Customer Development Manager - Discounters

About the Company

Colgate-Palmolive is a worldwide consumer goods company serving customers in more than 200 countries. Its portfolio spans oral care, personal care, home care, skin care, and pet nutrition, and the brand is recognized in households across the globe.

The company focuses on building a healthier future for people, pets, and the planet. It is guided by the values of Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous, with a culture designed to help people work toward shared goals and grow together.

Relocation assistance is offered globally.

Job Number: #174119 - Jeddah, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Role Overview

The Customer Development Manager for Discounters will lead commercial planning, drive sales growth, and improve profitability for the company’s portfolio within Saudi Arabia’s fast-growing discounter retail channel.

This position calls for a strong combination of financial control and growth orientation. The role involves creating joint business plans suited to a high-volume, low-margin, and highly competitive retail environment, including discounter models such as Al Raya, Othaim, Panda’s discount formats, and emerging soft and hard discounters.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and manage long-term partnerships with strategic discounter accounts to support category expansion, volume commitments, and strong product visibility.
• Take ownership of the channel P&L by controlling trade spend, protecting margins, and shaping promotional programs that work well for price-conscious shoppers, including EDLP and multi-pack approaches.
• Work with demand planning and logistics teams to keep product availability high and reduce out-of-stock issues.
• Lead, coach, and support regional field supervisors and merchandisers so that planograms and shelf-share standards are executed correctly.
• Develop channel-specific portfolio and SKU strategies, including value packs, bundles, and promotional offerings, while avoiding overlap with hypermarket channels.
• Deliver sales, margin, and volume targets for assigned accounts while ensuring strong in-store execution of the 5Ps.
• Review promotional spend and discount structures to remove ineffective tactics and ensure commercial investment drives strong volume growth with healthy net margins.
• Drive EDLP and pricing architecture decisions and evaluate ROI mechanisms.
• Strengthen relationships with store operations teams and in-store personnel at store and regional levels.
• Share competitor insights and in-store observations with the General Manager so the right actions can be taken.
• Coordinate tailored plans and promotions with the RM and make sure they are implemented in accounts.
• Roll out the channel strategy created by the General Manager across selected accounts using both qualitative and quantitative measures, including sales per account, per store, per category, and per SKU.
• Negotiate with regional offices and stores on planograms, displays, and promotional execution as needed.
• Organize special in-store events and related communication and materials with support from the Retail Marketing Team and General Manager.
• Analyze account performance to identify opportunities and define action plans that improve P&L results.
• Prepare business reviews twice a year with CDTLs and the General Manager to discuss customer performance and mutual growth opportunities.
• Visit stores regularly to identify improvement areas and solve operational issues at regional offices or on site.
• Coach merchandisers, identify training needs, and develop training plans with the CDTL.
• Support the creation of merchandising tools, shelf-management materials, and in-store programs that encourage shoppers to buy Colgate products.
• Track and analyze performance data to monitor 5P results against targets.
• Communicate store-level goals clearly and follow up on product availability, assortment by format, shelf pricing, promotional compliance, share of shelf, and POP placement.

Education and Experience

A bachelor’s degree or an equivalent qualification is required.

Candidates must have at least 8 years of experience in the Saudi market, along with experience growing business for selected customers.

Strong English and Arabic communication skills are required.

Commitment to Inclusion

The company emphasizes building diverse teams, creating an inclusive workplace, and supporting people so they can contribute authentically and be respected for who they are.

Equal Opportunity and Accommodation

The employer is an equal opportunity organization and considers all qualified applicants without discrimination based on protected characteristics such as race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, or veteran status where applicable.

Reasonable accommodation is available during the application process for persons with disabilities upon request.