Channel Customer Account Manager

Scope: Permanent, Full Time

Reports to: Ireland IC Core Customer Controller

Location: Citywest Office Dublin

Terms & Conditions: Local conditions apply 

Unilever Ice Cream is the largest global Ice Cream Company in the world, with over 100 years of experience delivering a diverse range of indulgent, yet responsible, craft food experiences and treats delighting consumers. Committed to innovation, quality, and sustainability we have 35 brands, including 3 one billion Euro brands (Magnum, Wall’s, Ben & Jerry’s), a strong presence in over 60 countries, generating annual revenue of over $8 billion The Ice Cream business is operating in a highly attractive category, as we are part of the 1 trillion snacking and refreshment industry, growing consistently at high pace. We have strong brands equities: 5 of top 10 selling brands including Wall’s, Magnum, Ben &Jerry’s. We are investing to unlock the full growth potential of Ice Cream as a standalone entity, once we separate from Unilever, which is planned to happen by November 2025.

Ice Cream has distinct characteristics from Unilever’s other operating businesses and the growth potential of Ice Cream will be better delivered under a different ownership structure. As Ice Cream company we are committed to developing and nurturing talent within our Ice Cream company. You will have ample options for career growth and exploration, allowing you for you to explore roles and opportunities across the new organisation. Your career development will be a priority for us, and we are dedicated to supporting your growth journey within the new company. We hope that you will want to build the new chapter of our Ice Cream history together with us.

We turn the ordinary into the extraordinary by designing unique and innovative Ice Cream experiences that make life taste better, creating joyful experiences. In our Ice Cream business, we’re crafting the future through innovation and imaginative minds, creating unique products. We spark moments of happiness for people and within the communities where we operate. However, it is not as simple as it may seem. As Ice Cream makers we are serious about happiness. With warm hearts, we create the coolest products.

JOB PURPOSE:

The role is responsible for building strong working relationships with the customer buying team; developing and executing customer business plans which deliver USG, Market Share and Profitability in line with our fundamentals for growth ambitions. They are accountable for the day-to-day contact with the customer buyers, supply chain, shopper marketing, internal Commercial & Brand contacts. They also work closely with the European Central VC team to unlock that channel shift.

Key focus areas for this role are:

• Love what you do:  As a Controller you will be passionate about all aspects of leading your portfolio & Customers to deliver competitive growth.

• Love your customer: You will lead the Customer/ Unilever relationship within Total Ice Cream – driving growth via strategic alignment and negotiation.

• Do what you say: Deliver month on month, Drive the JBP, executing the agreed plan setting up a strong ambition and agreement

• Own it: Leverage our full team to deliver new and exciting innovation and activation, differentiate across the big 3 customers to unlock the growth.

• Be Different: The need for extensive commercial rigor in the assessment and implementation of our Growth Strategy. Ability to identify opportunities to optimise our business, develop a plan and deliver results.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Build strong and sustainable customer relationships.
• Negotiate effectively with your customer.
• Manage the relationship aspects of customer commercial events’
• Develop and deliver the customer strategic business plan for Total IC, using the functional resource available to you.
• Develop and deliver an optimal integrated category trading plan.
• Manage promotional and non-promotional investments with the customer and ensure all agreements are properly documented, stored and counterparted.
• Work closely with trading executive to ensure administrative aspects of promotions are completed.
• Ensure effective in-store execution, own the occasions, own the visibility, be impossible to miss.
• Be curious with data, in store, customer feedback, build better plans for them.
• Build your plans to win market share, differentiate v your competition.

ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Manage your customer P&L for total IC and the overall level of customer investment.
• Manage in-month performance vs forecast & course correct as necessary to responsibly deliver to plan
• 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
• P&L Management: Delivery of Turnover & TMI targets for total Ice Cream.       
• Business Planning, sales updates, in store tracking, price claim management etc)
• Support your trading executive to deliver the required admin for the customer – pricing, rebates, NLF, promo proposals, trade terms, contracts.
• Track your RSV by period, execute your plan to deliver share growth YOY.

ALL ABOUT YOU

We are looking for a future thinker, who has passion for not only all things ice cream, but for brilliant in-market execution and delivering high performance. The successful candidate with have strong commercial acumen, attention to detail and a good ability to build cross functional relationships within the wider business. We are looking for someone who can work autonomously and can influence both our customers and internal senior stakeholders. You embody a Passion for High Performance and possess the resilience and grit to navigate the ups and the downs of the season and of organisational transformation. You can influence across the organization (both in terms of hierarchy and x-functionals) using your knowledge, insights, and critical thinking to find growth solutions for Unilever and our Customers.

• 4+ years in FMCG; roles with Customer Management and Customer Category Development a strong preference.

• Strong Category Management understanding including principles of Shopper/Retailer Insights would be an asset to this role.
• Project management and budget management is an essential experience for this role.

KEY SKILLS & KNOWLEDGE

• Customer P&L understanding, Digital Business Commerce P&L, Category Management; Category Growth Management; Data-Drive Mindset Standards of Leadership
• Proven track record of Retailer negotiation as well as development of Strategic Partnership and achievement of joint goals.
• Proven record of target achievement and driving outperformance not only as an individual but through a team and ideally through a x-functional network which does not directly report to you.
• Strong influencing skills both internally and externally, leveraging different communication styles.
• Initiative/drive project management. Possess excellent computer skills (Microsoft Office) and understanding of sales, POS and Shopper data software programs.
• Strong organizational and communication skills with the ability to multi-task & prioritize.
• Problem Solving, Critical thinking and solid judgment & decision-making ability.
• Excellent communicator both verbally and written.