International award-winning executive recruitment expert Monroe Consulting Group is recruiting on behalf of a global manufacturing company in searching for an outstanding Modern Trade Director with responsibilities for achieving profitable sales growth through creating and executing business plans for a specific large, complex and volatile Customer/sub-Channel.
This role is likely to be responsible for leading a team of Customer Development Managers and will be accountable for maximising channel/customer and category performance whilst delivering efficient trade revenue optimisation.
Job Responsibilities:
- Lead the development and execution of the sub-channels/customers short and long term strategies Ih optimises profitability and sales revenue and achieves company, category and customer objectives.
- Develops an excellent understanding of the macro environment e.g. external trends, competitor and customers current and future needs Ih is leveraged to build shopper centric customer plans Ih drive mutual growth.
- Develops consistently accurate and timely forecasts using a variety of inputs from both consumption and shipment perspective, adopting a continuous improvement mind-set. Contribute to shaping and executing of the channel's overall strategy and leading the wider channel to success.
- Lead the development and execution of customer specific solutions e.g. assortment, merchandising, pricing and promotion Ih achieve customer, category and business objectives. Drive the customer agenda and develops strong and influential relationships with key customers focused on delivering shopper, channel and category centric solutions Ih accelerate customer engagement.
- Leverage insights to influence customers to implement solutions and identify new opportunities that will deliver results that are beneficial for both customer, category and business. Evaluates and monitors customer initiatives to drive continuous improvement, efficiency and effectiveness for both customer and company.
- Establish category leadership by leading, creating and planning category solutions that benefit customer and category; where appropriate, manage and deliver against the responsibilities of significant customer's category captaincy/ advisory process.
- Collaborate with Customer Marketing develop compelling shopper marketing plans Ih support the achievement of our business objectives.
- Manage new product launches with timely and effective execution to maximize customer impact in the marketplace.
- Oversee all significant customer daily activities to ensure consistent operational execution and follow through on plans.
- Manage customer P&L and trade investment that complies with internal and external requirements.
Responsible for people management to be:
- Responsible for recruiting, retaining and developing a high performing capable and engaged team and a strong talent pipeline and culture that highlights the benefits of personal career development and a pool of best-inclass functional expertise.
- Motivate and inspire the Demand Planning team to deliver both the teams and the wider sales agenda.
- Builds an effective and high performing team creating strong morale and encouraging and facilitating open dialogue
Job Requirements:
- Strong Sales experience that includes selling, negotiating and leveraging insights to deliver tailored customer plans, achieving company and customer objectives and advancing category leadership.
- Significant customer experience, preferably with key/strategic customers and proven ability to deliver successful solutions that cover product, placement, promotion and/ or pricing; with an excellent track record of meeting/ exceeding sales objectives.
- Strong interpersonal skills and proven ability to develop long term, effective and influential business relationships with key decision makers which drive mutual growth.
- Ability to assess needs, propose mutually beneficial solutions, overcome objections, demonstrate resilience and manage conflict with a positive & confident mind-set and close sale to maximise mutual value.
- Experience in partnering with Category and using and deploying the fundamentals of Category Leadership, drive category growth and achieve category captaincy.
- Experience in developing and managing a budget and trade revenue optimization and delivering in budget and ROI.
- People leadership experience of a remote team(s) with demonstrated ability to build capability, develop talent and engage associates.
- Experience in areas such as (but not exclusive to): field sales, customer and category management and customer marketing
