Customer Planning & Strategy Manager

Glanbia Performance Nutrition (GPN) is the Global leader in Sports Nutrition and a key division of Glanbia Plc - a leading international cheese and nutritional ingredients company headquartered in Ireland. The Performance Nutrition division has acquired and/or developed an impressive portfolio of brands, including Optimum Nutrition, Slim-Fast, BSN, Amazing Grass, Think!, Isopure, ABB, and Body & Fit.

 

The sports, weight management, & active lifestyle nutrition category is experiencing strong growth and GPN has significantly outperformed the market. GPN has a strong, vertically integrated global manufacturing platform and production capabilities across a range of categories.  GPN is head-quartered in Downers Grove, Illinois and has manufacturing facilities in Illinois, South Carolina, Florida and the UK.  GPN employs more than 1,000 people worldwide and has revenue of over $1B.

 

To support the organization’s sales activities, GPN employs a Manager of Customer planning & strategy based in Downers Grove, IL.  This position will be responsible for the development of our Americas Business Unit customer planning & strategy across a set of key brands and into the joint business plans of all customers. 

 

Primary Responsibilities in Customer planning & strategy

• Primary liaison between a specific brand organization and the customer organization across the entire customer team for all sales strategy initiatives
• Provide active support to the customer sales teams to enable the achievement of sales and profit plans for the customers on all products within the assigned group
• Guide and lead customer-specific products (display, exclusive items) as a key lead with the brand management team through the stage gate process
• Own the analysis for, and preparation of, key customer presentations. Develop and house a host of sales tools for sales to self-serve ad-hoc for other customer presentations
• Key leader in driving the commercialization of a specific category/brand plans for specific channels 
• Subject matter expert on customer resets, and customer calendars of retail events
• Develop and publish AMPS (assortment, merchandise, price and shelving) principles by category/customer, and guide these principles into customer joint business plans
• Partner to Trade team to guide customer teams on the efficient use of trade funds and customer invoice costs to achieve brand/company goals on shelf pricing guidance and growth in sales and market share.
• Aid the brand team in executing impactful shopper marketing programs in the trade that are consistent with the brand’s overall strategies.
• Build and leverage relationships with cross functional counterparts including customer excellence (price and sales planning), marketing and finance
• Participate in the development of brand strategy, marketing plans and financial LE’s.

 

 

Skills

• Bachelors/University degree in Business Administration or Marketing
• 5+ years sales, brand, channel/trade marketing, customer planning and customer strategy experience in North America.
• Experience in direct customer sales an asset
• Experience managing a brand in a larger brand portfolio organization within CPG is an asset
• Exposure to multiple retail classes of trade – E-commerce, Mass, Club, Grocery, Specialty/Department, Dollar, Drug
• Strong ability to influence decision-makers up and down at least one level, with and without direct authority, to ensure a fully aligned customer/company business plan 
• Strong project management skills, self-motivated with a strong work ethic, exceptional drive for results and ability to successfully lead cross-functional teams
• Ability to devise and deliver persuasive presentations, based on data-driven insights and facts, to gain support for business strategies and/or initiatives internally and externally with customer partners.
• Proficient in effective communication and leading cross-functional teams; lead via constructive, open-minded collaboration
• Must be able to present data in an organized manner with advanced skills using Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point
• Solid analytical skills and acute attention to details with deep understanding of syndicated consumption data and various toolsets.
• Exceptional ability to work effectively within a fast-paced, complex, matrix and fluid environment.
• Strong computer skills, including MS Office applications, Tableau, database information sources, and web applications. 
• Travel requirements vary based on company and customer needs
• Positive can-do attitude – collaborative, team-oriented approach – diligent work ethic.
   

Manager, Customer Planning & Strategy, GPN America