Job Description:

Customer Business Partner

Job Description

Summary of position:

* Must be within 2-3 hrs. of Lakeland, FL. *

The Customer Business Partner (CBP) is accountable for all aspects of selling and executing joint business plans that deliver the objectives of the assigned customer team and Kimberly-Clark Business Unit(s). With their Team Leader, the CBP will conduct Joint Business Planning alongside key customer contacts to gain alignment on goals and plans. They will then collaborate to execute the plan and check/adjust as necessary to achieve agreed upon goals. Internal to K-C, the CBP will work closely with their Customer Team Lead during key planning processes and engagements for assigned customer/BU(s) including Annual Operating Plan and Business Planning Processes, ongoing communications, and others as needed to ensure alignment with BU Strategies and adherence KC planning policies and processes. The CBP will collaborate with cross functional customer team members as needed to better analyze, build and execute the business plan.

Key Business Objectives:

• Deliver Net Sales, Contribution, Category Share, and DPSM Objectives for assigned customer team and BU(s)


• Adhere to Trade Promotion and dead net pricing guidelines


• Achieve JBP goals that are mutually agreed upon with assigned customer
   

Essential Functions:

• Plan:  Collaboratively Build the Customer Business Plan
  
  
  • Take direction from Team Leader on all aspects of building annual customer plan. 
  
  
  • Collaborate with cross function team members to analyze business and provide recommendations to Team Leader
  
  
  • Use Trade Promotion Management and Optimization systems to create, analyze and gain alignment on annual plan that maximizes ROI and delivers business objectives
  
  
  
  


• Sell and Negotiate:  Engage Customer in Joint Business Planning to gain alignment to plans
  
  
  • Lead the development of customer presentations to sell-in business plans working as needed with Team Leader and internal stakeholders.
  
  
  • With Team Leader, collaborate with the customer to understand their goals and asks.  Negotiate to help them achieve their goals while leveraging their asks to negotiate K-C needs and strategies.
  
  
  • With Team Leader, align and agree on key JBP agreements by category with the customer 
  
  
  • Develop omni-channel retail activation plan to ensure seamless experience across digital and in-store environments
  
  
  
  


• Execute:  Implement the Customer Business Plan
  
  
  • Submit customer contracts and other account specific documentation on a timely basis
  
  
  • Manage communication with key customer, agency, supply chain, and K-C contacts to address service issues and opportunities
  
  
  • Work with key customer contacts, shopper marketing and agencies where appropriate to ensure performance marketing and omni-channel plans are executed flawlessly creating a consistent experience throughout the customer journey.
  
  
  • Maintain accurate and timely updates to Trade Promotion Management and customer planning systems to ensure volume is forecasted and pricing and trade are planned and executed properly.
  
  
  • Collaborate with K-C Retail Execution Team, digital commerce team, and Customer as necessary to ensure flawless execution of plans.
  
  
  • Define and communicate daily/weekly/monthly execution priorities for in-store and digital execution.
  
  
  
  


• Manage Delivery of Plan and Business Objectives (Check and Adjust):
  
  
  • Own the development of recommendations to Team Leader, and execution of gap closure plans if/when plans are not delivering business objectives
  
  
  • Support Team Leader, or Lead when directed, during the Business Plan Review (BPR) process for assigned business unit to provide updates and gain alignment/visibility to action plans
  
  
  • Engage in regular business reviews with customer, sell in, negotiate and gain alignment on adjustments to plan.  Escalate and involve Team Leader when appropriate.
  
  
  • Manage trade fund spending within K-C guidelines; ensure no overspends
  
  
  • Evaluate post event and digital commerce analytics data to determine profitability and ROI of trade spend; determine areas for improvement
  
  
  
  


• General
  
  
  • Maintain trusted and respected relationships with assigned Customer to ensure K-C is positioned as a trusted partner that they lean on to achieve their business objectives
  
  
  • Demonstrate ability to negotiate with customers and gain better position for K-C
  
  
  • Demonstrate ownership and accountability for delivering results by first looking to solve gaps with existing resources/trade dollars and then engage with BU Sales as needed if gaps cannot be solved without help
  
  
  • Effectively communicate (orally and written) to individuals and groups when necessary to gain alignment and resources needed to achieve results
  
  
  • Conduct business and data analyses to build data inspired recommendations for improvements and advancements
  
  
  • Show flexibility to adapt and support the organization through times of change
  
  
  • Show ability to anticipate, understand, and/or react to category and competitive trends
  
  
  • Manage multiple priorities and projects in a timely manner
  
  
  • Ability to travel via aircraft, and operate and drive motor vehicles for business travel, with valid driver license
  
  
  
  

Department specific/non-essential functions, include but not limited to:

• Perform duties generally performed by team leader, in leader’s absence


• Keep team leader informed on status of plans and programs, changing conditions, requirements of marketplace, competitive activity, issues and accomplishments that may affect sales results
   

Minimum Requirements

·       Education required: Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree

·       Experience: At least 2 years of progressive experience in exempt/upper level management of customer development, and proficient in customer, category and trade management

·       Experience presenting to Executive Level staff

Preferred Experience/Qualifications:

·       Knowledge of forecasting, supply and demand experience, and shelf reset experience

·       Experience working in Consumer Package Goods (CPG) industry and K-C customer/retailer accounts

·       Excellent record of exceeding sales objectives

·       Digital commerce experience preferred

·       Track record of developing and executing unique solutions and innovation to customers

·       Skills/Competencies: Solid oral, verbal and written communication skills, results and strategy orientation, business intuition, business management and planning, brand management, leadership, building sound relationships, statistics and quantitative business analysis, change management and team management

·       Other Skills: Mentoring, networking, employee training and development, resource management, prioritization, cross-functional, exceptional customer service and problem solving

Organizational relationships:

Reports to Director of Sales

Scope of position:

Expected to comprehend overall corporate, sales, marketing and general business objectives to ensure contribution, volume and growth profits objectives are met. Works with customers, rather than with Customer Teams.

Working conditions:

Travel up to (25-50%) of the work time. Travel may also include business travels via aircrafts and motor vehicles to various locations. May include prolong periods of sitting, typing, viewing computer/laptop screens, along with occasional bending, reaching, lifting and carrying up to (50 pounds), walking, climbing, twisting, stooping and standing.

Kimberly-Clark makes the essentials for a better life with well-known brands that matter every day – at home, school, work and on the go. Throughout our 148 years, we have challenged conventional wisdom to innovate products that better meet the needs of consumers. We have created new categories with top brands like Kleenex®, and redefined categories with Huggies® and U by Kotex®. While growing our $18+ billion global business, we help build careers through collaborative teams that push boundaries and endless opportunities to work with some of the world’s most recognized brands. Our 43,000 employees are changing the world for the better, too, generously giving back to communities and causes around the globe. 

For Kimberly-Clark to grow and prosper, we must be an inclusive organization that applies the diverse experiences and passions of its team members to brands that make life better for people all around the world.  We actively seek to build a workforce that reflects the experiences of our consumers.  When you bring your original thinking to Kimberly-Clark, you fuel the continued success of our enterprise. We are a committed equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, pregnancy, genetic information, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

With an inclusive culture, our employees – and the original thinking they bring to Kimberly-Clark – make us stronger.  EOE disability/vet.

K-C requires that an employee have authorization to work in the country in which the role is based.  In the event an applicant does not have current work authorization, K-C will determine, in its sole discretion, whether to sponsor an individual for work authorization.  However, based on immigration requirements, not all roles are suitable for sponsorship.

Global VISA and Relocation Specifications:

K-C requires that an employee have authorization to work in the country in which the role is based. In the event an applicant does not have current work authorization, K-C will determine, in its sole discretion, whether to sponsor an individual for work authorization. However, based on immigration requirements, not all roles are suitable for sponsorship.

Primary Location

USA-FL-Tallahassee-Flexible Location

Additional Locations

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time

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