Position Purpose

The individual in this role will help Lindt expand category influence, grow sales and deliver against category management specific KPIs such as distribution, secondary placement and best in class merchandising. This will be accomplished by acting as a strategic partner for Walmart, providing best in class shopper insights and analytics to maximize category growth.   

Essential Job Functions/Key Accountabilities

Category Management

• Ensure expertise in customer strategy and shopper behavior across relevant confection segments (impulse, gifting, dark chocolate, indulgence, etc…) to influence business planning initiatives and plans that mutually grow KPIs for Lindt and the category.
• Bring best in class shopper insights to Walmart, to influence customer strategy and support Lindt initiatives.
• Support Lindt strategy and selling inititiatives through the development of best in class selling stories that are specific to the assigned retailer and can also be leveraged across channels. This includes analyzing and synthesizing syndicated and shopper data coupled with trend and shopper insight information.
• Act as a consultant and strategic partner to Walmart providing unbiased recommendations to drive overall category growth.
• Develop strategic planogram recommendations, combining proven merchandising theory, retailer case studies and Lindt strategy with solid analysis to maximize category sales.
• Synthesize multiple data sources including POS, Retail Link, IRI, Panel and Insights to craft compelling, concise and actionable selling stories. Lead the creation of compelling category insights for everyday line reviews, seasonal reviews and checklane reviews.
• Play a leadership role in providing category management insights, analyzing business issues, and providing business insights and recommendations in the areas of assortment, pricing, and promotion to improve business results.
• Present analysis, trend information and category opportunities directly to Walmart, building a strong relationship directly with the buyers to influence retailer strategy and support Lindt business objectives. Meeting examples are: Line Reviews, Top2Tops, Joint Business Planning
• In collaboration with the Category team, Sales team and specific Brand Managers, lead the creation of seasonal and key inititiave selling presentations contributing insights while also combining inputs into a comprehensive selling story.

Leadership

• Provide guidance to influence Walmart through insights across a range of business and category reviews, both for the everyday and seasonal businesses with the goal of maximizing distribution opportunities, securing fair share of space – both on and off shelf, and optimizing merchandising to drive conversion.  

Sales & Marketing Support

• Influence the development of strategic sales and category action plans through the sharing of knowledge gained from past experience. Help to establish priorities that are consistent with Lindt and key account goals and objectives, market share and overall category profitability.
• Actively participate in weekly team calls or meetings with respective Category team, Sales managers and/or marketing team.

Research and Analysis

• Serve as the expert on Walmart by fully understanding shopper motivations, mindsets, triggers and barriers through available shopper insights and panel information.
• Be the information expert in the analysis of syndicated data, Retail Link, household panel data, and customer point of sale data, leading to key insights and business recommendations in the areas of item distribution and assortment, pricing and promotion.

Success Criteria

• Action Oriented – Enjoys working hard; is action oriented and full of energy for things he/ she sees as challenging; not fearful of acting with a minimum of planning; seizes more opportunities than others.
• Perseverance – Pursues everything with energy, drive and a need to finish; seldom gives up before finishing, especially in the face of resistance or setbacks.
• Intellectual Horsepower – Is bright and intelligent; deals with concepts and complexity comfortably; described as intellectually sharp, capable and agile.
• Problem Solving – Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions; probes all fruitful sources for answers; can see hidden problems; is excellent at honest analysis; looks beyond the obvious and doesn’t stop at the first answers.
• Peer relationships – Can quickly find common ground and solve problems for the good of all; can represent his / her own interests and yet be fair to other groups; can solve problems with peers with a minimum of noise; is seen as a team player and is incooperative; easily gains trust and support of peers; encourages collaboration; can be candid with peers.
• Decision Quality – Makes good decisions (without considering how much time it takes) based on a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience and judgement; most of his / her solutions and suggestions turn out to be correct and accurate when judged over time; sought out by others for advice and solutions.
• Interpersonal Savvy – Relates well to all kinds of people – up, down and sideways, inside and outside the organization; builds appropriate rapport; builds constructive and effective relationships; uses diplomacy and tact; can defuse even high-tension situations comfortably.

Why Lindt?  

As a multi-channel, fast-growing consumer goods company, we recognize that in a competitive market, hiring the right talent makes all the difference. To create happy and loyal Lindt consumers, we need to hire and retain empowered and results-driven Lindt employees. Our teams are comprised of inspired and dedicated professionals who stretch the boundaries of a typical career experience by living our Core Values and making a difference in our business every day. To learn more about our culture and teams, visit www.Jobs.LindtUSA.com.

Our Core Values:

• Passion For The Best - At Lindt we have pride and passion for what we do – we aspire for excellence in everything.
• In It Together - At Lindt we are one team with a shared purpose – we invest in our relationships and value each other.
• Always Evolving - At Lindt we shape our future – we take opportunities to improve, adapt to change and build on our strengths.
• Make An Impact - At Lindt we take responsibility for driving results – we focus on what matters to deliver on our commitments.
• Act Responsibly - At Lindt we act with integrity, treat others with respect, value diversity and care for the environment to create a sustainable tomorrow.

It is impossible to list every requirement for, or responsibility of, any position.  Similarly we cannot identify all the skills a position may require since job responsibilities and the Company’s needs may change over time.  Therefore, the above job description is not comprehensive or exhaustive.  The Company reserves the right to adjust, add to or eliminate any aspect of the above description.  The Company also retains the right to require all employees to undertake additional or different job responsibilities when necessary to meet business needs.

Lindt and Sprüngli is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, national origin, gender, disability or veteran status.

Position Qualifications

Skills & Knowledge

• Advanced computer skills; advanced knowledge of Excel and PowerPoint.
• Advanced analytical and reporting skills.
• Strong experience with Retail Link data
• Ability to work independently to complete projects in a timely fashion.
• Excellent written and oral communication.
• Demonstrated success in cross functional work environments.
• Ability to problem solve and multi-task in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Experience

Required

• 5+ years Category Management and analytical experience.
• 5+ years experience mining data systems, such as:
• IRI, Numerator, Nielsen Suite
• Retail Link
• 3+ years experience in leveraging Shopper Insights and research
• Experience using Luminate

Preffered

• CPG environment

• Experience using Luminate

Education

Required

• Bachelors degree

Preferred

• Masters Degree
• Category Management certification

Other Requirements

• Travel Required ~20% of Time (Highly Seasonal)