We are Kao, listed as one of the world’s most ethical companies for the last 20 years.
Our EMEA brand portfolio spans across three sectors; Consumer Care (John Frieda, Guhl, Bondi Sands, Bioré, Jergens, Curél), Professional Hair (Goldwell, Oribe, KMS Hair, Kerasilk), and Molton Brown.
Our corporate philosophy, The Kao Way, guides us in everything we do – acting with integrity, courageously driving innovation, and treating each other with trust and respect.
About our role:
This is a 15 month fixed term position.
As a key member of the commercial team, you will lead the management of Kao’s top UK Grocery & Value Retail accounts, driving sales and profit performance across customer P&Ls. You will build strong, proactive relationships both internally and externally, developing customer strategies and trade plans that accelerate growth for iconic brands including John Frieda and Bondi Sands.
Working closely with the Grocery & Value Channel Controller and Sales Director, you will shape and execute the customer strategy while championing best practice and providing strong leadership across your customer portfolio and the wider peer group.
What you will do:
- Deliver/exceed annual budgeted Net Sales, Trade Spend and Marginal Income objectives for Kao brands with the relevant Grocery & Value Retail customers.
- Lead the development and delivery of Joint Business Plans to achieve brand and category growth with strategically important customers. Manage Kao investment to ensure return is maximised. Track and course correct plans via regular meetings with customer trading teams.
- Create customer commercial strategy(s) with a trade plan aligned to both Kao business objectives and the retailer strategy. Represent the customer internally and drive alignment to ensure you are able to execute the customer strategy including any bespoke initiatives for strategically important customers. Ensure commercial strategy is based upon a strong understanding of category data and shopper insights
- Collaborate with internal marketing, category management and shopper marketing teams to achieve customer strategy that will drive online and in-store fundamentals and performance of Kao brands
- Develop a professional and proactive relationship with all customers, but particularly strategic customers where Kao aims to have a disproportionate influence and thus maximise business growth and opportunities. Demonstrate strong knowledge of Kao brands and the categories within which they operate.
- Demonstrate leadership amongst NAM peer group on account management fundamentals including forecasting, financial management, promotional analysis and trade spend optimization. Monitor competitor activity and assess impact. Manage and highlight risks and raise to business with options to mitigate.
- Contribution to Kao UK – contribute positively to the total UK Consumer Care team via multi-functional project based work. Actively demonstrate strong leadership against the Kao leadership values.
What you will need:
- BSc/BA Hons degree or equivalent
- 5 years experience in an account management / category / buying in FMCG environment, with P&L accountability for a major retail customer/category
- Experience working with multi-functional teams both internally and externally as well as developing and managing customer strategy across multiple channels and levels of the organisation (including interaction with Senior Leaders internally and externally)
- Demonstrated capability to proactively drive the customer agenda as well as differentiated executions
- Experience of seeking out new business opportunities and driving them through to execution
- Full Microsoft office capabilities – including Excel and PowerPoint
- Strong Commercial Awareness and Negotiation Skills
- Demonstrated capability in forecasting and financial analysis
- Leadership – Driving your agenda with the customer and within the business
- Strong collaboration and teamwork are essential, Strong Communication skills
- Relationship builder with impact and the ability to impact and influence across functions
- Proven success in managing a number of projects to tight deadlines and managing multiple priorities
- Strong understanding of category data & shopper behavior and ability to turn insights into action
At Kao, we believe the diversity of our teams strengthens our global mission. Here we trust and respect each other, collaborating in a friendly and inclusive work environment to achieve great results.
What you can expect from us:
- An entrepreneurial environment where passionate and innovative teams come together.
- Respect, teamwork and collaboration are at the heart of how we work.
- A workplace culture that prioritises employee wellbeing, with opportunities to get involved in initiatives such as Mental Health First Aiders, our Charity Committee, and DE&I communities
- A broad range of benefits, including flexible working, competitive salaries, health and wellbeing offers, pension schemes, insurance options, and more…
- Learning and development opportunities
Your voice matters here, we value entrepreneurial thinking and innovation from our teams.
To find out why 33,000 people across the Globe work at Kao please visit:
https://candidate-brochure.kao.com/kao-emea/full-view.html
https://www.kao.com/emea/en/careers/
Discover careers at Kao and how we live our purpose, Kirei – Making Life Beautiful.
https://kao.voyse.io/
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Skills Required
- BSc/BA Hons degree or equivalent
- At least 5 years of experience in account management, category management, or buying within an FMCG environment
- P&L accountability for a major retail customer or category
- Experience working with multifunctional internal and external teams
- Experience developing and managing customer strategies across multiple channels and organizational levels
- Experience interacting with senior internal and external leaders
- Ability to proactively drive the customer agenda and deliver differentiated executions
- Experience identifying new business opportunities and driving them through execution
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel and PowerPoint
- Strong commercial awareness and negotiation skills
- Capability in forecasting and financial analysis
- Leadership skills and ability to drive agendas with customers and internally
- Strong collaboration, teamwork, and communication skills
- Relationship-building and influencing skills across functions
- Proven ability to manage multiple projects and priorities to tight deadlines
- Strong understanding of category data and shopper behavior, with ability to turn insights into action
What We Do
Ever since the company's founding in 1887, Kao has strived to deliver value to the life of people everywhere in the world. Today, we are a leading manufacturer in the fields of hygiene, beauty and health, while our chemical business contributes to the development of diverse industries. With more than 33,000 employees, our mission is to enrich the lives of people globally and contribute to the sustainability of the world. In the regions of Americas, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), we focus on our Beauty Care business with premium brands in three business sectors: Consumer, Salon and Cosmetics. Our Business Sector represents skin and hair care brands that are recognized worldwide for their innovation and quality, such as Jergens, Curél, Bioré, Guhl, and John Frieda. Our Salon Business Sector is committed to unleashing the creativity of stylists around the globe. With our industry leading brands Goldwell, KMS and Oribe, stylists have everything in their hands to create beautiful show-stopping hair representative of the individuality of their clients. Our London-based boutique brand, Molton Brown, offers luxury beauty products found only in our exclusive Molton Brown stores, high-end department stores and travel retail, as well as five-star hotels around the world. All three business sectors are driven by the same values and beliefs: Creating high-quality products and constantly striving for the best is what is at the heart of everything we do. This is why we understand that our people are one of our core assets, and we strive for a working environment that allows team members to flourish and grow. Join us, and you will have opportunity to help us make life beautiful
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