Just sales? Think Again!
At the sharp end of the retail business, Customer Management plays a crucial role, responsible for:
- Managing our relationships with retailers and wholesalers – building business in the long term and dealing with day-to-day issues as they arise.
- Predicting future changes, maximising future opportunities and creating better responses than our competitors.
It’s fast moving and exciting, demanding outstanding negotiation skills and the ability to think on your feet.
Customer Management professionals are passionate about ensuring our brands are always available to consumers, wherever people choose to shop. Their role involves working closely with customers including Coles, Woolworths, Progressive Foodstuffs and various independent retailers, developing a sound understanding of their strategies, shoppers and business plans.
The Key areas of activity within CD are split across:
National Accounts
The National accounts division is responsible for the implementation of pricing strategies, distribution and display objectives within the customer network. They develop and maintain Unilever business with a particular customer according to the company and channel strategy. Account managers also represent their customers' best interests within the Unilever environment so that customers' needs are always satisfied.
Category Management
Category management is the strategic management of a category of related products (for example, the hair category consists of shampoos, conditioners and styling aids) with the aim of increasing category returns by enhancing the total category offering to better meet the needs of both customers and consumers. Category Managers develop and refine category and brand pricing strategies and are responsible for distribution strategies, as well as display and merchandising strategies. Category Managers are also responsible for all below-the-line (trade) promotions and advertising for all the brands within a product category. Category managers work closely with brand marketing and national accounts management to achieve the best mutual results.
Operational Sales
The operational sales division deals directly with the thousands of supermarkets, stores and wholesalers across Australia and New Zealand. Customer operations' scope ranges from managing stock at store level as well as performing sales forecasting, planning and the physical movement of product from the factory to the point of purchase.
What type of person is suited to customer development?
Customer development managers are responsible for bringing a key part of the external environment into our business planning processes. This requires a clear understanding of our customer's needs and the competitive environment and an ability to bring these insights into the development and implementation of marketing strategies. Successful customer development graduates have been analytical, creative with strong interpersonal skills.
Career Paths - Possible first 3 years
Within the first 3 years of joining Customer Development an individual may start in a variety roles within:
- Operational Field Sales
- Customer Management on National Accounts
- Category Management - Channel Activation (bringing brands to life within a store)
After 12 – 24 months of demonstrated performance in a role, individuals who display potential will be considered for roles in other areas of CD (or other functions) to gather a broad knowledge of the CD function. After 3 years of consistent high performance graduates may be given the opportunity to become a Customer Manager or Channel Activation Manager in any of our three CD sites (Melbourne, Sydney or Auckland).
Qualifications required:
Graduates are accepted from any discipline.
Applicants in the past have entered with degrees in: Commerce, Social Science, Business Administration, Physics, Marketing and many more!
Locations:
NSW (Sydney), VIC (Melbourne), NZ (Auckland)
