About the position
The Director of Customer Marketing is responsible for leading a team in the creation of value-based relationships with key distributors, prioritized choosers and end users (key accounts), Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs, Co-Ops), and important Service Providers. The role will ensure segment, distributor, and key account strategies are created that support the broader Kimberly-Clark North America’s (KCPNA) objectives and strategies while meeting the unique needs of our customers. This role will establish and reinforce vision, objectives and strategies while providing inspirational leadership to drive engagement and productivity. This role will develop talent and build capabilities for the future success of KCP. Partnering with Sales, this role ensures Customer Marketing is the face of Marketing for KCP with GPOs, Service Providers, and Key Account end users, driving engagement, value, and growth. This role will be responsible for collaboration and partnership throughout KCP and KCNA to optimize internal and external data and insights, ensuring the team is proactively sourcing, interpreting, and positioning insights to create the story and enable the unique linkage of our KCP products with each individual end user needs. The role will work closely with the Integrated Marketing Director to ensure the Team has a deep understanding of all KCP products. This collaboration will focus on linking the products to end users’ needs and problems, creating “solution” bundles instead of “product” bundles. This role will also ensure that the “voice of the customer” is proactively shared with KCP cross-functional partners, so end user opportunities, pain points, gaps, and needs are communicated and understood on an ongoing basis. The KCP Marketing & CX objectives (Grow Share, Increase Category Breadth, Drive Brand Engagement, Increase Brand Loyalty, and Drive Consumer KCNA Brand) will prioritize the work that matters most for the Leader and the Team. This role is responsible for the full lifecycle of end user marketing, including acquisition, onboarding, retention, and loyalty. It will ensure data and insights are leveraged to develop customized and targeted customer marketing plans and programs plans, including KCP portfolio optimization and product commercialization. Additionally, this role will work closely with the Integrated Marketing Team to inform and influence full-funnel promotional and campaign strategy. This role will have significant leadership responsibility. Successful candidates will have strong demonstrated leadership through change, a proven ability to inspire and develop talent, a tremendous customer curiosity and creativity, a proactive solution-oriented attitude, collaborative approach to partnership, results-focus mindset, and a “fail forward” mentality, always pushing for new and different ways to drive relationships and the business.
Responsibilities
- Provide team leadership by creating vision, culture, engagement, project management, and driving resource allocation.
- Demonstrate proven ability to drive transformational change management both internally and externally.
- Show experience influencing and negotiating marketing value with diverse customers to drive incremental and measurable value for KCP.
- Drive the creation of transformative vertical segments and prioritize key account strategies based on data, insights, opportunities, needs, pain points, motivations, and attitudes of KCP customers.
- Leverage CX VOC data and insights, along with inputs from Sr. Customer Value Proposition Manager, GPOs, Service Providers, and Associations to develop a deep understanding of customers, products, and buyers’ journeys for Customer Marketing.
- Provide thought leadership and direction for long-term and annual business planning to drive Marketing & CX strategy and planning.
- Ensure the development and execution of marketing strategies for key accounts, aligned with overall business objectives.
- Continuously interact with customers and salespeople to gather feedback on strategy, identify what’s working and what’s not, and optimize plans based on this feedback.
- Ensure financial goals are met and provide feedback on gaps and opportunities in end user insights, product claims, and performance.
- Oversee the full lifecycle marketing strategy execution to target new accounts, commercialize through omni-channel campaigns, nurture existing accounts to drive incremental value and loyalty, and develop advocacy programs to achieve high retention.
- Take ownership and leadership of major strategic initiatives and relationships (e.g. High Traffic Venue Strategy, Loyalty Platform, Bespoke - Customer Marketing Agency Management).
- Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to company-wide business teams, leading the ever-evolving creation of customer-focused content and communications to drive the highest level of experience and engagement.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in business-related discipline.
- 15+ years of Marketing experience in a combination of a B2B or B2C marketing environments – emphasis in B2B.
- 5+ years people leadership experience building and coaching high performing teams.
- Proactive and results-driven self-starter.
- Strong executive presence and excels at navigating senior executive stakeholders, both internally and externally, to effectively tell stories and influence decisions.
- Highly proficient in development and interpretation of key metrics relating to marketing funnel performance with the ability to translate technology innovation and brand strategy into business/customer value.
- Embraces an entrepreneurial and agile mindset, thriving in ambiguity.
- Excellent presenter, communicator, and listener.
- Strong business and organizational acumen with a deep understanding of market dynamics, P&L management, and a commercial mindset.
- Effectively engages stakeholders in ideation, decision-making, and conflict resolution to drive strategic alignment.
- Establishes priorities and adeptly manages trade-offs.
Nice-to-haves
- Masters / MBA with concentration in Marketing.
- Experience in a B2B environment.
Benefits
- Great support for good health with medical, dental, and vision coverage options with no waiting periods or pre-existing condition restrictions.
- Access to an on-site fitness center, occupational health nurse, and allowances for high-quality safety equipment.
- Flexible Savings and spending accounts to maximize health care options and stretch dollars when caring for yourself or dependents.
- Diverse income protection insurance options to protect yourself and your family in case of illness, injury, or other unexpected events.
- Additional programs and support to continue your education, adopt a child, relocate, or even find temporary childcare.
