Customer Development Manager - Spar

Britvic; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading beverage supplier in the UK is seeking a Customer Development Manager to oversee both Soft Drinks and Beer categories. The ideal candidate will ensure strategic goals are met through Joint Business Planning and account management. Responsibilities include developing customer-specific plans, negotiating with clients, and managing collaborative forecasts. The role requires strong negotiation skills, commercial acumen, and the ability to build effective relationships. Extensive benefits are offered, making this an attractive opportunity for qualified candidates.

Benefits

Monthly product allowance

Private Medical options

Life Assurance

Company bonus scheme

Access to 24/7 GP services

Enhanced pension contribution

Generous holiday

High street discounts

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of Carlsberg Britvic systems and experience in forecasting.
• Creative thinker able to challenge live plans and find innovative solutions.
• Excellent communication skills, with ability to inspire customers.

Responsibilities

• Develop customer-specific strategic plans and collaborate with marketing teams.
• Lead negotiation and creation of Joint Business Plans (JBP) with customers.
• Manage point-of-purchase plans and ensure seamless execution.
• Track account performance and adjust tactics to maximize results.
• Own collaborative forecasting process for accurate projections.

Skills

Commercial acumen

Negotiation skills

Communication skills

Forecasting

Relationship building

Job description

Working Hours: 37.5
Competitive Salary with extensive benefits:

Monthly product allowance – alcoholic & non-alcoholic options available
Private Medical options
Life AssuranceCompany bonus scheme
Access to 24/7 GP services
Enhanced pension contribution
Generous holiday (inc bank holidays)
Access to a range of high street discounts

Carlsberg Britvic is the largest multi-beverage supplier in the UK and is home to some of the most iconic and popular beers & soft drinks, including Carlsberg Danish Pilsner, 1664, Poretti and Brooklyn to ale favourites such as Hobgoblin and Wainwright. For soft drinks, Carlsberg Britvic’s brands include J2O, Robinsons, Tango and London Essence along with the licence rights to the Pepsi portfolio in the UK including Pepsi MAX, 7UP, Lipton Iced Tea and Rockstar Energy.

With a strong national footprint, the Carlsberg Britvic business includes 5 production facilities and 16 logistics depot’s servicing customers up and down the UK. As these two historical businesses have come together, the one common goal remains, and that is ensuring our people succeed.

About the Role

As a Customer Development Manager, you will be the primary point of contact for Spar RDCs, overseeing both Soft Drinks and Beer categories. You will lead the regional Joint Business Planning (JBP) and account planning processes in collaboration with buying managers across each account. Your role will involve delivering on volume, profit, and market share targets through strategic and tactical planning. The ideal candidate will possess strong systems knowledge and a proven track record in JBP processes, commercial negotiations, planning, and rate management.

Role Responsibilities

• Develop customer-specific strategic plans and collaborate with Marketing & Category teams to create annual plans that align with channel commercial goals, working with the BDM and Spar CDMs.
• Lead the negotiation and creation of Joint Business Plans (JBP) with customers to drive strategic goals and deliver key metrics including Net Revenue, TC, Margin, and market share targets.
• Manage the deployment of point-of-purchase plans and coordinate flex requirements with the Planning & Execution team to ensure seamless management of the central calendar of activities.
• Prepare thoroughly for customer meetings, ensuring they are structured and run effectively to maximize business opportunities.
• Proactively track account performance, adjusting tactics as needed and driving cross-functional collaboration to maximize business performance.
• Own the collaborative forecasting process across direct and indirect Spar accounts, ensuring the most accurate internal and external forecasts, and adjusting forecasts as needed throughout the cycle.
• Act as a role model to the executives in your team, providing the right balance of support and challenge to develop their skills.
• Manage all responsibilities in alignment with cross-functional teams, ensuring any investment or forecast impacts align with Britvic’s standard processes.

Experience and Key Attributes

• Strong knowledge of Carlsberg Britvic systems, with experience in forecasting and rate management cycles.
• Creative thinker, able to challenge live plans and find innovative ways to add value.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to inspire and build strong relationships with customers.
• Strong commercial acumen to develop effective account plans and execute successful outlet plans.
• Proficiency in managing P&L, with the ability to handle budgetary and trade investment decisions.
• Strong selling and negotiation skills, with experience in contract renegotiation (desirable).
• Experience in managing customer performance reviews and external scorecards (desirable).
• Previous experience in budgetary management, overheads, and trade investment is a plus.

Our commitment to diversity equity & inclusion

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences - including those of different races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, abilities, religions, and socioeconomic statuses. We actively seek to create a safe and inclusive environment for all of our colleagues, where diverse perspectives are welcomed, and inclusive practices are embedded in everything we do.

We are happy to support accessibility needs, to ensure a fair and equitable experience for all candidates, so please do let us know if you require any adjustments during the recruitment process.