1880 Commercial Customer Experience Specialist

Manpower; London; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global FMCG company is looking for a Commercial Customer Experience Specialist for a temporary role in London. The successful candidate will manage rebates and promotions, ensuring compliance with best practices. Ideal applicants should demonstrate strong communication skills and experience with ERP systems like SAP. This role combines remote and onsite work, fostering collaboration and accountability across teams.

Qualifications

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills essential.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills required.
• Experience in retail customer service or commercial roles preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage rebates and accruals processes and influence decision-making.
• Coach teams on resolving escalations related to promotions.
• Identify inefficiencies and lead improvement projects.

Skills

Communication

Interpersonal skills

Stakeholder management

Problem-solving

Logical thinking

Time management

Proactive mindset

Customer-focused attitude

Tools

SAP

PowerBI

MS Office

Job description

1880 Commercial Customer Experience Specialist

We are currently seeking an interim Commercial Customer Experience Specialist to work with our global FMCG client Unilever, renowned for brands such as Dove, Sure, Persil, and Simple. This role is based in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey, and offers a full-time temporary position for 6 months, requiring 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Compensation is competitive, up to £38,000 per annum, pro rata, depending on experience.

The role offers a mix of remote and onsite working, subject to business needs.

Job Purpose

The Rebate & Promotions CES role focuses on proactively managing rebates and accruals, ensuring best practices and rigor are followed. The role involves influencing decision-making on initiatives that add value to Unilever and improve process efficiency, rather than managing day-to-day operations. Role holders need to govern the end-to-end process, ensuring colleagues in Customer Development (CD) and 3PSP adhere to agreed processes and timelines. The focus is proactive, aiming for future improvements.

Responsibilities / Key Deliverables

Operations & Systems

• Align rebate actions with CD, including reviews and spend management, using standard guidelines on a rota basis.
• Maintain rebate documentation for communication and approval processes.
• Monitor provisions and ensure proper spend management by CD colleagues, fostering accountability.
• Coach teams on resolving escalations related to promotional or audit claims.
• Keep rebate and promotion information up to date, minimizing unnecessary work accumulation.
• Monitor key Bill to Cash metrics and ensure process governance across stakeholders.
• Use systems such as SAP, RTVA, PowerBI, MS Office, TPM, TPA, High Radius Claims Management, and customer portals.

Projects, Innovation & Capabilities

• Support stakeholders on technology, process, or business changes.
• Collaborate on managing TMI accruals for promotional activities, NPD, WIGIGs, and stock builds.

Continuous Improvement & Problem Solving

• Identify inefficiencies in rebates and promotions processes and lead improvement projects.
• Work with internal experts and third parties to enhance reports, processes, and ways of working.

Customer Communications & Relations

• Understand retail customers' needs and represent UL in operational matters.
• Build relationships to positively influence customer behavior, aligning with UL expectations.

Line Management & Coaching

• Provide training and coaching to new CES starters.
• Potentially coach CD teams on spend management fundamentals.

What You Need to Succeed

Minimum Requirements

• Strong communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills.
• Problem-solving ability and logical thinking.
• Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Excellent quantitative analytical skills.
• Effective time management and workload planning.
• Proactive mindset and ability to hold others accountable.
• Curiosity and drive for transformational change.
• Customer-focused attitude.

Ideal Requirements

• Experience with retail customers.
• Experience with SAP or similar ERP systems.
• Background in customer service, finance, or commercial roles.
• Basic understanding of customer balance sheets and P&L.
• Knowledge of supply chain roles and their influence on commercial processes.