Distributor market Subject Matter Expert

About the Tea Business 

Unilever is proud of its Tea business, the biggest in the world, with world class purpose driven brands such as Lipton, PG tips and Pukka. Recently, Unilever decided to separate the Tea business to ensure it can best achieve its potential. Unilever is currently reviewing several options for separation, including a demerger, an initial public offering, a disposal or through partnership models. The Tea businesses in India and Indonesia, and the partnership interests in the ready-to-drink Tea joint ventures will be retained.   

The balance of the Tea brands and geographies and all Tea estates, with generated revenues of €2 billion in 2019, is growing and profitable with proven potential both pre- and post-COVID-19. As a standalone entity, the Tea company remains number one in the world and is even better positioned to lead the industry and take full advantage of the opportunities in the category, with more focus and entrepreneurship driving greater growth and value.  

The current vision for the Tea company (ekaterra) is to create a world of wellbeing through regenerative power of plants. ekaterra’s growth potential will be unleashed through an integrated innovation model building on leading practice across the industry infused with ekaterra values and purpose.  

As we move through this journey towards separation, we are seeking employees with a passion for exciting entrepreneurial experiences, who want to pursue unique career opportunities and have a desire to be an integral part in building the bright future of this plant-based company.  

Your Role:  

The Distributor market subject matter expert will be part of the overall Go to Market workstream and will be responsible to work with the local markets to ensure ekaterra successfully transitions markets to ekaterra selected distributors during the 12 month transitional period after day 1.

Your Key Tasks:  

• Drive delivery of the detailed design & identification of critical areas for Distributor Markets and develop the road map to transition markets from Unilever managed markets to a distributor lead model
• Support distributor selection and negotiations to ensure ekaterra is positioned to drive top and bottom-line growth
• Development Managers throughout the whole process to ensure a smooth transition that will focus on people, customer contracts, processes, systems & assets
• Design and deliver the approach for account transition and customer contract transfers to the distributors
• Guide business development managers to drive top and bottom-line growth 
• Work with the comms team and rest of the GTM team to deliver a solid communication plan for the trade with clear milestones for the transition to the appointed distributor
• Work on relevant end state design processes and implementation 
• Oversee the set up of distributor markets onto ekaterra Distrubutor Market (EDM) and ensure a smooth go live
• Work with hiring managers to ensure on time recruitment and enable knowledge transfer for new TeaCo CD hires and engage with local market leadership to ensure that appropriate trainings are in place 
• Work with change management team to define key impacts of the changes that will be implemented for Day 1 and the TSA period and what it means for CD people in the markets (e.g. changes to roles, capabilities, ways of working, behaviours, handoffs etc)
• Lead development of contingency and risk mitigation plans

Stakeholder Management and key interfaces 

• The role reports to the ekaterra GTM lead and will be supported by the Project Management team and external consultants that are involved in the project
• Works with ekaterra local Business Development Managers, rest of Project Blossom and Puccini functional leads & teams, Global Tea marketing & channel team as well as with the external consultant agencies that are involved in the project

Skills and Experience  

• Mid/Senior level with a strong track delivery record and at least 7 years experience in various sales roles (e.g. Customer / Distributor management, Trade marketing, CCD)
• Local experience is essential – Global experience is a strong plus 
• Change management skills and proven record of leading business transformational agenda 
• This is a very dynamic and fast paced project and requires high adaptability  
• Experience from other transactions (mergers and acquisitions): desired  
• Start date: immediate 
• Role is based in NL or UK however due to current situation, it can also be done from home country  
• Experience in managing and influencing stakeholders in a matrix structure

 Who we are looking for 

• Someone with confidence and fearlessness to take decisions, exercise autonomy and have a strong bias for action.    
• A strong sense of ownership and accountability 
• Candidates with strong GtM experience (preferably in consumer-packaged goods companies e.g. Colgate, Nestle etc) and/or consultancy in this area. (Sales / customer development) 
• Experience working globally (multi market experience)
• Strong analytical & financial skills
• High level of resilience and problem solving.  
• Ability to perform under pressure.   
• Agility to thrive in a VUCA world 
• Able to work in ambiguity and
• High level of adaptability and flexibility to drive change 
• Ability to work in ambiguity
• Transparency and openness 
• Able to generate relevant content by himself/herself, with low or no support.

Disclaimer

Diversity at Unilever is about inclusion, embracing differences, creating possibilities, and growing together for better business performance. We embrace diversity in our workforce. This means giving full and fair consideration to all applicants and continuing development of all employees regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, and pregnancy and maternity