What are the responsibilities and job description for the Business Development Manager position at Simmons Pet Food Inc?
Uses sales data to support fact-based selling, provide impactful decision support, and enhance long-term relationships with assigned customers across Simmons Pet and Prepared Foods. Elevates analytics and insight-led selling approach with our customers to uncover and influence growth strategies recommendations. Helps drive profitable growth while realizing margin, product sales mix balance, and new business strategic development objectives.
- This is a Salary Exempt position.
Provides value added analytical insights and strategy recommendations utilizing retailer data, syndicated data and marketplace trends impacting assigned business, working to deliver sales growth increase of retailer category growth rates through increased distribution and shelving. Works with customer to identify category growth opportunities along with recommendations to accelerate private brands wet pet food business to enable accelerated category growth. Leads customer-specific reporting strategy, consistency, and accuracy for both internal and external audiences.
Supports the development of business strategies. Collaborates with Sales Director to develop strategies and solutions that benefit both Simmons and assigned customer. Works to drive shipments and share enabling delivery of annual budget targets. Builds equity by driving retailer category growth and contribute to their category strategies, while setting up Simmons to win disproportionately and support the sales team. Assists with the preparation and generation of compelling sales presentations. Demonstrates the ability to management multiple priorities while meeting assigned deadlines.
Works with team members to ensure on-going development of customer relationships. Serves as the subject matter expert on customer JBP process, insights planning sessions and customer line review meetings. Works internally and externally to manage new customer new item process to include item 360 maintenance and Simmons PLM system management.
Serves as the customer replenishment expert. Leads weekly conversations both internally and externally on customer level replenishment strategy. End to end inventory sales management to include internal forecasting, customer inventory flow while analyzing and discovering shipment opportunities through customer level data (i.e., retail link item / store level inventory analysis).
Contributes to forecasting accuracy by facilitating flow of customer/market information to inventory demand planning process. Communicates with the demand team, providing the account team with support and guidance on internal demand/supply situations impacting current and new business. In conjunction with the team leader and customer service representatives, assists and monitors inventory and supply plans with the goal of maximizing fill rates and service levels. Supports ongoing reporting, including weekly sales results, promotional trackers, and replenishment/inventory conditions.
Maintains and fosters strong communication and relationships across organizations. Works to be an active clearinghouse of ideas, concerns and activity on behalf of the marketing and account team. Acts as a champion for the business and team. Acts as an idea leader, building compelling and persuasive business cases to ensure alignment, gaining broad-based support for and resource allocation to the activities of the team.
Participates as a member of the Team. Participates in the ongoing development, communication and implementation of team concepts, programs and policies; coordinates work to ensure best practices with all team members. Attends appropriate team meetings. As a member of the Team, fosters strong cohesiveness regarding all major issues; e.g., direction, annual plan, budget, policy changes, etc. Accepts responsibility to quickly identify any areas that lack cohesiveness, bringing them to the attention of the team leader and working with the team in a supportive manner to resolve issues and actively look for ways, and reinforce actions needed, to achieve synergy possible within the larger organization.
Simmons Operating systems principles and objectives: Is familiar with Simmons’ established operating systems (e.g., quality, security, office environment, company policies, LEAN); understands the responsibility to maintain familiarity with the systems and this position’s role in support of these systems - including a consideration of the impact of individual actions on the systems and the responsibility to communicate concerns and improvement ideas.
Performs other duties as necessary in support of business objectives: This position description is intended to guide the activities of the person in this position and is not intended to limit the thinking and creativity of the person as to the work of this function nor is it intended that this describe all the work that may be required of the person in this position.
Physical Activities: Enters and locates information on a computer. Visually verifies information, often in small print. Present information to small or large groups. Occasionally lift up to 40 lbs. Communicates with Customers, Vendors, or Employees via telephone, in person, and/or electronic mail.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): As required by visiting facility.
Travel: Travels to and from customers and multiple facilities or work-sites, minimal requiring overnight stays.
Technical Experience: Ideally 3-5 years’ experience in sales and/or replenishment data analytics, category management, or marketing. CPG experience preferred. Highly proficient with MS Office applications; intermediate to advanced skills in Excel required. Excellent working knowledge of Retail Link analytics required. Proficient to advanced knowledge of Nielsen / IRI data. Comfort with using data mining software; Tableau and Alteryx competency highly preferred. Proficiency with JD Edwards Enterprise software, CRM and IQS is also desirable.
Industry Experience: Preference for consumer-packaged goods background. Pet background a preferred.
Minimum Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Marketing or other relevant Business discipline or 4 years related work experience.
Preferred Education: N/A
