Customer Solutions Manager - Wine and Spirits

Job Description

Position Summary: The successful candidate will work closely with the Constellation (CBI) Kroger Sales Team with a primary focus on category & data support, assortment opportunity reviews, and presentation preparation.  The candidate will also have a supporting role on projects with regional programming, pricing, execution & sales/analytic support. This position will have responsibility for understanding inventory and buy opportunities, assisting with monthly projections, execution communication and tracking, along with competitive market analysis.

Job Description/Responsibilities

• Lead category contact for Constellation Kroger Sales team, distributor partners and additional CBI internal teams for category tactics including but not limited to: reporting and analysis, assortment reviews, program preparation and recaps.

• Lead contact for reporting and analysis across all available internal and external data systems for Kroger for CBI and SGWS.

• Requires working with Kroger buyers, distributor, CBI National Accounts team, marketing & brand teams, and CBI Regional team for alignment on everything Kroger related.

• Collaborate with CBI Sales, Strategic Insights, Finance and Marketing teams to help drive consistency and effectiveness of reporting.

• Work with Sales Finance to assist in developing and implementing a formal process for post program analysis, including NPD launches.

• Sales Information and Process Management.

• Support weekly forecast process utilizing IQ and distributor resources to ensure sales team is on plan - provide recommendations and action plan on closing gaps.

• Assisting and supporting Kroger CBI NAM with wine dinners, demo’s, winemaker events, JBP’s, T2T’s, & Business updates.

• Performs additional duties and responsibilities as assigned by managers.

Analytics and Strategic Business Development

• Develop and distribute a regular suite of account tracking, targeting and penetration.

• Build performance tools for leadership and the sales team and identify issues and opportunities to ensure financial, depletion and distribution objectives are achieved.

• Work with Finance and Revenue Management and review the Comparative Price Report (CPR) to ensure that your accounts are properly priced within brand and competitive guidelines and to monitor effectiveness of key sales initiatives, incentives, and promotions.

• Support monthly NPD forecasting process utilizing existing tools and market knowledge and develop sales strategy to maximize NPD effectiveness in market.

• Participate in monthly business review meetings with GM and/or directors to review monthly and ad hoc reports and offer recommendations on how best to support the sales team deliver overall sales strategy goals.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and 3-5 years industry or CPG experience a must.

• Blue Yonder / JDA Space Planning experience, preferably within Wine and Spirits

• Proven analytical skills ability to create compelling fact-based sales presentation.

• Excellent Microsoft suite proficiency, including superior Excel and PowerPoint skills.

• Strong knowledge of IRI/Nielsen/IQ/Symphony Data/Numerator

• Experience in forecasting account depletions and finance needs monthly, quarterly, and yearly

• Ability to build strong relationships, initiate action, adjust to change and persuade at all levels are key competencies of this role.

• Ability to learn proprietary systems quickly (ex: MicroStrategy, Diver, etc).

• Requires excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to communicate well across all levels of the organization.

• Possesses solid team building and collaboration skills to work with other Constellation Brands teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Requires the ability to handle multiple projects and tight deadlines.  Must be a proactive, self-starter and self-learner.

• Must be able to function in a fast-paced environment and be able to adapt to rapidly changing priorities.

• Must be able to handle confidential and/or sensitive information in a professional manner.

• Requires excellent interpersonal skills.

• Must be a team player with the ability to work with a variety of people at all levels.

• Requires excellent written and oral communications skills. 

• Must have the ability to work and make decisions independently.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment<