Merchandising Services Team Leader
Nielsen
مجموع سنوات الخبرة :18 years, 7 أشهر
As a fully integrated unit of Nielsen, Merchandising Services offers to the clients a huge gamma of tools and market information, helping them to determine their "best practices", and plan their operating strategies efficiently, from macro to micro Space management.
The Irish team currently consists of 2 and I report directly to the Head of merchandising services in the UK.
I deliver Space and Range planning solutions to a client base of over 65 Retailers and Manufacturers within primarily the FMCG market.
The solutions I offer cover micro & macro space planning tools, demographic clustering solutions and the technical capabilities to deliver bespoke solutions if required.
Key aspects of the role
• Change management
o The MS unit in Ireland was going through a period of major change upon me joining with personnel leaving and a change in direction in terms of operations. A key part of my role has been to manage this change and to a level that clients have not suffered any loss of service.
• Client management
o With a large client portfolio of clients and a broad spectrum of products proper prioritization of clients and management of time with them was critical to success in this role. It was hugely important that spoke to our clients about the right products at the right time. This allowed me to better manage the relationship side of client management.
• Forecasting and Strategy
o Working with UK superiors to create the right strategy for Ireland and not just copying what was being done in the UK. This allowed me to more accurately forecast our performance throughout the year.
• Driving Revenue
o My responsibilities also include driving revenue growth by exploring opportunities for business developments, while ensuring utmost Client's satisfaction.
• Raising the department profile
o Increasing the visibility of the MS function in Ireland with the other Department heads.
o Developing relationship across functions and across borders to ensure MS Ireland had the correct levels of support.
• Education and Training
o Using my experience to offer the best training possible for new users of the Nielsen Software portfolio.
o Educating Retailers and Manufacturers around best international practice.
o Delivering an annual lecture to students at Dublin institute of Technology as part of their business studies program on ‘The History and role of Category management in Retailing’.
• My Role in Distillers is to be the Customer facing presence of the Customer Marketing function.
• I developed Category Plans for all key accounts within the Off Trade in conjunction with the relevant National Account Manager. These Account Plans have to include all activity we wish to conduct within said account for the full Financial Year.
• They are designed to include both quick wins from range reviews and Range refreshes through to full Category Initiatives designed to grow the category and our Brands. These Category initiatives are developed from information gained through data analysis and are designed by myself in conjunction with the wider Customer Marketing function.
• The second aspect of the role is to deliver these plans in store from source of any new elements through to gaining broad agreement from accounts for implementation.
• The final aspect of the role centers on Data. This include both the sourcing of data from key data sources such as Nielsen or Dunnhumby but also the analysis of this to find key trends and wins.
• This information once distilled into manageable formats must then be communicated to all relevant functions within the business.
• The recipients of this information will range from Business reps on the road through to National Account Managers and further on up the scale to Commercial Directors.
• Marco Space Planning of New Store or existing store refits.
o Developed a Macro space model for determining space allocation in store.
o Worked at initial planning stage with Architects to ensure delivering of this model.
o Got sign off with all functions of final store plan.
o Delivered plan in store.
o Review store performance to ensure space model has worked
• Range analysis of all commodities.
o 146 commodities all reviewed at least once a year.
o All Fresh food commodities would also have a range refresh
• Develop the Category Review process and Calendar.
o Develop and get sign off on 12 month Calendar.
o This would be designed to incorporate and major category plans in place for that year.
• Manage the Range Review process for all commodities.
o Developed and delivered a RACI to mange the Category review process. This provided a framework for all the key stakeholders to deliver on their agreed deliverables.
o This also ensured that process was delivered on schedule.
• Communicate Results
o Deliver all outcomes including Category planograms to store post Range Review or Range refresh.
o Developed a method of delivered which was the most efficient.
• Follow up
o Continuous review of the outcomes to put learning’s in place for the following year