Customer Development Manager

Colgate-Palmolive Company Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

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Job Description

Established in 1806 as a small soap and candle business in New York City, Colgate-Palmolive is now a truly global company with products sold in over 200 countries and territories under such internationally recognised brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, elmex, Tom's of Maine, Sanex, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, Haci Sakir, Suavitel, PCA SKIN, EltaMD, Filorga and Hello as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet.

Colgate-Palmolive is a leading consumer products company that serves hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide with brands and products across four core businesses – Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. We are committed to offering products that make lives healthier and more enjoyable, and programmes that enrich communities around the world.

Every day millions of people trust our products to care for themselves and the ones they love. Our goal is to use our technology to create products that will continue to improve the quality of life for our consumers wherever they live.

A career at Colgate-Palmolive is an excellent opportunity if you seek a global experience, constant challenge, and development opportunities in an environment that respects work/life effectiveness.

Information at a Glance

Job Title: Customer Development Manager

Travel Required?: Travel - 25% of time

Posting Start Date: 27/04/2026

On-site

No Relocation Assistance Offered
Job Number #172784 - Pulau Pinang, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia

Who We Are

Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specialising in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name!

Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let's build a brighter, healthier future for all.

Core responsibilities:

Work with Vendor Management Inventory (VMI)/ (sell in to distributor) to forecast service provider’s needs, follow up on orders to ensure timely and complete deliveries and prioritize service provider’s requirements when product is unavailable
Influence and guide Distributor Sales Representatives’ (DSR) to achieve sales out through effective preplanning
Provide service provider with an objective and trustworthy analysis of their business to develop collaborative strategies that drive incremental growth opportunities
Lists New Product Development (NPD) in Indirect Customers to ensure speed to market of New Innovations
Proactively understand the service provider’s needs and develop business solutions to meet Colgate and the service provider’s requirements
Conduct regular business reviews and follow-up on sales activity, new products, customer service, receivables and claims
Collaborate with service provider in recruiting and retaining DSRs including coaching and training new and old DSRs to be effective and efficient
Provide effective coverage and visit assigned customers with required frequency to build rapport and perform customer business reviews to enhance future activities
Ensure DSRs secure additional second site displays to reduce overall customer inventory and reduce slow and obsolete SKUs
Lead all aspects of storage and condition of POPs in service provider’s warehouse and ensure sufficient POP call quantity for each month
Collaborate with respective Merchandising Service Provider counterpart to ensure complete, effective and efficient monthly activation and merchandising according to planograms and merchandising guidelines
Provide inputs on merchandisers’ itinerary to include new stores and improve overall efficiency of external merchandisers
Collaborate cross functionally with Customer Service & Logistics to reduce the service provider’s warehouse inventory days
Eliminate possibility of out of stock situation and build an optimal inventory level in service provider’s warehouse
Implement and/or maintain First In First Out (FIFO) Practice and reduce Slow and Obsolete SKU from the service provider’s warehouse
Work with Customer Service & Logistics to increase case fill rate during deliveries, reduce pallet withholding and drive Good Warehouse Practices in the service provider’s premises
Strategically deploy customer investment funds to increase sales volume, distribution and market share
Work with Customer Financial Services to establish cost to serve and analyze service provider’s return on investment regularly

Leadership/supervision:

Lead a team of Merchandisers

Day-to-Day Responsibilities:

Morning meetings to track and provide guidance to DSRs
Field visitations to coach and train respective DSRs
Check on daily sales to ensure forecast met
Meet with key customers to ensure continuity of service and business
Meet with service provider to address issues and resolutions
Collaborate with DSRs each month to achieve thorough effective customer calls
Enforce DSRs compliance of Must Sell SKUs in accordance with RE Handbook
Ensure full compliance from DSR on monthly activities, detailing & road shows to be implemented flawlessly
Provide DSRs with POP and ensure efficient utilization to improve brand visibility
Secure and improve home shelf through customer and DSR collaboration

Requirements

Bachelors’ degree, preferably in business
At least 3-5 years of experience in Key Account management, distributor management, etc.
Strong analytical skills
Strong communication skill

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Our Commitment to Inclusion
Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.

Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form should you require accommodation.

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