VP Strategic Pricing - Remote (Continental US or Canada) - Advantage Solutions

VP Strategic Pricing

Advantage Solutions is a leading provider of outsourced solutions to consumer goods companies and retailers. Advantage has a strong platform of competitively advantaged business development and marketing services built over multiple decades – essential, business critical services like headquarter business development, retail merchandising, in-store sampling, digital commerce and shopper marketing. For brands and retailers of all sizes, Advantage helps get the right products on the shelf (whether physical or digital) and into the hands of consumers (however they shop). Advantage uses a scaled platform to innovate as a trusted partner with our clients, solving problems to increase their efficiency and effectiveness. Advantage had $4B+ in revenue in 2023 and operates across more than 100 offices, in the United States and internationally. The company is organized into three business segments: Branded Services, Retail Services and Experiential Services.

Revenue Growth Management Team Overview:

Advantage Solutions is growing its Revenue Growth Management (RGM) team responsible for maximizing its revenue potential. The team is responsible for analyzing data, understanding market dynamics, and utilizing various pricing and promotional strategies to enhance revenue and profitability.  The team sets, maintains, and monitors prices across Advantage Solutions.  The team is led by the Senior Vice President of Revenue Growth Management who reports directly into the Chief Financial Officer.

Title: Vice President, Strategic Pricing, Retail & Experiential Services

Location: Remote – Continental US or Canada

Position Summary:

The Vice President of Strategic Pricing will be responsible for price strategy and execution for Retail & Experiential Services. The position will report into the Senior Vice President of Revenue Growth Management (RGM).  In this leadership role, the individual will help build and lead a high performing pricing team and work closely with the Chief Operating Officers of the business segments and their direct reports to ensure pricing strategies are aligned with broader business goals and high-value and complex deals are priced appropriately.

Key Responsibilities:

Price Strategy

• Establish clear pricing strategies, price positioning, pricing architecture, and appropriate discounting policies as informed by business objectives
• Continuously assess and refine pricing processes, governance, and strategies based on market conditions, customer feedback, competitive landscape, and company objectives
• Determine KPIs to track & measure progress against strategic pricing and profitability goals
• Communicate pricing strategies, price performance and price changes effectively to all relevant stakeholders, including senior leadership, sales, business development, and external partners
• Ensure that pricing models and strategies are integrated into new offerings and business development activities that take Strategic Value into consideration
• Drive a profitability mindset across Retail & Experiential Services through service line Mix Management

Price Setting

• Standardize pricing architecture and set standard list prices in collaboration with business teams based on value assessments, costs to serve, customer research and competitor pricing
• Lead discussions with internal client teams to optimize price based on value provided to the client
• Create pricing guidelines for payment terms, minimum margins, annual inflators, and rules for discounting
• Evaluate the financial implications of price setting decisions against broader business goals
• Inform the development and refinement of technical tools, such as a price configurator tool, to facilitate efficient and accurate quote development

Price Getting

• Manage and obtain business segment buy-in for a tiered pricing approval process with clear thresholds for escalation, serving as the lead decision maker for priority escalations
• Partner with Retail & Experiential Services business development representatives to align pricing with business objectives, and support deal teams in formulating profitable pricing structures for specific customer scenarios
• Evaluate the financial implications of price getting decisions against broader business goals
• Oversee rollout of price changes and ensure compliance across various channels and customer archetypes
• Perform risk assessments for pricing actions to understand and mitigate potential business impacts

Leadership and Change Management

• Lead the hiring, integration, and coaching of the Retail & Experiential Services pricing teams; make the strategic pricing team an attractive place for external and internal talent
• Direct presentations on pricing strategies to executive leadership, providing key internal stakeholders with relevant pricing information
• Contribute to the creation of pricing, sales, and business development playbooks for commercial teams
• Inform sales incentive strategies and plans, recommending adjustments to align incentives with overarching profitability goals, fostering synergy between sales & business development efforts and pricing strategies

Internal and External Relationships:

• Work closely with the Senior Vice President of Revenue Growth Management to develop and execute on pricing strategies to achieve company’s business objectives
• Collaborate with the Chief Operating Officers of the Retailer & Experiential Services business segments and their teams to ensure pricing strategies align with the company’s and business segments’ strategic and financial objectives
• Foster an effective relationship with the Finance department, in particular the Finance Business Partners for Retail & Experiential Services and the CFO, ensuring pricing strategies support the company’s strategic and financial objectives
• Partner with various other stakeholders including the RGM Analytics, Tools and Enablement team, sales, business development, and operations teams

Required Experience and Qualifications:

• 10+ years in Strategic Pricing or Revenue Management experience
• Dedicated pricing responsibilities working in/with Finance, revenue management, or business development teams
• Experience with pricing in services businesses and in the CPG and retail space is preferred, but not required
• Proven leadership skills to build, manage, and inspire a highly strategic and capable pricing team
• Experience managing pricing processes with cross-functional partners
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work across cross-functional teams and influence senior leadership
• Exceptional analytical skills to conduct value and market assessments and set pricing strategies
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related field; advanced degree (MBA) preferred

Job Will Remain Open Until Filled

The Company is one of North America’s leading sales and marketing agencies specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management, and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers, and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods. The Company services a variety of trade channels including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics, and home centers. We bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, providing consumers access to the best products available in the marketplace today.

Key Responsibilities:
Price Strategy
• Establish clear pricing strategies, price positioning, pricing architecture, and appropriate discounting policies as informed by business objectives
• Continuously assess and refine pricing processes, governance, and strategies based on market conditions, customer feedback, competitive landscape, and company objectives
• Determine KPIs to track & measure progress against strategic pricing and profitability goals
• Communicate pricing strategies, price performance and price changes effectively to all relevant stakeholders, including senior leadership, sales, business development, and external partners
• Ensure that pricing models and strategies are integrated into new offerings and business development activities that take Strategic Value into consideration
• Drive a profitability mindset across Branded Services through service line Mix Management
Price Setting
• Standardize pricing architecture and set standard list prices in collaboration with business teams based on value assessments, costs to serve, customer research and competitor pricing
• Lead discussions with internal client teams to optimize price based on value provided to the client
• Create pricing guidelines for payment terms, minimum margins, annual inflators, and rules for discounting
• Evaluate the financial implications of price setting decisions against broader business goals
• Inform the development and refinement of technical tools, such as a price configurator tool, to facilitate efficient and accurate quote development
Price Getting
• Manage and obtain business segment buy-in for a tiered pricing approval process with clear thresholds for escalation, serving as the lead decision maker for priority escalations
• Partner with Branded Services business segment deal desk and business development representatives to align pricing with business objectives, and support deal teams in formulating profitable pricing structures for specific customer scenarios
• Evaluate the financial implications of price getting decisions against broader business goals
• Oversee rollout of price changes and ensure compliance across various channels and customer archetypes
• Perform risk assessments for pricing actions to understand and mitigate potential business impacts
Leadership and Change Management
• Lead the hiring, integration, and coaching of the Branded Services pricing team; make the strategic pricing team an attractive place for external and internal talent
• Direct presentations on pricing strategies to executive leadership, providing key internal stakeholders with relevant pricing information
• Contribute to the creation of pricing, sales, and business development playbooks for commercial teams
• Inform sales incentive strategies and plans, recommending adjustments to align incentives with overarching profitability goals, fostering synergy between sales & business development efforts and pricing strategies

Internal and External Relationships:
• Work closely with the Senior Vice President of Revenue Growth Management to develop and execute on pricing strategies to achieve company’s business objectives
• Collaborate with the Chief Operating Officer of the Branded Services business segment and its team to ensure pricing strategies align with the company’s and business segment’s strategic and financial objectives
• Foster an effective relationship with the Finance department, in particular the Finance Business Partner for Branded Services and the CFO, ensuring pricing strategies support the company’s strategic and financial objectives
• Partner with various other stakeholders including the RGM Analytics, Tools and Enablement team, sales, business development, and operations teams

Required Experience and Qualifications:
• 10+ years in Strategic Pricing or Revenue Management experience
• Dedicated pricing responsibilities working in/with Finance, revenue management, or business development teams
• Experience with pricing in services businesses and in the CPG and retail space is preferred, but not required
• Proven leadership skills to build, manage, and inspire a highly strategic and capable pricing team
• Experience managing pricing processes with cross-functional partners
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work across cross-functional teams and influence senior leadership
• Exceptional analytical skills to conduct value and market assessments and set pricing strategies
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Economics, or related field; advanced degree (MBA) preferred

Additional Information Regarding Advantage Solutions Job Duties and Job Descriptions
Job duties include additional responsibilities as assigned by one’s supervisor or other manager related to the position/department. This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required for the position.

The Company reserves the right at any time with or without notice to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job positions, or assign additional job responsibilities, subject to applicable law. The Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable a qualified applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of associates so classified.

The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment practices without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental disability, or any other category protected by law. As part of this commitment, the Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable an applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.