Partnership Director - Leading FMCG Client

ABOUT IRI

IRI is a leading provider of big data, predictive analytics and forward-looking insights that help FMCG, healthcare, retailers and media companies to grow their businesses. With the largest collection of purchase, media, social, causal and loyalty data, all integrated on an on-demand cloud-based technology platform, IRI guides its clients around the world in their quests to remain relevant, capture market share, connect with consumers and deliver market leading growth.

Our UK Head Office is based in Arlington Square, Bracknell. This is just a short drive from the M4 and a 10-15 minute walk from Bracknell Train Station. 


PARTNERSHIP DIRECTOR

Role and Responsibilities

At IRI we have a clear vision – “Growth Delivered”. By this we mean building strong partnerships with our clients and supporting them to achieve their top & bottom line business performance objectives. We also have a clear objective of our own; to be and be recognised as the best in Big Data & Analytics within the UK.

The Partnership Director will be a key executive appointment, playing an instrumental role in delivering both our Growth Delivered vision and objectives. As well as being a member of the UK Client Growth Delivered (CGD) Manufacturing senior leadership team, the successful candidate will also be responsible for creating and sharing UK best practice across the wider Global Organisation.

This role will report to the UK Senior Vice President, and be fully responsible for leading the IRI relationship with one of our key strategic partners – a household brand name and one of the world’s biggest FMCG Manufacturers. Responsibilities will include the leadership of a direct & matrix team of circa 15, made up of Account Directors, the Insights team, the Solutions team who specialise in our Analytics and Technology areas of expertise, and delivery teams.

Understanding the clients strategy, objectives and progress against them will be a given. Being able to identify how the challenging macro environment is creating challenges for them in delivering this plan, and being able to design, lead and deliver a JBP that demonstrates the proactive role IRI will play in turning these scorecard objectives from Red/Amber to Green is the key deliverable of the role. This will require being comfortable operating at the Executive level, being able to introduce forward thinking and innovative end to end solutions, as well as using your client knowledge to help inform future IRI strategy.

The Partnership Director will be responsible for the negotiation/renegotiation of major contracts, ensuring that service level agreements are in place and maintained to agreed quality levels and that all contractual obligations are met. They will also take responsibility for successful management of the P&L, delivering accurately against budget; revenue tracking and forecasting, setting and achieving agreed revenue targets, in line with account management strategies, for business development opportunities.

The company has recently undergone a major shift from product selling to solution sales, an approach which needs to be intensified, further championed and firmly embedded into the IRI culture. The Partnership Director will be a strong advocate of providing true consultative solutions, fostering high quality client partnerships, backed up by delivering best in class solutions. Developing the consultative selling capability of the team will be a major focus in 2017.

High quality people management and influencing skills will be essential with an emphasis on individual and team development programs. The UK Retail market is undergoing its greatest period of change in a generation, and being able to build the capability of the team to thrive in these circumstances will ensure IRI are placed at the forefront of our clients minds as the partner to help them succeed.

On top of the leadership of this specific client, it is expected that ongoing participation on various Industry panels and committees, as well as public speaking (thought leadership), will be an important part of brand building not only for the company but also for the Partnership Directors personal profile.

Key Skill Requirements:

• Degree in a relevant subject and/or with relevant professional qualifications.
• Previous experience in a Commercial Director and/or Managing Consultant role, with a strong awareness of FMCG product and/or consumer based marketing strategies.
• Extensive experience of effectively engaging and influencing cross functionally up to Board level within medium to large organisations, directly or indirectly associated with the Grocery/Retailing sector.
• Will be able to add value to the wider business strategy and overall corporate objectives.
• Ideally will have an established network of contacts at Senior level within the FMCG industry, ideally supermarket chains or within CPG.
• Good experience of translating corporate strategy into practical and sustainable sales and marketing action plans.
• A strong track record of creating local sales strategy, managing business plans and associated P&L.
• Proven results in driving top-line revenue growth and delivering agreed margins.
• Extensive experience of selling solutions as opposed to product sales.
• Strong influencer and negotiator with excellent understanding of financial models, contracts and service management.
• Excellent presentation skills and the ability to deliver valuable insight to key stakeholders internally and externally.
• A strong team player accustomed to building high performance sales consultancy teams and successfully managing their personal development strategies.
• Familiar with driving change in working practice, culture, leading innovation and turnaround business performance.
• Accustomed to managing a diverse portfolio of products/data solutions and strategies to meet the demands of clients and their business/product and marketing strategies.
• Understands how to manage successfully in a cross-functional working environment, delivering to expectations.
• Promotes Customer focus and centricity, acts for the long-term client satisfaction and demonstrates sound commercial judgment.
• Has a strong appreciation of technology, in particular being creative with software solutions (including digital) and keeping abreast of new technological innovations.
• Willingness to travel as and when the business dictates as likely to be in clients offices 2-3 days/week, with balance in IRI’s UK HQ based in Bracknell, Berkshire.
   

​WHAT WORKING FOR IRI CAN DO FOR YOU

• Long-term career development in a market-leading organisation.
• Competitive salary and impressive benefit package to match.
• The opportunity to work with exciting, big-name clients.
• Working in an international company with opportunities across all UK departments and globally.