Key Account Manager (m/w/d)
# 163598 - Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Who We Are
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a caring, innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet. Focused on Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition, we sell our products in more than 200 countries and territories under brands such as Colgate, Palmolive, elmex, hello, meridol, Sorriso, Tom’s of Maine, Elta MD, Filorga, Irish Spring, PCA SKIN, Protex, Sanex, Softsoap, Speed Stick, Ajax, Axion, Fabuloso, Soupline and Suavitel, as well as Hill’s Pet Nutrition.
We are recognised for our leadership and innovation in promoting sustainability and community wellbeing, including our achievements in decreasing plastic waste and promoting recyclability, saving water, conserving natural resources and improving children’s oral health.
If you want to work for a company that lives by their values, then give your career a reason to smile and join our global team!
The primary purpose of the Key Account Manager (m/f/d) role in the Veterinary Channel is to drive accelerated growth and superior customer engagement with key veterinary customers. This role is crucial in achieving the company’s distribution, sales, share, and profit goals within the Germany and Austria region for the veterinary segment.
As a Key Account Manager, you will be responsible for building and maintaining professional and mutually beneficial relationships with key veterinary customers, including Corporates and buying groups. Additionally, you will mentor and develop your direct report and maintain strong connections with the field force team to ensure unified strategies and execution.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
Customer Relationship Management:
- Establish and maintain trustful collaboration with key veterinary customers in the DACH region.
- Represent Hill’s as the strategic partner of choice in small animal nutrition within the veterinary channel.
- Develop, implement, and follow up on joint business plans with key veterinary customers.
- Conduct effective negotiations to implement Terms and Conditions aimed at achieving profitable growth for Hill’s (in alignment with European T&C guidelines). Ensure distribution policy implementation and compliance with commercial selling principles.
- Team Collaboration and Field Force Engagement:
- Maintain strong communication and collaboration with the field force team to ensure alignment on strategies and execution.
- Bring key veterinary customers' perspective into the country’s commercial process.
- Collaborate with European regional teams to ensure alignment in the management of key veterinary customers; contribute to the development of European customer development strategy.
Team Development:
- Coaching and development of direct report.
- Ensure to achieve sales, shares, and 6Ps goals within key veterinary customers with your team, in accordance with the retail environment strategy and 6Ps plans.
Operational Excellence:
- Properly plan and communicate customer volume demands to ensure supply for regular and promotional business.
- Prepare and participate in the Country Commercial Planning Process; maintain ongoing communication with the country marketing department to provide feedback on Hill’s commercial initiatives and insights on competitors' activities.
- Collaborate with CS&L (customer volume planning), Commercial Analyst (data insights on performance and competitive environment), Area Sales Managers, Marketing (content, priorities, activities), and Finance (budgets).
Performance Tracking:
- Keep abreast of trends in the veterinary trade and performance of trade partners.
- Regularly track and review the performance of Hills brand at veterinary customers.
Education/Experience Requirements:
- University Degree.
- At least 5+ years of experience in Customer Development/Sales, with a minimum of 1-2 years of leadership experience.
- Fluency in German & English.
- Experience in the FMCG category.
- Experience working with veterinary channels or direct experience in related fields is highly advantageous.
- Experience in a multinational company.
- Proven track record of successful commercial skills.
- Strong communication skills.
Our Commitment to Sustainability
With the Colgate brand in more homes than any other, we are presented with great opportunities and new challenges as we work to integrate sustainability into all aspects of our business and create positive social impact. We are determined to position ourselves for further growth as we act on our 2025 Sustainability & Social Impact Strategy.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
Achieving our purpose starts with our people — ensuring our workforce represents the people and communities we serve —and creating an environment where our people feel they belong; where we can be our authentic selves, feel treated with respect and have the support of leadership to impact the business in a meaningful way.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.
Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please contact Application_Accommodation@colpal.com with the subject "Accommodation Request" should you require accommodation.
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