Customer Development Manager

Bsbf; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in FMCG is seeking a Customer Development Manager in Gauteng, South Africa. This role involves achieving sales targets by enhancing execution at the point of sale and establishing strong partnerships with customers. Responsibilities include overseeing in-store performance, conducting negotiations, and mentoring staff. Ideally suited for candidates with a commercial bachelor's degree and at least 4 years of relevant experience in customer marketing or sales, particularly within the FMCG sector. Enjoy inclusivity and opportunities for growth in this equal opportunity employer.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a commercial bachelor's or similar degree required.
• At least 4 years of experience in marketing/customer marketing/sales.
• Experience in an FMCG environment and strong relationships with customers.

Responsibilities

• Achieve sales targets through excellence in execution at point of sale.
• Build and manage relationships with key players in the customer channel.
• Conduct regular promotional analysis to determine ROI of activities.

Skills

Sales negotiation

Customer relationship management

Analytical skills

Team leadership

Education

Commercial bachelor's degree

Job description

Scope of Responsibility

The Customer Development Manager is responsible for achieving sales targets through excellence in execution at the point of sale. They must develop and support the partnership between CP and the customer(s) / Distributors at the store and regional level by nurturing contacts and negotiating with Store Operations / in‑store personnel. They provide feedback on the in‑store environment which allows rapid revision of competitive tactics.

The Customer Development Manager plays an integral role in ensuring profitable growth by:

• Building and managing relationships with key players in the customer(s) or channel at the regional and/or store level.
• Conducting negotiations as necessary (listings, planograms, displays, promotion execution etc.) at regional office and/or store level.
• Conducting regional/national business meetings and taking control of pricing and the P&L.
• Implementing and maintaining in‑store tactics developed within Category Management partnerships with the Customer(s).
• Co‑ordinating special events (store‑level sell‑in and communication materials management in‑store etc.) in cooperation with the Shopper Development Manager.
• Working with customer service to track orders, troubleshoot and achieve customer service KPIs.
• Working with Logistics to plan, analyse and forecast customers’ needs and to ensure on‑time and complete delivery.
• Monitoring sales and distribution performance, particularly for new products, and taking timely action to drive continuous improvement.
• Monitoring competitive activity at store level, recording and consolidating key activities, monitoring speed and breadth of distribution, identifying competitive best practices and discussing with the BDM so that they can proactively respond with strategic/tactical refinements.
• Establishing account co‑op activity and annual promotional grids.
• Conducting regular promotional analysis to determine whether these activities are delivering positive ROIs.

In‑Store Personnel Management

Regularly visiting stores to identify areas of improvement, monitoring performance versus objectives, providing continuous coaching and feedback, and conducting appraisals based on data. Reviewing Field Sales and Merchandiser itineraries and roles to ensure optimal deployment of limited resource. Giving direction to in‑store staff (merchandisers) and ensuring that they are trained and updated on new products, promotions and merchandising objectives. Identifying training needs and developing training plans with the Team Leader. Working with the SDM to develop tools, merchandising materials and in‑store programmes for effective shelf management to induce shoppers to purchase Colgate products at shelf. Supervising the consistent and accurate collection of data to allow monitoring of 5P performance versus target.

In‑Store Compliance

Clearing in‑store objectives and monitoring execution of 5P targets: product availability, assortment by store format, shelf pricing (regular and promoted), promotion implementation versus plan share of shelf and planograms, POP placement versus plan. Resolving operational issues at head/regional offices or in‑store.

Required Qualification

A minimum of a commercial bachelor’s or similar degree is required; bachelor’s with honours is advantageous. A proven track record of performance with at least 4 years of increasing marketing/customer marketing/sales responsibility and strong relationships with customer(s). Previous experience working in an FMCG environment with customer experience.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, treated with respect and 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, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law. Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities.