Being a Mars Associate is all about opportunity. The opportunity to do the kind of challenging, interesting work that shapes the world’s best-loved brands. To work with real purpose, supported by talented, friendly people from all sorts of different backgrounds. And to access the tools, training, and experience you need to have a positive impact on our business, on the planet, and, most importantly, on your own career. Being a Mars Associate is more than a job. It’s the opportunity to start your tomorrow, today.

Customer Development Leader UTT

Costa Rica

Define right model for negotiations and investments to develop modern trade accounts, be accountable for sales growth and trade investment in the distributors.

Collaborate with distributors to ensure best-in-class negotiations and timely execution in-store. Prepare engagement and follow-up customer plans to assure customer centricity and build collaborative relationships with key accounts.

What are we looking for?

• 5+  years of experience in similar positions in the Consumer Goods Industry. (Key Account Management or Distributors Management)
• Bachelors Degree plus Professional certifications. MBA Degree could be considered as well as equivalent experience with supervision, finance or marketing studies.
• Functional skills: Selling, Sales planning, Customer Execution & Measure, Negotiating & Influencing, Financial Acumen
• Advanced English & Excel

What would be your key responsibilities?

• Responsible for establishing and developing an efficient relationship with top accounts, monitoring their performance and compliance with the company standards of quality, service, availability and coverage.
• Work with distributors to assure best in class execution of Picture of Success (merchandising must haves) and negotiations for continuous improvement.
• Portfolio management to secure baseline, temporary and seasonal product.
• Business Development: Ability to understand and anticipate customer existing and future needs in depth and communicate this within organization while developing compelling solutions based on joint strategies that are mutually beneficial.
• Customer Planning: Build a customer plan to maintain sustainable category growth contemplating potential setbacks to the plan and develop contingencies working with other functional areas.
• Category Management: Understands the competitive landscape to predict competition’s ‘next steps’ and minimize risk to our business and the category.
• Budget Management: Manages trade budgets to ensure efficiency, fiscal responsibility and contribution to company sales and profits. ROI analysis of Trade Activations is key.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Our unique culture guided by our Five Principles has made us one of the Great places to work in Central America & Caribbean
•  We are an international family business.
• Our associates build their careers by working with our incredible brands and people, being proud of their work today that will ensure a better tomorrow.

Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.