Customer Specialist

Overview: You know our products and you have probably purchased many!! Join the company leading the way in consumer packaged goods, T. Marzetti! When you join the T. Marzetti Company, you're joining a trustworthy and proud organization that recognizes people are our greatest asset. In our corporate offices, you'll have an opportunity to be part of a team the leads the industry in consumer packaged goods. With our company, you get work life balance, inviting and fun culture, attractive and competitive compensation and benefits package, career opportunities, and more. Now is the time to join The Better Food Company as a Customer Specialist!
Our Customer Specialists are a vital component in our success as this role manages and balances the customer business plan with the T. Marzetti business plan, works in close partnership with the National Account commercial restaurant sales team to internally manage the customer’s business, and helps to manage the customer portfolio internally.Responsibilities:

• Act as the internal customer business lead in support of sales, and to effectively partner with various cross functional teams including Finance, Pricing, Demand Planning, Supply Chain, PCM, Customer Service, R&D, etc.
• Play a key analytics role to support sales in demand & supply planning and management of customer initiatives.
• Track, analyze and communicate product and customer performance and develop formal and standardized reports
• Collaborate with sales to prepare distribute and maintain customer contracts.
• Proactively lead the customer planning process and manage customer plan files.
• Complete customer specific reports, requests, business reviews.
• Coordinate & distribute requests for export documents.
• Interface with and respond to customer requests when appropriate in the event of sales manager absence.

Pricing:

• Single point of contact between the sales field and internal pricing group
• Own the cost request process and ensure forms are 100% accurate and complete (to be completed solely by this role and not the outside sales field)
• Prepare and communicate Pricing presentation forms/manage RFPs
• Coordinate freight pricing w/ transportation team and ensure change from previous price is in alignment with market changes
• Upload pricing into customer portal

Stagegate/IBP:

• Customer specialist will be the owner of the customer projects, in the development of the business case, and will have project management support through the Project Commercialization Managers (PCMs) who will facilitate the projects once approved.
• Attend Stagegate meetings.
• Prioritize and update projects as part of monthly business review.
• Present all Assessments, as needed, at Executive Stage Gate meetings
• If Gaps occur on new item launches or base business projections, the Customer Specialist will prepare all necessary Corrective Actions or ROCs for PMR and Demand Pillars

Demand:

• Active participant in the monthly consensus meetings and support the sales team with the necessary analytics on volume impacting items (ie: LTO’s, distribution change, timelines, etc.)
• Translator of customer files with volume forecasts to be sent to the Demand team
• Collaborate with sales and customers to accurately Prepare, monitor, and update monthly SKU-level forecasts by customer and participate in consensus activities

Customer Business Planning

• Prepare and analyze customer & category trends and business performance utilizing internal and external data sources (SupplyTrack, NPD Crest, Datassentials Menu Trends, etc.). Apply insights to business recommendations and plans in support of sales team. Be a key project manager in annual customer planning – volume, financials, and initiatives.
• Manage ongoing portfolio management including SKU optimization & rationalization, pricing analysis and recommendations in partnership with pricing, and cost savings initiatives.
• Attend and prepare for key customer meetings as needed.

Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or GED required. Associates Degree or BA in general business or related field preferred.
• 5-7 years of business experience in business development, marketing, project management, brand or category management, preferably in the food industry.
• Strong cross functional collaborator.
• Self-starter/problem solver with the ability to understand and apply business fundamentals.
• Solid financial and business acumen, and analytical skills.
• Project management skills and the ability to prioritize and multitask against several complex projects at a time.
• Strong verbal and communications skills with the ability to communicate effectively with senior leadership and cross functional partners to achieve business objectives.
• Advanced skills with Microsoft Office programs and website portals.

Working Conditions/Environment: Works in a normal office environment where the employee is regularly required to speak, see, hear, sit, stand, talk, type, walk and bend while moving about the facility. The noise level in the office is quiet.