Senior Lead Consultant

The NPD Group, Inc.; Sydney; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Circana in Sydney seeks a Senior Lead Consultant to lead some of APAC Retail's largest partnerships, owning the commercial outcome and client interactions across diverse retail models and market dynamics. You will drive Circana's dual monetisation model, manage senior stakeholders, and guide an account team to deliver value through market read, shopper panel, data monetisation and AI-enabled platforms.

Regular travel to client sites will be required as part of the role, reporting to the Vice

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level education in business, commerce, marketing, economics or related field.

Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end commercial relationship across the portfolio, including contract strategy, pricing, renewals and growth.
• Lead executive business reviews and strategic planning sessions with client leadership.
• Develop and maintain a rolling pipeline of expansion opportunities across new solutions, categories, channels and data assets.
• Manage and develop a high-performing account team delivering consultative services.
• Set strategic direction for all Circana solutions: market read, shopper panel, data monetisation and AI-enabled platforms.
• Partner with APAC Retail leadership and other departments to execute broader retail initiatives.

Skills

Account management

Revenue growth

Executive stakeholder management

Analytics

RFP experience

Leadership

Education

Bachelor in Business/Commerce/Marketing/Economics

Tools

AI-enabled analytics platforms

Job description

Circana is a leading provider of technology, AI, and data solutions for consumer packaged goods companies, manufacturers, and retailers. Our predictive analytics and Liquid Data® platform help clients measure market share, uncover consumer behaviour, and drive growth—powered by six decades of expertise and an expansive, high-quality data set.

At Circana, we are fueled by our passion for continuous learning and growth, we seek and share feedback freely, and we celebrate victories both big and small in an environment that is flexible and accommodating to our work and personal lives. We’re a global company dedicated to fostering inclusivity and belonging. We value and celebrate the unique experiences, cultures, and viewpoints that each individual brings. By embracing a wide range of backgrounds, skills, expertise, and beyond, we create a stronger, more innovative environment for our employees, clients, and communities. With us, you can always bring your full self to work. Join our inclusive, committed team to be a challenger, own outcomes, and stay curious together. Circana is proud to be Certified™ by Great Place To Work®. This prestigious award is based entirely on what current employees say about their experience working at Circana. Learn more at

Role Overview

The Senior Lead Consultant is a senior client leadership role within Circana’s Asia-Pacific Retail business, accountable for managing some of the region’s most significant retail partnerships, alongside a portfolio of smaller retail accounts.

You will own the commercial outcome, strategic direction, and quality of every client interaction with Circana. These key accounts operate across different retail models and market dynamics, requiring the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments, deliver value across diverse business structures, and engage confidently with senior executives in large, sophisticated retail organisations.

You will also drive Circana’s dual monetisation model, generating direct revenue from retail partners and indirect revenue through the commercialisation of retailer data with FMCG manufacturers. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in the Australian grocery and liquor sectors with strong commercial acumen, disciplined account management, and the leadership presence to represent Circana at the most senior levels of client organisations.

Job Responsibilities

You will lead the retailer client portfolio by:

• Owning the end-to-end commercial relationship across the portfolio, including contract strategy, pricing, renewals and growth;
• Operating as Circana’s most senior day-to-day contact for each client’s leadership team, building trust and influence with decision-makers across merchandise, category, insights, loyalty and media;
• Managing and developing a high-performing account team that delivers excellence in consultative service;
• Setting the strategic direction for how Circana serves each client across all solution pillars – market read, shopper panel, customer data commercialisation and AI-enabled platforms;
• Driving the dual monetisation model by maximising both direct retailer revenue and indirect manufacturer revenue generated through retailer data assets;
• Leading competitive defence and positioning, ensuring Circana retains its incumbent advantage and extends its footprint;
• Partnering with the APAC Retail leadership group and other departments to develop and execute broader retail initiatives.

Commercial Leadership and Revenue Growth

• Own the revenue line for the portfolio, delivering against annual targets and multi-year growth objectives;
• Lead contract negotiations, commercial proposals and RFP responses with strategic rigour and commercial creativity;
• Develop and maintain a rolling pipeline of expansion opportunities across new solutions, categories, channels and data assets;
• Partner with the RMC function to maximise the commercialisation of retailer data with FMCG manufacturers and grow indirect revenue;
• Contribute to annual and longer-term business planning; build business cases for key initiatives and estimate the financial and human resources required to deliver them;
• Provide accurate, timely revenue forecasting, budget management and account-level financial reporting to APAC leadership.

Client Engagement and Relationship Management

• Maintain high levels of engagement across the portfolio, including a regular onsite presence at each client;
• Develop and execute relationship management plans that map decision-makers and influencers, and enable effective two-way flow of information and resolution of issues;
• Build a strategic account plan for each client, aligned to their stated business priorities, competitive challenges and transformation agenda;
• Lead executive business reviews, QBRs and strategic planning sessions that demonstrate measurable value and deepen Circana’s relevance;
• Work closely with each client to identify their needs and objectives, and propose solutions that maintain and grow revenue;
• Manage client expectations and navigate objections, escalations and periods of client dissatisfaction with tact and composure;
• Proactively identify unarticulated client needs by staying ahead of industry trends, competitive dynamics and emerging retailer challenges.

Delivery and Analytical Excellence

• Ensure consistently excellent delivery across all workstreams, managing quality, timelines and expectations with discipline;
• Demonstrate excellence in analytical approach, integrating multiple datasets as available (Market Read, In-Home Panel, customer and loyalty data);
• Support the team in the delivery of quality and timely data, reporting, analytics, consulting and other deliverables;
• Seek improved efficiencies and better client outcomes, including through automation and AI-enabled ways of working.

People and Team Leadership

• Oversee the delivery of annual account objectives, ensuring a high-performing team across both anchor accounts and the smaller portfolio;
• Communicate the actions needed to implement the function’s strategy within the team, and connect that strategy to the wider Circana mission and values;
• Inspire, motivate, develop and stretch the team, providing constructive feedback at all levels to enable faster growth;
• Set clear performance objectives for direct reports and hold people accountable for achieving them, using the performance review process to its full potential;
• Ensure individual and collective team skills and development pathways are aligned to client needs, and build a succession pipeline for critical roles;
• Champion collaboration across APAC Retail, Analytics, Insights and Media (AIM), and global solution teams to deliver integrated client outcomes.

Solution Innovation and Thought Leadership

• Develop and deliver original thought leadership tailored to each client’s strategic context – covering market trends, shopper behaviour, competitive dynamics and the role of AI in retail;
• Demonstrate strong industry knowledge and present it regularly at client conferences, supplier forums and trade events;
• Partner with product and technology teams to pilot and scale new solutions within the client environment;
• Build a personal network across the grocery and liquor sector, representing Circana at industry events to gather market intelligence and enhance our visibility and reputation.

Governance and Compliance

• Maintain a deep working knowledge of Circana’s policies and procedures, relevant regulatory codes, and the contractual terms governing retailer data use;
• Identify patterns of non-compliance within the team, take action to resolve them, and escalates issues as appropriate.

Requirements

• Tertiary qualification in Business, Commerce, Marketing, Economics or a related field; postgraduate qualification highly regarded
• 10+ years’ experience in strategic account management, commercial leadership or client-facing consulting within the FMCG, retail, or data and analytics industry
• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-million-dollar client relationships at senior level, preferably with Australian grocery or liquor retailers
• Proven track record of revenue growth, contract retention and commercial innovation in a B2B environment
• Experience managing more than one significant account concurrently, with the ability to prioritise across competing client demands without diluting service quality
• Excellent understanding of analytical concepts related to market, sales and shopper data, and of market measurement, shopper panel, retail media and data commercialisation models
• Strong people leadership skills, with a track record of building, coaching and retaining high-performing teams
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and build trust at executive level
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including budget ownership, pricing and deal structuring
• Outstanding communication, presentation and executive storytelling skills
• Ability to make sense of complex, contradictory information and translate it into clear, commercially viable plans
• Organisational savvy – comfortable navigating complex policy, process and stakeholder dynamics on both the client and Circana side
• Strong attention to detail, organisational skills, and the ability to plan effectively and then execute to the plan
• Experience with competitive tender processes (RFPs), including strategy development and response leadership
• Familiarity with AI-enabled analytics platforms, data strategy and emerging retail technology is strongly preferred

Beyond technical skills, experience, and role-specific attributes, these shared behaviors are fundamental to our culture and success. We seek individuals who consistently demonstrate and champion these behaviors in their daily work:

• Stay Curious: Being hungry to learn and grow, always asking the big questions.
• Seek Clarity: Embracing complexity to create clarity and inspire action.
• Own the Outcome: Being accountable for decisions and taking ownership of our choices.
• Center on the Client: Relentlessly adding value for our customers.
• Be a Challenger: Never complacent, always striving for continuous improvement.
• Champion Inclusivity: Fostering trust in relationships engaging with empathy, respect, and integrity.
• Commit to each other: Contributing to making Circana a great place to work for everyone.

Location: This position is located in Sydney. Regular travel to client sites, including Metcash and Woolworths head offices, will be required as part of the role. This role reports to the Vice President, APAC Retail – Grocery & Liquor.