Customer Strategy Manager-CBE

Nestle Operational Services Worldwide SA•Bridgewater Township, NJ

13d•$130,786 - $169,668

About The Position

The Customer Strategy Manager drives forecast and budget achievement within a specific division and develops strategic business plans aligned with business goals. The role leads commercialization business planning for CBE (Carnation Breakfast Essentials), influencing go-to-market strategies that support profitable growth and product launches. It coordinates commercialization planning and acts as a liaison between sales, marketing, and cross-functional partners, bringing forward the voice of the customer as well as retailer and competitive insights. The position also influences marketing and brand strategies and contributes to special projects in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. The role leads business-planning cycles, develops analytics and insights, coordinates strategies across field and internal teams, manages promotional programs, and partners on revenue growth management. It also guides 4P development and implementation, pricing and trade promotion processes, category and inventory management, forecasting, trade expenses, P&L improvement, assortment, and merchandising recommendations. The Customer Strategy Manager engages customer, sales, and cross-functional teams to align on forecasts, budgets, business plans, and trade objectives. It supports retailer business and new-item reviews, presents customer, category, and brand reviews, and communicates with customer teams to ensure execution of plans. The position may be remote or hybrid based on the selected candidate’s geographic location, with preference for candidates within commuting distance of Bridgewater, New Jersey; Solon, Ohio; or Arlington, Virginia.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience in consumer packaged goods.
Proficiency in MS Office Suite, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Ability to build relationships and engage with senior-level stakeholders.
Strong organizational skills and written and oral communication skills.
Ability to work independently and meet deadlines.
Ability to multitask and follow up when responses are needed.
Creative, forward-thinking approach and comfort making recommendations and setting goals in uncharted territory.
Problem-solving ability and a solutions-oriented mindset.
Ability to lead dynamically, overcome obstacles, and address objections.
Ability to listen to customers, gain insights, and move objectives forward.
Articulate communication skills and ability to synthesize data quickly.
P&L management experience and strong financial acumen.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field.
Experience in consumer goods and Ready to Drink Active Nutrition.
Deep understanding of the assigned customer and how to develop demand creation plans.
Ability to negotiate with business partners.

Responsibilities

Lead business planning by developing analytics and insights to support marketing strategy, preparing timelines and communications, and conducting collaborative planning cycles with customer teams.
Communicate and coordinate strategies, insights, and initiatives between field and internal teams and build alignment across major functions.
Develop and manage promotional programs, including special packs and in-store displays, and monitor and report their performance.
Partner with internal team members to develop and execute revenue growth management strategies that drive top-line and bottom-line growth.
Guide development, evaluation, and implementation of the 4Ps by evaluating trends, developing insights, and translating findings into business performance improvements.
Influence processes and requirements related to pricing, trade promotions, category management, and inventory management; collaborate with marketing, supply chain, trade, and finance on forecasting and sales inputs across responsible brands.
Develop and execute trade-related expenses and evaluate other elements to improve P&L performance.
Create and influence assortment and merchandising recommendations.
Coordinate and conduct regular communications between internal cross-functional and sales teams to align on and ensure accountability for forecast attainment, budgets, business planning, and trade objectives.
Provide support and insights for retailer business and new-item reviews.
Develop and present customer, category, and brand reviews to drive brand and category performance.
Ensure plans are executed through regular communication and interaction with the customer team.