Customer Development Manager - Retail (East)

Job Description

Job Description

About the Group

From a small store in Turin to a large, internationally recognized group: we are present in 90 countries around the world, with over 5,000 employees and 30 companies, managed directly and indirectly by the Luigi Lavazza Spa parent company, which distribute and market our products and coffee machines. In addition to Lavazza, the following brands are also part of our Group: Carte Noire, Merrild, Kicking Horse, Eraclea and Whittington tea.

Joining Lavazza means doing business with passion, knowing that the impact of our work goes beyond the quality of the production chain. We are a big family and are constantly looking for new talents who share our values and can enrich our team. We combine competitiveness with social and environmental responsibility as we create superior quality products available for consumption both at home and out of home, and distributed through all channels: Retail, Foodservice, Office Coffee Service (OCS), and Vending. Our strong, diversified presence enables us to offer consumers and clients perfectly suited solutions, for any occasion and time of day.

Job Overview

The Customer Development Manager – Retail (East) supports Lavazza's Retail business across key customers in the Eastern United States. This role sits at the intersection of Category Management, Sales, Revenue Growth Management, and Marketing, helping turn consumer and customer insights into actions that drive distribution, assortment, promotional effectiveness, and profitable growth.

The ideal candidate is an early-career commercial professional who enjoys working with data, uncovering insights, building compelling customer stories, and collaborating across functions to execute business plans. This position is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to accelerate their career in Customer Development, Category Management, Sales Strategy, or Retail Marketing within a leading global coffee company.

Location: New York City, NY

Work model: Hybrid, in-office 3 days / week

Job Responsibilities

Customer & Retail Support

• Support the development and execution of customer business plans for assigned Retail East accounts.
• Assist in preparing customer presentations, line reviews, category reviews, and annual planning meetings.
• Track customer performance and help identify risks and growth opportunities.

Category & Business Analytics

• Analyze sales, syndicated, customer, and market data to identify trends, opportunities, and performance gaps.
• Develop actionable recommendations related to assortment, pricing, promotion, shelving, and merchandising.
• Maintain recurring reporting and scorecards to support business reviews and customer planning.
• Translate data into concise selling stories and customer-ready insights.

Promotional & Commercial Execution

• Support planning and execution of promotional events, seasonal programs, and product launches.
• Coordinate with Marketing and Revenue Growth Management teams to ensure alignment on key initiatives.
• Monitor promotional performance and provide recommendations to improve results and return on investment.
• Ensure customer calendars, promotional timelines, and launch events are executed on schedule.

Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Economics, Analytics, or a related field.
• 2-3 years of professional experience in Category Management, Sales Analytics, Trade Marketing, Customer Marketing, Revenue Management, Business Analytics, Shopper Marketing, or related commercial functions.
• Internship or early career experience supporting sales, marketing, category management, or brand teams.
• Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG), Food & Beverage, Coffee, Grocery, Retail, or Consumer Goods experience a plus.
• Experience working with syndicated data platforms such as Circana (IRI), NielsenIQ, or retailer-specific reporting tools.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and develop actionable insights.

Benefits & Perks

• Competitive Medical, Vision, Dental Benefits
• 401K Package
• Employee Assistance Program
• Hybrid Work Schedule
• Ability to be barista certified
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Performance Development Plans
• Employee Discounts
• Summer Friday’s (Memorial Day Weekend – Labor Day Weekend)
• Flexible business casual dress code - jean friendly!
• Free coffee, anytime!
  

Lavazza is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Lavazza prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.