Customer Account Manager – Aldi & Lidl Homecare

Job Title: Customer Account Manager – Aldi & Lidl Homecare

Business Function: Customer Development

Location: Kingston Head Office

Work-Level: 2A

TEAM INTRODUCTION

The Customer Account Manager will be responsible for building strong working relationships with the customer buying team; developing and executing customer business plans at a category level which deliver USG, Market Share and Profitability. They are accountable for the day-to-day contact with the customer buyers, supply chain, shopper marketing, internal category & brand contacts. 

JOB PURPOSE 

 • Love what you do:  As a CAM you will be passionate about all aspects of leading your portfolio to competitive growth working closely and managing the stakeholder networks within UK CSP and Aldi/Lidl Global Negotiation team within Unilever.

• Love your customer: You will lead the Value Channel and Unilever relationship across the Homecare category – driving growth via strategic alignment and negotiation. 

• Do what you say: Drive the contract negotiation plan for Aldi and Lidl HC, execute the agreed 2025 plan, set up a strong ambition and agreement for 2026.

• Own it: Leverage our brand assets and the support from the BU to deliver new and exciting innovation and activation. 

• Be Different: The need for extensive commercial rigor in the assessment and implementation of our Growth Strategy. 

RESPONSIBILITIES 

• Build strong and sustainable customer relationships  
• Develop and deliver the customer business plan and contract negotiations to deliver your financial KPIs
• Own the negotiations with your customer, via the Global Aldi / Lidl Team, e.g. cost prices, and counterparts according to the UL strategy on their categories  
• Manage the relationship aspects of key customer ‘events’, e.g. launching of new products, cost price changes, breaches of trade terms 
• Manage promotional and non-promotional investments with the customer and ensure all agreements are properly documented and stored 
• Work closely with Customer Experience Specialists, Customer Planners and other cross functional members of the team to ensure administrative aspects of promotions are completed 
• Manage the launch of new products with customers, e.g. selling in the new product, providing samples etc. 
• Ensure effective in-store activation of key events (e.g. promotions, range reviews)
• P&L Management: Manage the customer P&L for relevant categories and the overall level of customer investment 
• P&L Management: Delivery of Turnover & Trade Spend targets for specific category
• Ensure customer is compliant with agreed trade terms; where these are breached seek a resolution and monitor implementation
• Manage in-month performance vs forecast, working closely with respective colleagues and other Cross functional members  
• Manage accruals and pricing accurately and efficiently 
• S&OP Forecasting accuracy including aligning the Gifting phasing buying with the customers
• Provision of clear up to date inputs into Business Processes (Promotional Evaluation, Customer)            
• Business Planning, sales updates, in store tracking, price claim management etc.)  
• Delivery of required admin for the customer – pricing, rebates, NLF, promo proposals, trade terms, contracts 
• Continuous professional development including opportunities to partake in different Value Channel projects.

ALL ABOUT YOU 

Experiences & Qualifications 

• Accountability & Responsibility 
• Consumer and Customer Focus 
• Bias for Action 
• Building Talent and Teams  

 Skills 

• ​ Customer management & selling essentials - previous experience of performing a CAM role 
• Prior commercial experience and exposure to P&L 
• Proven history of working within a team environment 
• Prior experience of leading and developing a direct report preferable however not essential 
• Relevant Account Management/Field Sales experience 
• Two years of Shopper Marketing or Category Management is preferable 

Key UL Behaviours

• PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results. Has an owner’s mindset, using data and insight to make decisions. 

• PERSO