Customer Business Partner at Kimberly-Clark Corporation in Franklin, Massachusetts

Job Description:

Customer Business Partner

Job Description

SUMMARY OF POSITION:

Conduct joint strategic business planning with knowledge of company and department financial position alongside customer buyers, category managers and other key customers to drive volume and profit growth for K-C categories. Manage relationships and implementation of K-C brand strategies and tactics with customers.

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.

OBJECTIVES:

• Drive the execution of best in-class DPSM programs




• Provide analytics and insights that will push for the development of incremental sales plans




• Identify areas where the team can streamline and simplify to focus on the highest value activities




• Support Customer sell-in stories with insights in order to successfully execute KCNA’s national plans to deliver brand’s goals to grow share




• Track and develop corrective actions to achieve net sales and share goals




• On-going engagement with Account Managers to understand business and assist in developing key strategies for secondary placement




• Lead the teams to work with the one voice mind set (we win together: Category Management, Account Management, Shopper Marketing, Shopper Insights)




• Support efforts to build an Indispensable Partner mind set with Buyers and key customer leaders




• Deliver our financial goals (JBP & KC targets)




• Engage with full platform teams to provide awareness on how team can improve delivery of business goals and targets (Net Sales, VCM, Share, Trade Spend)




• Execute analysis of business performance in order to close gaps to JBP goals




• Identify opportunities to deliver on strategic priorities for the future (Line Review, Innovation Summits etc.)




• Drive accelerated growth opportunities in order to deliver stretch goals (Big Bets & Outstanding results mind set)




• Integrate KC’s Omni-channel initiatives to analysis of business results

KEY DELIVERABLES:

• Develop, execute, and track mini-seasonal company space




• Develop strategy and execute secondary placement plan, to gain incremental distribution across the store




• Co-lead enterprise programing development and execution with Shopper Marketing




• Collaborate Category Analyst, and entire cross-functional team to ensure business plans are executed. Specifically, responsible for tracking how said business plans exceed or fall short of expectations.




• Actively engages in discussion on high priorities with the cross-functional team during weekly Platform Meetings. Expected to identify gaps in resources for critical activities then work to find resolution for team, particularly when related to DPSM.




• Strive to analyze business performance at a monthly or quarterly cadence in order to recognize longer term trends and shifts in strategy.




• Leads the platform teams to an understanding of how team is performing versus our DPSM targets and lead discussion on how to unlock opportunities in order to reach DPSM milestones




• Responsible for keeping team informed on the performance of competitors, marketplace conditions, and opportunity/gap management. Key participant in the development of any recommendations to address such related concerns.




• Offer insights when developing the sell-in stories for annual Line Reviews, Innovation Summits, etc.




• Partners with Account Manager and Channel Strategy to successfully align brand strategies with Customer needs




• Consulted regarding Learning Plan objectives.




• Develop Ad Hoc analysis as needed in support of business planning efforts




• Responsible/accountable for implementing K-C brand strategies, vision, and tactics with customers by reaching out to key stake holders.




• Manage customer relationships and K-C categories, along with trade management utilizing cross-functional resources and data sources. Responsible/accountable for large desk value for K-C products.




• Develop and conduct strategic business plans jointly with customer's buyers, category managers and other key customers to drive volume and profit growth for K-C categories.




• Strategically manage business plan, with knowledge of financial position at all times.




• Assemble and analyze business plans and test scenarios prior to submission.




• Analyze and interpret customer trends and demographic data. Project short-term forecasts out 2-3 years to ensure K-C’s action plans meet future demands.




• Provide leadership to train and develop teams of Talent to meet and exceed departmental and Sales objectives and quotas, along with serving as mentor to encourage sustainable growth and development of team members.

General Qualifications:

• Strong ability to negotiate with customers and gain better position for K-C.




• Ability to conduct business and data analyses precisely and proficiently with data driven recommendations for improvements and advancements.




• Ability to concisely communicate orally and in writing precisely to individuals and groups, and influence Neenah, WI Brand groups.




• Ability to adapt and support the organization through times of change.




• Ability to understand and react to recent category trends




• Ability to precisely communicate, orally and in writing, innovative business solutions to customers and team leaders.




• Ability to structure and manage multiple priorities and projects in a timely manner.




• Ability to operate and use telephone, computer/laptop, and other technological devices/software programs to communicate with other people.




• Ability to travel via aircrafts, 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.




• Promptly reconcile and communicate changes and conduct team adjustment to new changes. Adjusting to meet requirements of changing conditions/situations. Maintain effectiveness of varying environments with different tasks, responsibilities, and people.




• Render judgments and make timely decisions in alignment with business objectives. Set priorities and proactively identify issues, underlying problems, and potential solutions to develop plan of action. Evaluate cause and effect relationships.




• 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.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Education required: Minimum of a bachelor’s degree.




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




• Experience presenting to Executive Level staff.

Preferred 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.




• Strong record of exceeding sales objectives.




• Track record of developing and executing unique solutions and innovation to customers.

Skills/Competencies:

• Strong oral, verbal and written communication skills, results and strategy orientation, business intuition, business management and planning, brand management, leadership, building strong relationships, statistics, and quantitative business analysis, change management and team management




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

Locations: Foxboro, MA area OR within a two-hour radius of Carlisle, PA

Travel up to (25-50%) of the work time.

Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 175 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people - nearly a quarter of the world's population - trust K-C brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene, and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex, and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds No.1 or No. 2 share positions in more than 80 countries. With more than 140 years of history of innovation, we believe in recruiting the best people and empowering them do their best work.  If fresh thinking and a passion to win inspire you, come Unleash Your Power at Kimberly-Clark. 

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.

The statements above are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this classification. Statements are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities and skills required for this position.

This position may require a post-offer/pre-hire Physical Abilities Test (PAT) to confirm that individuals are able to perform the essential functions of the job.

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. This position is subject to drug and alcohol testing, including pre-employment testing.

Global VISA and Relocation Specifications:

K-C will support in-country relocation for the chosen candidate for the role. The benefits provided will be per the terms of K-C’s applicable mobility policies. The benefits/policy provided will be decided in K-C’s sole discretion.

Primary Location

USA-MA-Franklin

Additional Locations

USA-CT-Hartford-Flexible Location, USA-MA-Boston-Flexible Location, USA-NJ-Newark-Flexible Location, USA-NY-New York City-Flexible Location, USA-PA-Philadelphia-Flexible Location

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type

Regular

Time Type

Full time

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