National Business Manager

Australian United Retailers Limited (AUR) is Australia's largest truly independent supermarket chain. Our network includes over 500 supermarkets, food and convenience stores nationally with around 360 of these operating under the FoodWorks brand.  AUR also has approximately 200 liquor stores in Victoria and News South Wales trading under FoodWorks Liquor and other brand names. Our stores are owned by our members and are serviced by support offices in Melbourne and Brisbane.

We pride ourselves on our fresh, contemporary approach to retail, which allows us to support our growing network of independent stores.

Our people are the core of our organisation. We strive to create a diverse workplace, where team members feel included, respected and valued. We continuously provide opportunities for our employees to develop their skills and enhance their careers through our business.

What is the Role?

The National Business Manager - Liquor is responsible for the development, management and implementation of the Liquor strategic and commercial direction, with the support of the category management team to achieve departmental income while improving retailer margin through delivering profitable category and promotional/marketing initiatives across the AURL network that driver sales growth.

The role has the following key areas of focus:

1. Sales and Gross Profit - Develop a clear understanding of the customer's needs (retailer and consumer) and translate these into in-store offers and product solutions that continually build customer levels of satisfaction in the supermarket and convenience locations for Liquor sales and profit growth
2. Customer Service - Build long-term relationships with retailers and key suppliers to ensure AURL provides the best possible service to retailers while securing the best possible deals/offers from Liquor suppliers.
3. Promotional Offer – Develop a core product range supported by a promotional and pricing strategy, incorporating a service, operating and merchandise standard to generate customer purchases, build sales and provide a Liquor offer consistent with the AURL brands and Customer Value Proposition (CVP).
4. Financial– negotiate trading term improvements for all Liquor suppliers and other benefits to deliver the income budget and continued financial investments in the AURL network.
5. People - Support and mentor department direct reports, category management team to deliver the overall Liquor business objectives

What are the Responsibilities?

• Set the strategic direction of Liquor Department including the design and specifications of the product categories and subcategories to support the overall business plan.
• Develop and implement new concepts that will enhance the brand and business performance.
• Drive innovation within the business that generates sales and profit for retailers and the AURL business
• Lead the implementation plan of the category strategies and tactics through the business
• Establish key points of difference within the category plans that drive consumers in the AURL network vs that of competitors.
• Incorporate private label components into the development of the category plan to ensure we build credibility within the retailer offer, while enhancing retailer margin.
• Collaborate with Category Managers and Space Planning teams to introduce new products into layouts and plans, including private label.
• Support the sourcing and management of Private Label suppliers as part of the category.
• Manage and collaborate with liquor working groups and member committees to drive success.

What are the Required Skills?

• Industry Expertise – a detailed understanding of the liquor industry within Australia, independent liquor retailing and liquor wholesaling models.
• Business Analysis – the ability to extract, apply and develop available data sources to build an objective and analytical approach to business initiatives and performance measures.  Demonstrated ability to use information to better understand the performance and contribution of the product, supplier, retailer and corporate.
• Category Management – the ability to build sales and engage retailers and suppliers in delivering product, promotion, pricing and service outcomes to retailers.
• Financial Management – the ability to establish category budgets and deliver outcomes that meet the financial performance criteria of the organisation.  Able to interpret and analyse financial reports with appropriate use of benchmark standards to identify areas for improvement and cost/revenue efficiencies. The ability to establish business budgets and deliver outcomes that meet the financial performance criteria of the organization.   Able to identify available financial resources in other businesses to contribute to, and invest in the FoodWorks end game.
• Negotiation- demonstrated ability to plan, execute and convert negotiations with third party providers to valuable outcomes that have benefit for both parties.  Able to identify the negotiation context (long term relationship or transactional trade event), develop and apply a planned approach and deliver business outcomes appropriate to the context.
• Relationship Development – Demonstrated ability to create and sustain partnership-based relationships where conflict is addressed proactively, and common objectives are identified and leveraged to deliver mutual benefit. The ability to build effective relationships and inspire confidence in all stakeholders to ensure commitment and investment in the strategic, commercial and organizational objectives of FoodWorks.
• Strategic Development and Implementation – possesses the intellectual capacity and experience to develop and apply a strategic approach to the resolution of business challenges and maximization of new opportunities.
• Time Management – the ability to set priorities, plan and organize one's own responsibilities and commitments.  Strong capacity and willingness to develop and guide these skills in others.

What Personal Capabilities are required?

• Coaching and Developing Others – Fosters the growth through coaching, mentoring and performance feedback.
• Commercial Style – is organisationally aware and confident within the business.  Understands the importance of process and structure and applies this to ensure effective performance.  Approaches issues balancing the analytical with intuition and experience to achieve results and applies sound judgement in difficult situations.  Innovative with a keenness to embrace new challenges and opportunities whilst maintaining a measured and controlled approach to risk.
• Decision making Style – understands potential business risks and makes decisions in a timely and effective manner consistent with the business control framework.  Able to take action in a considered and professional manner.
• Interpersonal Style – positive, energetic, team and collegiate focused with a strong results orientation.   Able to build the trust and confidence of others through personal credibility and interpersonal understanding.
• Management Style - achieves results primarily through influence rather than direction.  An active communicator who is able to engage, integrate and motivate indirect resources and diverse talents around a common purpose.
• Work Style – organized with the ability to respond to changes and work flexibly within the business.   A strong proactive approach with a willingness to accept responsibility to resolve issues and deliver quality business results.

What Qualifications are required?

Relevant Tertiary qualification including Business, Marketing or Accounting is desirable with minimum 8 to 10 years of experience in the Liquor industry.

What Knowledge and Experience is required?

• Experience in the specialist category area of Liquor
• Retail Industry – encompassing exposure to Liquor, Supermarket and/or Convenience industry channels or Wholesaler organisations in the areas of buying and merchandising.
• Exposure to medium to large multi-site independent retailers and an appreciation of a wholesale environment and supply chain challenges facing independent Liquor retailers.
• Management level experience – middle team member defining and aligning the business and Liquor merchandise/product strategy.  Able to sit confidently at the management table and contribute strategically, commercially and creatively.
• Experienced in dealing in an environment requiring and undergoing significant change where the end point of consumer interaction is controlled by an independent legal entity.  Influence not direction is paramount.

If this sounds like the challenge you have been looking for, apply now.