into action to create real impact across the world. Whether that’s by making our business more sustainable, by working on one of our world-famous brands – like Hellmann's or Dove – or by helping to drive our social commitments, you can build a better world with us. Bring your purpose to life.

WHAT WE OFFER

We strive to achieve a family-friendly and inclusive workplace and to, above all, create possibilities for all.

Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities, and growing together for better business performance. We want to push boundaries, and have the flexibility needed to keep adapting in an ever-changing, more dynamic world. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity.

As part of your hiring journey, we are happy to support requests for reasonable adjustments, to improve your recruitment experience.

JOB PURPOSE

The Senior Customer Account Manager will be responsible for building strong working relationships with the customer buying team; developing and executing customer business plans at a category level which deliver USG, Market Share and Profitability. They are accountable for the day to day contact with customer buyers, supply chain, shopper marketing, category & brand contacts as well as building strong relationships with the Retail Media team.

MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Line Management

• Line Management of 1 x Customer Account Executive and 1 x Degree Level Apprentice 

Building Strong and Sustainable Customer Relationships 

• Negotiate effectively with the customer, e.g. to agree trade terms, trade funding and securing counterparts according to the Unilever strategy on his/her categories.

• Manage the relationship aspects of key retailer ‘events’, e.g. launching of new products, cost price changes, trade terms. 

• Manage promotional and non-promotional investments with the customer and ensure all agreements are properly executed and documented.

• Work closely with Customer Experience Specialists, Customer Planners and other cross functional members within Unilever to ensure administrative aspects of promotions are completed.

Lead the Customer Strategy Development and Major Category Initiatives

• Develop and deliver the customer strategic business plan for relevant categories, and the joint customer business plan, working closely with Category Managers and Shopper Marketing.

• Develop and deliver an optimal integrated category promotional plan including selling the plan to the customer. 
• Manage the launch of new products with the customer, e.g. selling in the new product, providing samples and developing best in class launch plans.
• Ensure effective in-store activation of key events (e.g. promotions, range reviews), providing clear briefings to the Retail Operations Team. 
• Business Planning, sales updates, in store tracking, price claim management etc  
• Delivery of required admin for the customer – pricing, rebates, NLF’s, promo proposals, trade terms, contracts.

Be Accountable for Financial Performance of Categories Within Area of Responsibility

• Manage the customer P&L for relevant categories and the overall level of customer investment. 
• Manage in-month performance vs forecast, working closely with all cross functional team members.
• Manage accruals and pricing accurately and efficiently. 
• Ensure customer is compliant with agreed trade terms; where these are breached seek a resolution and monitor implementation. 
• Full P&L Management: Delivery of Turnover & Business Building Terms targets for specific category. 
• S&OP Forecasting.  
• Provision of clear up to date inputs into Business Processes (e.g. promotional evaluation)         

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

Experiences & Qualifications

• Prior commercial experience and experience of full P&L management is essential.
• Proven history of working within a team environment. 
• Prior experience of leading and developing a direct report preferable.
• Minimum 3 years relevant Account Management experience. 
• Prior experience in Category Management is preferable however not essential. 

Skills

• Customer management & selling essentials.
• Strong Communication skills.
• Experience of leveraging big customer relationships.
• Proactive and curious mindset.
• Stakeholder management.
• Strong negotiation skills.

Key Unilever Behaviours

• PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results. Has an owner’s mindset, using data and insight to make decisions.

• PERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Actively builds own wellbeing and resilience.

• CONSUMER LOVE: Whatever their role, always looks for better ways to serve consumers. Invests time inside and outside to understand the needs of consumers.

• PURPOSE & SERVICE: Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside Unilever.

• AGILITY: Explores the world around them, continually learning and developing their skills.