Customer Business Manager

Job Title: Customer Business Manager
Function: Customer Business Development
Reports to: Aldi, Costco & Alternative Channels Lead
Scope: Personal Care, Beauty & Wellbeing, Health & Wellness in Aldi & Costco
Location: North Rocks
Terms & Conditions: Full-time
BUSINESS CONTEXT AND MAIN PURPOSE OF THE JOB
The Customer Business Manager is a pivotal Customer role in the Growth Channels team and the Personal Care, Beauty & Wellbeing and Health & Wellness Groups. Externally facing, the role will manage the above-mentioned categories at Aldi and Costco, focusing on both the operational execution of sales strategies and the development of strategic customer relationships. The role is designed to enhance Unilever’s customer management, acting as a critical bridge, ensuring that strategic plans are translated into actionable operational initiatives, driving both short-term performance and long-term growth.
This role will require a dynamic individual who can balance the operational focus and strategic vision. They will play a crucial role in driving the customer agenda, fostering team development, and leading Unilever towards successful partnerships and market growth.
WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

• Develop a comprehensive understanding of the Customer’s strategic agenda and align Unilever’s plans accordingly.

• Full ownership of the Aldi and Costco Personal Care, Beauty & Wellbeing and Health & Wellness Customer Strategy, developing and delivering the plan internally & externally.

• Contribute to the creation of 3-year strategic customer plans, integrating insights from CSP and Sales Director.

• Delivery of Turnover, Customer Profitability and TTS budgets of the Aldi and Costco Personal Care, Beauty & Wellbeing and Health & Wellness Businesses.

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customer contacts at various levels (e.g. Category Managers, Trading Managers, Category Directors, Buyers, Supply contacts, Marketing contacts), and internal stakeholders (e.g. CSP & Marketing)

• Drive joint business planning and negotiations, ensuring that plans are robust, achievable, and mutually beneficial.

• Building (with CSP team), executing and delivering an optimal promotional plan for the Personal Care, Beauty & Wellbeing and Health & Wellness categories in Aldi and Costco.

• Owning the straights budget to craft a share winning plan and overseeing the development and execution of in-store activation events in Aldi and Costco.

• Lead range and merchandising reviews to deliver desired range and space outcomes, working in collaboration with the CSP and Marketing teams.

• Ownership of the short-term volume and spend forecast aligned to S&OP process for the Personal Care, Beauty & Wellbeing and Health & Wellness categories. Working with Demand Planners and Aldi and Costco business to craft accurate cash up and in month forecasts.

• Lead initiatives for category growth, in-store performance, and adoption of future technologies.

• Play a leadership role within the Growth Channels team, fostering a culture of high performance

• Day to day administration and management of Aldi and Costco Accounts e.g. sending promotional agreements, claims matching, straights allocations etc.

• Deliver regular reports on customer category performance using multiple data sources available to analysis performance and identify any risks/opportunities

• Work closely with internal teams (Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance) to ensure cohesive strategy and execution.

• Drive continuous improvement in processes and strategies based on market trends and customer feedback.

• Become an active member of the Unilever Global Costco Community, collaborating to bring learnings to our market and sharing progress with the team.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO SUCCEED
Experiences & Qualifications

• 5 years+ experience in FMCG Account Management.

• Experience in Customer Marketing/Trade Category Management and Account Management / Field Sales.

• Experience from working in eCommerce, Digital or Commercial roles.

• Deep understanding of the digital commerce eco-system and levers available

Skills

• Category Growth Management - capable of collaborating with CSP in the creation and execution of a joint business plan delivering the triple win. Advanced Ability to “mine” market data including Nielsen, Homescan.

• Digital commerce – good understanding of the digital commerce landscape and the different approaches required to serve each customer.

• Commercial strategy – can balance spend in line with company strategy and deliver on customer category growth objectives.

• Customer relationship – through the JBP, creates a climate with the retailer to deliver long-range shared category objectives.

• Data literacy – uses data to identify insights that drive business results.

• Selling – understands the needs of their customers and creates compelling propositions that align with them.

• Negotiation – has led a team through a complex commercial negotiation, incorporating planning, aligning stakeholders and maximising value created.

• Executional excellence – understands the customers supply chain expectations and deploys activities in-store partnering with the Grocery Execution Lead.

Leadership

• You are energized by delivering fantastic results. You are an example to others – both your results and your resilience. You are constantly on the lookout for better ways to do things, engaging and collaborating with others along the way.

• As an individual you are the one responsible for your own wellbeing and delivering high standards of work. You must also focus on the Consumer and what they need. You are humble and have your head up, looking around to interpret evidence and data smartly, spot issues and opportunities to make things better.

Critical Unilever Behaviors

• OUTCOME OWNER: We face facts and take accountability for results.

• NIMBLE LEARNER: We constantly learn and experiment to drive performance.

• CONSUMER LOVE: We get on the frontline – deeply understanding our consumers

• MARKET MAKER: We are market makers – driving category growth with our customers. Bias for action.

• OUTCOME OWNER: We face facts and take accountability for results. Attention to detail.

What awaits you at Unilever?

The core of Unilever’s culture is captured as Human, Purposeful, Accountable. You will be joining a dynamic, flexible, and inspiring work environment that truly cares about your wellbeing, values what you do and celebrates your success.

This is your opportunity to be part of a purpose-led business and a global community where you can progress your career both locally and internationally. You will also benefit from amazing discounts on external company products, attractive employee referral reward program amongst other benefits.

This is a great opportunity to work within an iconic and global organization. We have gained our reputation as one of the world's most admired employers by providing an environment where individuals can achieve their goals, both professionally and personally.

Make no mistake we expect a lot from our people as they do of us. So, if you can rise to the challenge, don't waste any time - apply now!

We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to provide a positive, barrier-free recruitment journey. Should you require additional information or reasonable adjustments to allow you to present your best self during this process, please contact [email protected].

Unilever is an organization committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities.

This means we encourage people with all backgrounds to apply, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pacific Peoples, and people with disabilities. Interested in learning more, check out our Reconciliation Action Plan and Workplace Adjustment Policy on the Unilever webpage.

At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! We encourage you to advise us at the time of your application if you require any reasonable adjustment so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.

Unilever is an organization committed to equity, inclusion and diversity to drive our business results and create a better future, every day, for our diverse employees, global consumers, partners, and communities.

This means we encourage people with all backgrounds to apply, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pacific Peoples, and people with disabilities.

At Unilever we are interested in every individual bringing their ‘Whole Self’ to work and this includes you! We encourage you to advise us at the time of your application if you require any reasonable adjustment so that we can support you through your recruitment journey.