Customer Experience Specialist/Accounts Payable Specialist

We are currently seeking an interim Commercial Customer Experience Specialist to work with our global FMCG client Unilever, renowned for brands such as Dove, Sure, Persil, and Simple, and become an integral part of their fast-paced FMCG environment.

The position is based in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey. This is a full-time temporary role to run for 6 months, requiring 36.25 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Compensation for this role is competitive, paying up to 38,000 per annum, pro rata, depending upon experience.

The role currently offers a mix of remote and onsite working, subject to adjustment based on business requirements.

JOB PURPOSE The Rebate & Promotions CES role typically focuses on proactively managing rebates and accruals ensuring best practice is followed and rigour is applied. The intent of this role is not to manage day-to-day operations, but role holders are expected to use their knowledge of customer and commercial processes to influence decision making on initiatives that add value to UL and enhance process efficiency. Role holders need to hold to account and govern the end-to-end process, ensuring that key colleagues in CD and 3PSP are working in line with agreed processes and timelines. The role should have a proactive focus, aiming to get things right for the future.

RESPONSIBILITIES / KEY DELIVERABLES

Operations & Systems

Bill to Cash

• Sign off and align with CD on rebate actions, including rebate reviews and proactive spend management, using standard guidelines on a rota basis.
• Ensures agreed rebate actions are maintained in appropriate files for communication to teams who approve and transact relevant rebates & releases.
• By monitoring provisions, ensure that the spend management processes are being properly followed by CD colleagues, and maintain a culture of accountability by regularly reviewing objectives and performance metrics.
• Where escalations on promotional or audit claims occur, coach claims management specialist and/or customer planner teams to resolve autonomously.
• Ensures that information relating to rebates and promotions is fully up to date, avoiding avoidable accumulation of work where possible.
• Monitor the key Bill to Cash metrics for your customer(s) and influence others / hold to account to ensure process governance is in place across all stakeholders.
• Systems that a role holder would be expected to use or interpret includes but is not limited to - SAP, RTVA, PowerBI, MS Office, TPM, TPA, High Radius Claims Management, customer portals.

Projects, Innovation & Capabilities Supports relevant internal and external stakeholders on technology, process or business changes. Collaborate with CD and Customer Collaboration teams to manage TMI accruals relating to promotional and exceptional activities - including but not limited to phasing, NPD, WIGIGs and stock builds.

Continuous Improvement & Problem Solving Identify areas of inefficiency in the E2E rebates and promotions process. Optimise customer-related processes by managing improvement measures and projects in a standard way across all customers. with internal experts (SMEs). Collaborates with third parties and internal stakeholders to influence the continuous improvement of reports, processes and ways of working pertinent to this role & its interfaces.

Customer Communications & Relations Understanding the commercial related needs of retail customers and be the voice of the customer internally. Represent UL in commercial operational matters, such as interactions with Customer Accounts Payable teams and supporting the promo claims rejection process where customer interaction is required. Where necessary build relationships to positively influence customer behaviour in line with UL operational & leadership expectations.

Line Management & Coaching Training & coaching for new Rebates & Promotions CES starters may be an expectation of this role. This role may be expected to coach / educate CD on spend management fundamentals. Line management could be an expectation of this role.

WHAT YOU NEED TO SUCCEED

Minimum Requirements

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with ability to adapt style, and willing to hold other to account / call out where things are not working.
• Strong problem-solving skills and an ability to think logically.
• Advanced skillset in Microsoft Excel.
• Strong internal and external stakeholder management.
• Excellent quantitative analytical skills.
• Ability to manage time effectively and to plan workload.
• A proactive mindset, seeking to avoid problems before they arise.
• Comfortable holding others to account and in having challenging conversations.
• Curiosity to drive transformational change
• A customer-focused mindset, seeking to exceed their expectations where possible.

Ideal Requirements

• Experience working with retail customers.
• Experience with SAP or other ERP software.
• Experience working in customer service, finance or commercial roles.
• A basic understanding of the customer balance sheet and P&L
• An understanding of basic supply chain roles and how they can influence the commercial aspect of the E2E process.