Retailer Client Service Director, UK & Ireland (FMCG Industry)

Job title:

Retailer Client Service Director, UK & Ireland (FMCG Industry)

Company:

Advantage Group

Job description

What Matters to Us:Our History and Mission: Thirty years ago, in Toronto, Canada, Founder Ron Pirie championed the belief that businesses work better together when they commit to actively listening and responding to each other’s feedback.Ron’s original idea to have retailers’ rate and rank their suppliers was first conceptualized in 1988. Not long after, FMCGs and retailers throughout North America began to recognize that strong and measurable relationships are at the heart of improved business performance.From humble beginnings and a staunch and universal belief that stronger collaboration leads to better business results in any market and any industry, our relationship benchmarking capabilities have become the gold standard for measuring business-to-business engagement in over 40 countries.Our Values:

• Be EngagedBe engaged, on the team, and in the game.
• Empathetic FeedbackGive and receive empathetic feedback.
• High PerformanceSucceed with a high-performance attitude.
• Find a Better WaySeek to improve and find a better way.

Who We’re Seeking to Join Our Team:The successful candidate holds 10+ years of experience in a senior project management, marketing, buying, merchandising, or research and insight role and will lead all or our UK and Ireland industry defining research programmes. Current or recent experience of the UK grocery industry is a must-have with a strong retailer background.What Success Looks Like in this Role:The PRCSD leads the design and delivery of all Advantage benchmarking programmes in the UK & Ireland business. They will be a great team player, having to work with the UK programme management, UK operations team and UK client service team to manage annual research programmes through the key stages of design, specification, fieldwork, data analysis and insight, and report production and delivery. Advantage Group International is a global business and the PRCSD will also work with colleagues in our global office in Toronto and other markets.The role is also responsible for leading the relationships development and evolution of AGI with Retailers, Wholesalers and Operators (RWO). Working with their own team and the wider business, ensuring retention of key RWO, bringing new RWO into our research and developing a commercial strategy for RWO to contribute to sales growth.Project Design & Management Excellence

• Collaborates with the Managing Director, Operations Director, Client Service Director, and the Programme Management team in the UK and Toronto to ensure that the Advantage programmes are designed and run on schedule and fit within the overall company-wide strategic goals to deliver high quality added-value insight.
• With the Operations Director, and the local Programme Managers, the PRCSD manages the local activities necessary for the design, specification, execution and reporting of key Advantage benchmarking programmes in the UK & Ireland market
• With the other Directors, Programme Managers and Coordinators, communicates with supplier clients and retailers in follow-ups by phone, VC, and/or email to ensure fieldwork is managed to the right quality and meets key milestone timings. Reviews ratings received to ensure the quality of the data, response rates, and coverage are tracked and targets achieved

Research Excellence

• With the Operations Director, and local Programme Management team, gathers research requirements from Suppliers and Retailers; ensuring that they are captured in the programme set-up and specification
• Collaborates with the Operations Director and the Programme Management team in Toronto on the preparation and verification of data processing and reporting specifications, and in assuring the integrity and quality of the data
• Compiles supplier and retailer intelligence from different data sources, and according to GDPR or other relevant standards and requirements.
• With the Operations Director, Programme Managers and Coordinators, monitors survey response and coverage and makes critical decisions to correct gaps and ensure fieldwork meets key milestones
• Has a demonstrable knowledge of current market dynamics and can idealise research solutions to meet industry challenges and opportunities that enable our clients.

Insights and Client-Service Support

• Collaborates with the Managing Director, Operations Director, Client Service Director and the Client facing team, and the Programme Management team in Toronto to ensure the delivery of insightful reports that are closely aligned with Supplier and Retailer business needs, to the agreed schedule.
• Engages, acquires and commercialises RWO relationships to build mutual value for clients and Advantage Group.

What We’re Looking For:

• University degree
• 10+ years of relevant grocery industry project management, research, buying, merchandising, or marketing experience
• Knowledge of other retail, digital and wholesale sales channels is desirable
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, particularly MS Excel and PowerPoint
• Experience with Tableau or other BI tools is considered an asset
• Proven ability to communicate in English (verbal and written)

UK & Ireland Structure
The roles reports into the Managing Director for UK and Ireland and sits with its peer set on the UK and Ireland Senior Leadership Team (SLT).The Capabilities and Skills that Matter:

• Strongly numerate and possesses a keen eye for detail; comfortable with data analysis and able to convert into powerful insight
• Polished presentation skills. Comfortable and confident working with both small and large audiences
• Strong English language skills for analysis of qualitative insight
• Ability to communicate effectively internally and with senior retailer contacts
• Establishes and maintains cooperative relationships with those contacted in the course of work
• Strong leader and line manager, able to engage, develop, inspire, coach and lead amongst direct and indirect team.
• Reliably works with limited supervision and a high sense of urgency.
• Ability to manage complex research / consulting projects.
• Problem solving, positive attitude.
• Team player able to adapt to different styles of working with a small local team and extended Pan-European, Pan Global contacts.
• A powerful network of contacts amongst UK RWO to help unlock business development opportunities.

Where You’ll be Located:
This role will be home based in the UK but within reasonable travelling distance for regular visits to our office in Yeovil Somerset. Expected travel is moderate but may be high at peak times of the year. * Onboarding and induction process.

• Meetings with and presentations to senior retailer clients in the UK.
• Relevant conferences or industry events
• Use of Video Conferencing (MS Teams) telephone frequently
• Client visits within the UK as required and more frequently during Peak Season (eg. July/August)

Overnight stays will be supported as required to perform the role powerfully, while mileage will be reimbursed for client/industry visits in line with HMRC guidelines.The Competencies We Value:Advantage has identified the following set of competencies that successful managers, are expected to demonstrate and develop in the role over time. Most of these will apply to the Programme Director role.

• Decision Making and Critical Thinking

Making good and timely decisions that keep the organisation moving forward; ability
to accurately analyse situations and reach productive decisions based on informed
judgment.

• Teamwork

Knowledge of the necessity and value of teamwork; experience of and ability to
participate effectively as part of a team.

• Accuracy and Attention to Detail

Understanding the value of accuracy and attention to detail; the ability to process
information with high levels of accuracy.

• Effective Communication

Understanding and applying effective communications concepts, tools, and
techniques. The ability to effectively transmit, receive, and interpret ideas,
information, and needs through the application of appropriate communication
behaviours.

• Results Orientation

Understanding of the importance of meeting or exceeding established targets and
ability to drive critical activities to completion.

• Accountability

Holding self and others accountable to meet commitments.

• Flexibility and Adaptability

Dealing with changes and adapting to a changing environment.

• Managing Multiple Priorities

The ability to manage multiple concurrent objectives, projects, groups, or activities,
making effective judgments about prioritising and time allocation.

• Helping Others Succeed

Supporting others to improve performance and meet career and organisation’s
goals; and the ability to motivate individuals and teams both internally and externally with clients * Client Leadership and Market Knowledge
Builds strong internal and external client relationships and delivers client centric solutions. Possesses a strong understanding of the UK and Ireland grocery market environment and dynamics.Advantage offers an attractive salary package with fringe benefits.Interested?
Please submit a Cover Letter and CV to our Human Resources Team at or the hiring Manager:We thank all applicants, but only those with relevant qualifications will be contacted.Powered by JazzHR

Expected salary

Location

United Kingdom

Job date

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 22:26:29 GMT

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