Job Description:
Mars is a family-owned business that has been making products for people and their pets for more than 100 years. We’re behind some of the best loved brands in the world including MARS®, SNICKERS®, EXTRA®, ECLIPSE®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, DOLMIO®, BEN’S ORIGINAL ® MASTERFOODS ® and ROYAL CANIN® ORIJEN® ACANA® we are dedicated to making a positive impact on people and the planet. Join us in building a sustainable future where people, communities, and the planet can truly thrive!
About the role:
As Australian shoppers increasingly prioritise value, the retail landscape is evolving rapidly. To capture this growth, we are seeking a passionate, commercially astute, and agile National Account Manager – Value Retail to join our sales team.
Reporting to the Corporate Grocery Director Pet Nutrition you will hold end-to-end accountability for managing and growing key accounts within our Value Distributor channel (including Kmart, specialised Distributors, and SLOB clearance streams). You won’t just manage existing business, you will also be a pioneer, identifying, shaping, and establishing relationships with the next wave of emerging retail channels.
Directly supporting Mars Petcare’s long-term growth, you will ensure our trusted brands are highly accessible to more pet parents across Australia, whenever and wherever they shop.
What you’ll do:
Strategic Account Management Growth
- Lead Mutual Success: Establish, negotiate, and lead Joint Business Plans (JBPs) with key customers to unlock long-term, profitable, and mutual growth for Mars, the customer, and the category.
- Build Powerful Networks: Cultivate and maintain deep, collaborative partnerships across all tiers of your customers organisations, finding creative ways to activate campaigns and share valuable data.
- Commercial Terms Mastery: Lead the negotiation and renegotiation of customer trading terms.
Financial Operational Excellence
- Deliver the PL: Take full ownership of your customer portfolios financial targets (GSV, TI, NSV) by proactively managing pricing, promotion structures, and trade spend.
- Drive SOP Accuracy: Own the demand planning and forecasting cycle for the Value channel within our Sales Operations Planning (SOP) process, ensuring robust alignment with supply lead times.
- Maintain High Discipline: Deliver exceptional financial governance by managing claims, accruals, and deductions efficiently and transparently.
Category In-Store Execution
- Range Optimisation: Lead the end-to-end range review process in close collaboration with category and activation teams to grow Mars Petcares range representation, shelf space, and overall share.
- Perfect Store Execution: Drive absolute market presence by executing thePerfect Store framework (Availability, Visibility, Affordability).
- Data-Led Decisions: Continuously evaluate promotional performance and investment ROI utilising syndicated market data platforms to optimise promotional plans.
What you’ll bring:
You’re a creative, self-motivated sales professional who is comfortable navigating ambiguity and loves tailoring strategies to a diverse, fast-moving customer base. You have the organisational agility to secure internal alignment for mutual initiatives, and you enjoy building deep, cross-functional relationships.
To be successful in this role, you will bring:
- Experience: 3–5 years of Account Management or Sales experience within the FMCG/CPG industry.
- Channel Savvy: Direct experience managing complex customer relationships. Proven experience working within the discount, value, or emerging retail channels is highly desirable.
- Commercial Acumen: Strong financial savvy with direct experience managing trade spend, promotional budgets, and customer PLs.
- Analytical Skills: A solid understanding of category planning principles, with the ability to turn syndicated and customer scan data into a compelling sales narrative.
- Collaborative Mindset: A fluid, autonomous working style coupled with a desire to contribute positively to our team culture, share insights globally, and mentor peers.
Why you’ll love working for Mars:
- Purpose: Help craft beloved brands with a legacy of over 100 years of local manufacturing making products that people and pets will love all while helping to build a more sustainable future.
- People: A culture that values your contributions, fosters leadership, and recognises the impact you make. Your work truly matters here.
- Development: Shape your career with personalised development and real opportunities to grow from day one.
- Wellbeing: Enjoy a team and business environment that is invested in helping you manage and grow your energy for work and life.
Mars is an equal opportunity employer and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, 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.
