Customer Development Executive - Royal Canin (14 month fixed term contract)

Mars; Christchurch; On-site; NZD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Mars seeks a Customer Development Executive to drive Royal Canin sales in Canterbury, NZ. Build trusted relationships with veterinary clinics, pet retailers, and agricultural partners to promote science-based pet nutrition and health outcomes.

This 14-month contract requires strong field sales experience, excellent communication, and travel flexibility. You will educate partners, manage territory plans, analyze data, and maintain CRM records to support brand advocacy.

Qualifications

• Experience in field sales or customer-facing roles with sales targets.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Bachelor-level qualifications in Animal Science, Veterinary Nursing, Science, Business, or Nutrition (preferred).

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain long-term relationships with veterinary clinics and retailers.
• Achieve territory sales and new product introduction goals.
• Lead in-clinic education sessions and nutrition presentations.
• Analyze territory data to identify opportunities and risks.
• Plan travel, manage budgets, and prioritize accounts.
• Maintain accurate CRM records and reports.
• Act as ambassador for Royal Canin’s purpose.

Skills

Field sales

Territory management

Customer-facing

Relationship building

Presentation skills

Analytical skills

Travel readiness

Education

Tertiary qualifications in Animal Science, Veterinary Nursing, Science, Business, or Nutrition

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

Job Description:

Customer Development Executive – Royal Canin

Mars is a family-owned businessthat hasbeen making products for peopleand their petsfor more than 100 years. We’re behind some of the best loved brands in the world including MARS®, SNICKERS®, EXTRA®, ECLIPSE®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, DOLMIO®,BEN’S ORIGINAL® MASTERFOODS ®andROYAL CANIN®ORIJEN® ACANA®we arededicated to making a positive impact on people and the planet.

Join us in building a sustainable future where people, communities, and the planet can truly thrive.

About the role:

As a Customer Development Executive, you will drive sales growth, brand advocacy, and recommendations within your territory. By building trusted relationships with veterinary professionals, pet specialty retailers, and agricultural partners, you will champion better health outcomes for pets through science-backed nutrition. This dynamic role merges commercial excellence, relationship management, education, and strategic territory planning to deliver exceptional value to our customers and bring the Royal Canin purpose to life.

Please note this is a 14 month contract covering parental leave

Whatyou’lldo:

• Develop and maintain long-term relationships with veterinary clinics, pet specialty retailers, and agricultural partners to establish Royal Canin as their preferred nutritional brand.
• Achieve territory sales, distribution, and new product introduction (NPD) objectives by executing tailored customer growth plans and account strategies.
• Lead engaging education sessions, in-clinic training, and presentations to help partners understand the vital role of nutrition in disease management and preventative care.
• Analyze territory sales data and performance metrics to identify high-potential business opportunities and proactively manage risks.
• Efficiently plan daily travel, manage budgets, and prioritize customer touchpoints based on strategic segmentation to maximize coverage.
• Keep highly accurate, up-to-date customer records and activity reports within CRM systems to track engagement and support territory continuity.
• Act as a proud ambassador for Royal Canin’s purpose (A Better World for Pets), sharing market insights and collaborating with cross-functional scientific and sales teams.

Your unique ingredients:

• Experienced in field sales, territory management, or customer-facing roles with a track record of meeting commercial objectives.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a natural ability to build long-term trust with diverse customer groups.
• Highly capable of presenting, educating, and influencing stakeholders, particularly when explaining technical or nutritional concepts.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to analyze sales data to identify business opportunities and risks.
• Highly organized with excellent planning capabilities to manage travel, prioritize accounts, and optimize territory coverage. Prior background in veterinary, animal health, pet care, pharmaceuticals, healthcare, or FMCG sectors is preferred
• Tertiary qualifications in Animal Science, Veterinary Nursing, Science, Business, or Nutrition are highly regarded, alongside a valid driver’s license and willingness to travel.

Whyyou’lllove working for us:

• Purpose:Help craft beloved brands with a legacy ofover 100 years oflocal manufacturingmaking productsthatpeople and petswillloveall while helping to build a more sustainable future.
• People:Aculture that values your contributions, fosters leadership, and recognises the impact you make. Your work truly matters here.
• Development:Shape your career with personalised development and real opportunities to grow from day one.
• Enjoy a team and business environment that is invested in helping you manage and grow your energy for work and life.

Mars is an equal opportunityemployer,and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you needassistanceor an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request.

The company is pleased to provide suchassistance, and no applicant will be penalizedas a result ofsuch a request.We know everyone’s needs are different, andwe’recommitted to making our application process accessible and supportive for all candidates. If yourequireany adjustments along the way, simply let us knowinyour application form.We’llwork with you to understand what will help you feel comfortable and supported.