Customer Collaboration Specialist

Unilever Brazil; Leeds; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A multinational consumer goods company is seeking a Customer Collaboration Specialist to enhance customer relationships and improve service levels. This role involves managing forecasts and customer events, providing insights to drive accuracy, and acting as the face of the supply chain. The ideal candidate will have excellent analytical skills, be customer-focused, and possess strong communication abilities. Opportunities include competitive salary, annual bonuses, and a flexible working environment.

Benefits

Competitive salary and pension scheme

Annual bonus

Free gym

Discounted staff shop

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Proficiency in English & Maths.
• Ability to manage time effectively and stay focused.
• Experience working with retail customers.

Responsibilities

• Manage forecasting & events to improve customer relationships.
• Provide insights & recommendations for forecast accuracy.
• Act as the supply chain face of Unilever to customers.

Skills

Customer-focused mindset

Quantitative analytical skills

Strong communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Stakeholder management

Tools

SAP

Microsoft Excel

PowerBI

Job description

Job Title: Customer Collaboration Specialist

Location: Leeds / Kingston

Job Purpose

The Customer Collaboration Specialist is the supply chain face of Unilever to our customers. The ultimate goal of the role is to make Unilever the preferred supplier that our customers want to work with. Role holders are primarily responsible for working with our customers on forecasting & events to improve Unilever’s customer relationships through delivery of brilliant service levels, OSA & Forecast Accuracy. This role is geared towards focussing on the future, including planning of the mid‑term promotion and events horizon (30 to 90 days) and range change planning (up to 12 months out), with some intervention in the immediate term where needed. Role holders are expected to use their knowledge of customer and Unilever supply chains to influence decision making on initiatives that add value to Unilever and the customers.

Responsibilities / Key Deliverables

Key Metrics

• Fulfilment Rate – Dispatch Rate %, CCF / Customer Measure of Service, OSA/OLA
• Customer Service - AGS
• Forecast Bias – 4w FB, 1w FB
• Forecast Accuracy – 4w FA, 1w FA
• Innovation OTIF
• Cost-to-serve savings delivered
• Customer Trade Terms compliance to LET grid

Operations & Systems

• Forecasting
  • Provide customer‑specific insights & recommendations based on analysis & collaborative discussions (such as 30‑60‑90 forums) to positively influence the forecast accuracy & bias of promotional volumes within Unilever and with customers.
  • Own the volume phasing of promotions, using data and insights to improve forecast accuracy and bias.
  • Own inputs to short‑term amendments to the forecast and align with relevant stakeholders on ability to fulfil.
  • Support review of customer‑specific baseline forecast, providing insights & recommendations to CAM, Demand Planning & customers.
• Order to Deliver
  • Provide information & input to customer execution teams to inform short‑term decision‑making process.
  • Manage & plan exceptional events (such as shippers, gifting, WIGIGs, range reviews, etc) to facilitate effective execution by O2D teams.
• Systems used: SAP, RTVA, PowerBI, MS Office, TPM, TPA, customer portals.

Projects, Innovation & Capabilities

• Lead small‑scale customer projects that help Unilever stand out vs other suppliers.
• Work with the Customer Innovation Leaders on larger‑scale customer projects to land with the customer in a joined‑up way.
• Collaborate with customer to ensure correct set up of NPD, including master data, phasing, and first‑order management.
• Support relevant internal and external stakeholders on technology, process or business changes.
• Provide guidance and support to CD and other stakeholders on the feasibility and execution of initiatives.

Continuous Improvement & Problem Solving

• Review compliance with logistics trade terms and identify opportunities to improve with customers. This includes analysis of order patterns, load fill, volumes, full pallets, order amendments, etc.
• Analyse service / OSA losses to determine key trends & chronic problems, working with stakeholders to improve availability.
• Identify savings opportunities and work with internal and external stakeholders on planning and execution.
• Analyse AGS results to create & execute plans for future improvements with customers alongside other stakeholders.
• Collaborate with third parties and internal stakeholders to influence the continuous improvement of reports, processes and ways of working pertinent to this role & its interfaces.

External Communications & Relations

• Act as the supply chain face of Unilever to our customers.
• Understand the needs of retail customers, be the voice of the customer internally and develop relationships with key customer contacts.
• Lead communication to customer on service performance & incidents, proactively sharing potential supply risks and associated mitigations.
• Visit customer offices and sites frequently (up to once per week) to develop face‑to‑face relationships and improved understanding of their issues and opportunities.
• Build relationships to positively influence customer behaviour in line with Unilever’s operational & leadership expectations.

Line Management & Coaching

• Training & coaching for new CCS starters may be an expectation of this role.
• Coach / educate CAMs on forecasting & supply chain fundamentals.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements

• A customer‑focused mindset, seeking to exceed their expectations where possible.
• Willing and able to travel to meet customers.
• Strong internal and external stakeholder management.
• Excellent quantitative analytical skills.
• Proficiency in English & Maths.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to adapt style to influence stakeholders.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and an ability to think logically.
• The ability to stay calm & focused in fast‑paced, high‑pressure situations.
• Ability to manage time effectively, well organised, planning workload and focusing on future promotions and events.
• A proactive mindset, seeking to avoid problems before they arise.
• Comfortable holding others to account and in having challenging conversations.

Ideal Requirements

• Advanced skillset in Microsoft Excel.
• Experience working with retail customers.
• Experience with SAP or other ERP software.
• Experience working in logistics, planning or commercial roles.
• Understanding of basic financial / commercial measures and how supply chain roles can influence them.
• Solid grasp of supply chain fundamentals.

Key Interactions

• Customer – Commercial & Supply contacts
• CD – Customer Account Managers & Customer Business Managers
• Customer Experience – Customer Execution Specialists, OFCLs
• Planning – Demand and Supply Planning Teams
• Customer Planners & Customer Experience Analysts
• Subject Matter Experts
• Logistics
• Pricing Teams

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and pension scheme
• Annual bonus
• Free gym
• Discounted staff shop and shares
• Opportunity to work directly with renowned and exciting brands in a flexible and hybrid working environment
• Flexible working options
• Wellbeing support and development opportunities
• Family‑friendly and inclusive workplace