Customer Development Executive

Colgate-Palmolive Company; Woking; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 42,000; Full time

Job summary

Colgate-Palmolive Company in Surrey (Woking) is seeking a Customer Development Executive on a 12-month FTC to manage a portfolio of consumer products, drive sales and margins, and build strong retailer partnerships. You will play a key role in commercial strategy, forecasting, and cross-functional initiatives in a hybrid London-area setup.

The role offers exposure to AI-enabled decision-making, with opportunities to influence day-to-day performance and long-term strategy within a global consumer

Qualifications

• Strong analytical and data-driven mindset with attention to detail.
• Excellent negotiation and communication skills.
• Proactive, commercially minded with ability to generate actionable recommendations.
• Collaborative with ability to manage multiple priorities and share best practices.

Responsibilities

• Commercial Strategy: Manage a portfolio of products to achieve sales and margin targets; identify incremental opportunities via data analysis.
• Customer Partnership: Prepare for and attend key customer meetings; build relationships with retailer contacts.

Skills

Analytical

Data-driven

Negotiation

Influence

Proactive mindset

Team player

Job description

Established in 1806 as a small soap and candle business in New York City, Colgate-Palmolive is now a truly global company with products sold in over 200 countries and territories under such internationally recognised brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, elmex, Tom's of Maine, Sanex, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, Haci Sakir, Suavitel, PCA SKIN, EltaMD, Filorga and Hello as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet.

Colgate-Palmolive is a leading consumer products company that serves hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide with brands and products across four core businesses – Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. We are committed to offering products that make lives healthier and more enjoyable, and programmes that enrich communities around the world.

Every day millions of people trust our products to care for themselves and the ones they love. Our goal is to use our technology to create products that will continue to improve the quality of life for our consumers wherever they live.

A career at Colgate-Palmolive is an excellent opportunity if you seek a global experience, constant challenge, and development opportunities in an environment that respects work/life effectiveness.

Job Title: Account Executive (FTC 12 Months)

Travel Required?: Travel - 25% of time

Posting Start Date: 05/11/2026

Hybrid

No Relocation Assistance Offered

Job Number#175673 - Surrey, England, United Kingdom

Who We Are

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specialising in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!

Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.

Reporting to: Customer Development Manager

Location: Woking, Surrey

Contract: Temporary 12 month contract

Why Join Our Team?

Join Colgate Palmolive, a global leader investing in your career, our world-renowned brands, & cutting-edge technology. We’re committed to a culture built on Caring, Inclusion, & Courage, providing a place where your decisions make a tangible impact on our business & market position.

World-Class Brands: Partner with iconic brands & contribute to global strategies.

Impact & Autonomy: Operate in a fast-paced environment with personal accountability to directly influence our day-to-day performance & long-term strategy.

Future-Ready Workplace: We are investing heavily in new tools & technology, including AI, to empower our teams, streamline processes, & make your role more strategic & fulfilling. You will be at the front‑line of commercial innovation.

Join our dynamic team as a Customer Development Executive. This is a crucial developmental role where you will manage a portfolio of consumer products, drive sales & margin targets, & build a strong foundation for a career in commercial sales.

What you will be doing

Commercial Strategy: Manage a portfolio of products to achieve sales & margin targets. Identify & drive incremental opportunities through business & data analysis.

Customer Partnership: Support Joint Business Planning (JBP) , prepare for & attend key customer meetings, & build strong relationships with external retailer contacts.

Operational Excellence: Ensure accurate demand forecasting by collaborating with retailer supply chain & internal Demand Planning teams. You will also work with Digital, Shopper Marketing, & eCommerce teams on online campaigns & new product launches.

Technology & Data: Opportunity to work with best-in-class AI infrastructure to enhance data-driven decision-making & forecasting.

Continuous Improvement: Analyse performance to generate fact-based selling stories & recommendations, driving continuous improvement.

What you will bring

Analytical & Data-Driven: Highly analytical & curious, with a proactive approach to seeking commercial progression. Confident in leveraging data to generate actionable insights & demonstrates exceptional attention to detail.

Negotiation & Influence: A strong external negotiator & influencer, with excellent communication skills.

Proactive & Commercial Mindset: Possesses a proactive, curious, & commercially-focused mindset. A creative thinker, capable of developing fact-based recommendations.

Team-Oriented & Collaborative: A true team-player attitude, eager to manage multiple priorities & seek ways to help, with a commitment to team development through sharing best practices.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form should you require accommodation.

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