Key Accounts Specialist (SEG; FoodCity)

At Lindt, we are a global fast-growing consumer goods company, enchanting the world with premium chocolate. We are driven by our passion for excellence and go the extra mile ensuring that every Lindt experience is nothing short of exceptional. Our collective efforts are geared towards making a positive impact, not only in the world of premium chocolate but also in the lives of our employees, customers, and communities. Our company embraces a culture defined by the core values of Excellence, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Responsibility, and Collaboration, fostering a dynamic and collaborative environment where these principles drive our success.

Position Purpose:

This role will collaborate with the Team Leader and National Account Manager to develop, execute, and manage strategic programs and promotions for all Grocery South accounts. Key responsibilities include conducting detailed sales analysis and forecasting, identifying new opportunities, mitigating risks, and providing customer support for assigned accounts, while ensuring alignment with customer needs, sales objectives, and profitability targets. Additionally, this role will fully manage the SEG and K-VA-T accounts, focusing on driving growth and profitability.

Sales and Account Management

• Deliver weekly sales reports to the team, providing a detailed overview of business performance.
• Leverage syndicated and proprietary data to conduct in-depth analysis and generate actionable insights, driving the continued growth of Lindt & Sprungli.
• Offer strategic sales and promotional recommendations to the Team Leader and National Account Manager based on thorough analysis of sales trends and data.
• Collaborate with the internal team and brokers to create and maintain a master customer presentation timeline for the year, addressing both regular and seasonal business needs, including planogram and reset schedules.
• Foster strong relationships with customers' inventory/logistics teams and Lindt customer service to ensure seamless alignment on ordering and replenishment strategies. Offer item forecasting recommendations as required.
• Develop and maintain an in-depth understanding of the Lindt & Sprungli product portfolio and brand positioning to optimize sales efforts and utilize fact-based selling strategies. Stay informed about brand strategy and promotional initiatives that impact the business and are relevant to customers.
• Lead calls with assigned accounts (SEG & K-VA-T) and brokers to effectively drive the achievement of goals and objectives.

Fiscal Responsibility

• Conduct in-depth and regular sales analysis of Lindt products each season, benchmarking performance against YAG, time-share, and expectations. Provide actionable insights to internal stakeholders and recommend strategies to optimize profitable sales and sell-through.
• Perform routine promotional analysis to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of trade spending, offering recommendations to enhance future planning and support initiatives.
• Work closely with key stakeholders to ensure accurate monthly rolling forecasts in planning systems, aligning with business objectives.
• Develop an annual sales planning tool by customer, product group, and product, to forecast both GTS and NTS volume.
• Partner with the Demand Consensus Group (including Finance, Planning, and Marketing) to share valuable

information and insights, supporting the needs of each department.

Order & Inventory Management

• Track orders vs. commitments for everyday and seasonal programs to ensure compliance.

Qualifications & Requirements:

Skills & Knowledge:

• 2 to 3 years of sales experience with a strong analytical focus, preferably in CPG. Skilled in data analytics using tools like IRI and Nielsen, with strong interpersonal and fact-based selling abilities.
• Excellent verbal, written and formal presentation skills.
• Detail-minded and results-oriented.
• Ability to solve problems strategically.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree: MBA preferred

Other Requirements:

• Travel 25-30%