JEN WITHERDEN
Auckland,Mt Wellington
Summary
An ambitious, decisive and driven professional who thrives in dynamic and results-driven environments; is experienced working with diverse categories and juggling competing priorities and projects; is strong in influencing cross-functional stakeholders to form specific strategies that best align with customer needs; vast experience with managing sales teams.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Grocery Lead
Red Bull New Zealand
01.2026 - Current
- Strategic Leadership - Developed and led the Grocery channel strategy and translating it into clear customer plans
- Led key account manager and aligned field, category, trade marketing, finance, and supply chain with grocery priorities.
- Drove commercial objectives through pricing, promotions, and investment.
- Built strong relationships and negotiated positive outcomes in ranging, space, displays, chilled space, and commercial terms.
- Executed strategy and customer agreements for effective in-store execution across range, distribution, visibility, and activation.
- Use category and shopper insights to identify opportunities and develop initiatives that drive category growth
- Sales currently + 12%
- CPT - led successful commercial outcomes for Red bull
- COR review - led and negotiated positive ranging and space outcomes for the review
Grocery Lead
Unilever
07.2025 - 10.2025
- 4 Direct reports (Customer Manager WW Homecare & Customer Manager Foodstuffs Homecare, Customer Manager WW Nutrition & Customer Manager Foodstuffs Nutrition) overall 5 reports in the wider team
- Leading the strategy for homecare and nutrition for Foodstuffs and Woolworths
- Contributed to leadership team discussions
- Lead the induction of new members into the team
- Owned grocery in-store partnership with retail field team to enhance collaboration
- Negotiated successful homecare price increase, improving profitability
- Led CPT negotiations for nutrition with Foodstuffs nationally, achieving favorable terms
- Successfully negotiated positive ranging outcome
Customer Development Team Leader
Colgate Palmolive
05.2023 - 07.2025
- Key member of the NZ Leadership team
- Created and executed the strategy for both channels.
- Developed emerging market strategy for NZ market, achieving significant growth
- Developed and implemented sales plans that achieved budget year on year
- Trading terms negotiations and creation with the legal team
- Established new process for range reviews, resulting in successful outcomes
- - Grew net sales +20%
- - Led the category review process for 6 categories in all customers
- - Key relationships with customers to deliver joint business planning
- - Connected team delivering outstanding results
- - Led people agenda initiatives to enhance team engagement and development
- - Driving process improvement to deliver results
Business Manager - Foodstuffs National
SC Johnson & Son Ltd
AKL
03.2022 - 05.2023
- 1 Managed direct reports as account executive
- Identified growth opportunities and created actionable plans to achieve results
- Active contribution to NZ strategy (Annual budgeting)
- Developed and implemented sales plans that met account sales budgets
- Successful launch of NPD into the NZ market
- Business analysis conducted and recommendations provided to maximise SCJ profits
- Worked with the field team to deliver execution excellence
- Commercial model overview FSNI - presentation, financials and implementation
- National management of key stakeholders in North and South island
- Managed third-party merchandising for FSSI
- - Increased net sales by 5% through strategic initiatives
- - Created model for CPT negotiations
- - Implemented new ways of working with the field team to drive sales
Business Manager - Grocery
British American Tobacco
Auckland
05.2016 - 01.2020
- British American Tobacco - In order to maintain sales and distribution in a dark market the key focus was on; category management(share of range); two year term agreements at HO level to ensure optimal business outcomes; key stakeholder engagement at a Merchandise and GM level
- Achieved 102% full year target
- Achieved NSV of +2% vs target
- Drove 2% share growth through focused category management and strategic initiatives
- Achieved top supplier result in FSSI (Coalface)
- 100% distribution of all NPD
- Shaped monthly field cycle activities to enhance execution and achieve targeted results
- Key member of the marketing leadership team
- Mentored various high potential talent
- Launched new category (vaping) into the Grocery channel - working closely with key stakeholders to formulate the strategy, presenting to the Exec and executing to realize the fastest growing category in the market
Account Manager - FSNI Chilled & Frozen; Quick Serve Meals
Heinz - Watties
Auckland
09.2015 - 05.2016
- Achieved NSV of 100% vs target
- Achieved +0.2% share growth in the dip category
- Launched key NPD with retailer, enhancing product assortment and driving sales potential
- Managed trade spend within internal plan, ensuring alignment with budgetary goals
- Leveraged customer marketing investment to achieve annual plan targets and maximize ROI
- Reduced balance of trade spend claims in line with target
- Executed tactical initiatives in the field to enhance operations
National Sales Manager - Grocery; Route; Independents
British American Tobacco
Auckland
12.2013 - 09.2015
- Managed a team of 9 direct reports, including 5 area managers, 3 specialist representatives, and 1 field administrator.
- Held total responsibility for managing 32 field reports across various territories.
- Achieved volume, share and profit targets.
- Maximized productivity and execution quality through targeted development and training initiatives.
- Led efforts to position team as number 1 supplier in respective territories.
- Reshaped expectations and delivery.
- Restructured field team to align with new merchandising model, enhancing operational effectiveness.
- Leveraged key decision-maker contacts to drive consistent revenue growth
- Recruitment focus to ensure key talent identified for future head office roles
Convenience Independent and Customer Relationship Manager Executive
British American Tobacco
Auckland
02.2013 - 12.2013
Area Sales Manager
British American Tobacco
Auckland
10.2011 - 02.2013
National Business Development Manager
Fonterra Brands
Auckland
10.2009 - 10.2011
Territory Sales Manager
Fonterra Brands NZ
Auckland
07.2006 - 10.2009
Education
Degree - Marketing Management
Damelin College
Durban, KZN, South AfricaSkills
- Coaching & Mentoring;Team building & Leadership;Strategic planning; Forecasting&Budgeting;Analytics;Shopper insights;Category Strategy;Commercial Negotiations
- Trade negotiations
- Category strategy
- Range reviews
- Retail execution
Timeline
Grocery Lead
Red Bull New Zealand
01.2026 - Current
Grocery Lead
Unilever
07.2025 - 10.2025
Customer Development Team Leader
Colgate Palmolive
05.2023 - 07.2025
Business Manager - Foodstuffs National
SC Johnson & Son Ltd
03.2022 - 05.2023
Business Manager - Grocery
British American Tobacco
05.2016 - 01.2020
Account Manager - FSNI Chilled & Frozen; Quick Serve Meals
Heinz - Watties
09.2015 - 05.2016
National Sales Manager - Grocery; Route; Independents
British American Tobacco
12.2013 - 09.2015
Convenience Independent and Customer Relationship Manager Executive
British American Tobacco
02.2013 - 12.2013
Area Sales Manager
British American Tobacco
10.2011 - 02.2013
National Business Development Manager
Fonterra Brands
10.2009 - 10.2011
Territory Sales Manager
Fonterra Brands NZ
07.2006 - 10.2009
Degree - Marketing Management
Damelin College