CUSTOMER BUSINESS MANAGER

The Role

We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for a motivated, highly analytical sales professional to serve as the Customer Business Manager, overseeing the strategic, end-to-end management of select regional grocery accounts headquartered across the Eastern United States. In this role, you will leverage advanced data analytical skills to drive aggressive sales growth and maximize long-term category volume.

Your Responsibilities

• Achieve sales targets for overall territory, customer and category within approved trade spend budget through negotiations with the buyer on sales and product placement.
• Develop, monitor, and continually revise assigned accounts' annual business plans.
• Analyze point of sale and other sales data; communicate trends, insights, and risks via performance reports to Hartz internal teams, and to accounts’ category/replenishment teams.
• Use data to update and adjust the customer business plan.
• Identify opportunities for all category and line reviews on an ongoing basis, building a selling story to secure new business as well as increase existing distribution across all categories.
• Ensure that retail margins and promotions fall within the published brand strategy for all items and categories, including proper shelf position.
• Forecast customer events as required.
• Build exceptionally strong relationships with key account stakeholders and brokers through consistent communication and meetings.
• Collaborate closely with internal Brand and Customer Planning teams and external broker partners to pinpoint significant opportunities within these Major grocery accounts.
• Develop and implement strategies and programs aimed at generating profitable and incremental sales.
• Understand and convey account strategies and goals to the internal Hartz team.
• Attend/participate in industry and customer events, trade/trade show events, and company sales/marketing meetings.
• Effectively manage the administrative responsibilities, including price change forms, deductions, and selling and planning schedules.

Requirements

• Education and Experience: Bachelor’s Degree in a Business-related discipline with 2+ years of direct sales experience (or 5+ years direct sales experience in lieu of degree), calling on regional grocery headquarter accounts with a history of setting and delivering a growth agenda; pet care industry a plus.
• Sales & Presentation Skills: Experience with category management, fact-based selling techniques (point of sale and syndicated data analysis), and the ability to create, develop, and present this information compellingly from scratch.
• Negotiation Skills: Proven negotiation skills, demonstrated ability to finalize business, and expand current account list.
• Software Proficiency: Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite programs.
• Operations and Administration: Effective management of the administrative responsibilities, including price change forms, deductions, and selling and planning schedules.