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Customer Manager

The Customer Manager is a salesperson responsible for being the sales expert for a designated Customer(s), providing strategic customer insights. The Customer Manager works to ensure joint business plans are executed by the customer. This role works closely with Key Account Managers (KAMs) within that assigned department, as well as order entry, claims, schematics, and retail sales associates to ensure all Client and Customer standards are met. The Customer Manager (CM) must possess the ability to bridge the relationship between the Key Account Management Team (KAM Team) and all stakeholders at assigned customer(s).

Our clients are defined as the manufacturers, vendors, or brands who have contracted Advantage as their sales force. Our customers are defined as retailers, wholesalers, or distributors, to whom we sell our clients’ brands. This teammate will collaborate with customers to develop strategic plans to accomplish the business goals and work with retailer associates (such as buyers, category managers, replenishment managers, and others) on Headquarter calls to implement the programs.

Job Will Remain Open Until Filled

The Company is one of North America’s leading sales and marketing agencies specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management, and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers, and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods. The Company services a variety of trade channels including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics, and home centers. We bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, providing consumers access to the best products available in the marketplace today.

Essential Responsibilites

• Drive our clients’ business at assigned customer. Increase distribution, grow sales dollars/units/share/other KPI’s, while staying within budget guidelines
• Manage and coordinate Sales Activities, through sales analysis of customer data, sales planning, and sales presentation.
• Conduit between Customer(s), Key Account Managers and Clients through product line presentations, new item presentations, display selling.
• Manage and delegate KAM and Client Divisional Initiatives (i.e. achieving parity pricing vs. inline and competition, maintain up to date Team Business Trackers, photo request presentation, and special requests).
• Secure/ensure timely and accurate responses from customer(s) to KAM Team/Clients which includes promotion forecast.
• Manage selling recommendations from the customer(s) to grow and build the business long-term.
• Attend and present in client meetings at designated customer(s)
• Attend and present in Management Team meetings.
• Conduct and manage customer(s) meetings focusing on client promotional events, displays, etc.
• Build relationships with buyers and support departments at customer, works with KAM to recommend growth plans, execute plans, assist with tactical issues such as PO’s, cost changes, contract execution and ensuring retail/merchandising execution.
• Develop and leverage relationships with key influencers and decision makers in assigned customers.
• Sell displays, period promotions, present business reviews, and new item introductions.
• Build and present product distributions based on previous performance using the customer scan data.
• Present pricing disparities in assigned customer based on client recommendations; achieve parity pricing inline and vs. competition.
• Take weekly photos based on client request and needs.
• Acquire weekly pricing for clients based on their product (s).

Client Quota Achievement

• Meets or exceeds Client’s goals for sales, distribution, share, pricing, shelving, and promotional volume
• Launches strategies to pursue new opportunities

Client KPI’s AchievementImplements retailer headquarter calls and penetrate key positions at the retailer to:

• Achieve sales goals by managing and maximizing manufacturer marketing and promotional funds while staying within financial guidelines
• Ensure that all retail pricing and indirect order guides within the division is updated by regularly correcting discrepancies
• Secure Client approved schematics for all Clients’ brands by providing direction and communication to our schematic, reset, and retail department
• Ensure incremental sales through distribution of new products and maintenance of existing SKU’s
• Collaborate with category management team to develop retailer presentations by using database rationale such as SKU optimization, efficient promotion causal data, and lift analysis
• Manage accounts to achieve the targeted ACV on Innovation

Business / Category Reviews

• Builds and maintains effective client and retailer relationships in order to ensure customer access and client perspective that we are connected and engaged with key stakeholders
• Demonstrates sales accomplishments and areas of opportunity by developing sales presentations for Customers and Clients
• Implements Customer HQ Calls and demonstrates an ability to penetrate key positions at the retailer
• Offers strategic input pursuant to annual business plans, problem solving, ongoing customer management. Finds the intersection of retailer and client objectives and drive win/win scenarios

Supervisory Responsibilities

Direct Reports- This position does not have supervisory responsibilities for direct reports

Indirect Reports- May delegate work of others and provide guidance, direction and mentoring to indirect reports

Travel and/or Driving Requirements

- Travel is not an essential duty and function of this job

Minimum QualificationsEducation Level: (Required): Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience

• 2-4 years in sales or retail experience and knowledge of CPG industry

Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously

Knowledge and experience with designated customers preferred

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Excellent written communication and verbal communication skills
• Ability to motivate and inspire
• Good interpersonal skills
• Demonstrate conflict management skills
• Excellent decision-making skills
• Ability to exercise sound judgment
• Ability to work effectively with management
• Ability to ensure a high level of service and quality is maintained
• Strong computer skills including proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, and web-browsers

Environmental & Physical RequirementsOffice / Sedentary Requirements: Incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of the job. Work is performed primarily in an office environment. Typically, requires the ability to sit for extended periods of time (66%+ each day), ability to hear telephone, ability to enter data on a computer and may require the ability to lift up to 10lbs.

Additional Information Regarding Job Duties and Job DescriptionsJob duties include additional responsibilities as assigned by one’s supervisor or other manager related to the position/department. This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the position. The Company reserves the right at any time with or without notice to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job positions, or assign additional job responsibilities, subject to applicable law. The Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable a qualified applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of associates so classified.

The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment practices without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental disability, or any other category protected by law. As part of this commitment, the Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable an applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by law.