Job Opportunities
SPINS, Inc. is the leading provider of industry reporting and consulting services to the rapidly growing natural products industry. We offer a range of retail sales tracking and consumer information services used by current participants in the natural and organic products industry as well as companies seeking new opportunities in this expanding market. SPINS is committed to supporting the growing movement toward healthy and natural alternatives by providing the reliable marketing information needed to make sound business decisions.
Currently, SPINS is hiring for the following positions:
Software Developer
Technical Sales Product Manager
On-Site Business Consultant, Mrs. Green's
SPINS is always looking for talented, passionate people to join our team. Please check back often for new openings and opportunities, or send your resume with a brief cover letter for our files to jobs3@spins.com.
Software Developer
SPINS is seeking a Software Developer in our Schaumburg, IL office. The Software Developer will primarily be responsible for developing processes that will extract and deliver retailer Point of Sale (POS) data to SPINS. The Developer will also be involved in supporting other in-house applications.
Position Description
- Analyzes requirements, designs systems, and develops applications that satisfy functional and non-functional requirements.
- Develop an understanding of data elements related to a sale transaction stored by various POS systems.
- Analyze options available to extract data from POS systems and develop, or work with POS solution providers to develop, procedures that extract data from POS and backend systems.
- Write scripts to reformat data received from retailers to the SPINS required format when necessary.
- Conduct problem diagnosis and resolution to deal with data quality problems
- Develop and document methodology to automate extraction of data, transfer and deliver extracts to SPINS facilities.
- Occasional travel to a retailer site, or a POS solution provider facility is required.
- Assist with other in-house software development projects, enhancing functionality and adding new features to existing applications
- Uses and continuously improves a software development methodology that is consistent with industry best practices.
Requirements/Qualifications
- A Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Management Information Systems and experience (typically 2-4 years) in application software development. An equivalent combination of education and related experience may also serve to meet these minimum requirements.
- Windows operating system and Microsoft SQL-Server with 2+ years of experience required.
- Experience with ETL on SQL-Server required.
- Scripting in Windows using languages like VBScript, Visual Basic & Perl desired.
- Linux operating system and scripting experience with Perl, and shell scripting desired.
- Experience with in-store retail applications preferred.
- Experience with large scale databases with solid SQL query design, coding, and optimization.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
Technical Sales Product Manager
The Technical Sales Product Manager is a critical management position requiring a strategic and seasoned IT and sales professional to lead SPINS in one of its key growth engines, Technology Applications. SPINS seeks an energetic, proactive business professional with strong technical skills and business acumen for understanding how clients need to utilize information & insights to solve for their business objectives across sales, marketing, strategy, R&D, and other business functions, and the subsequent design and implementation of effective data management solutions to meet these objectives.
The ideal candidate will be skilled in both actively leading client discussion and communication relative to technology solutions as well as internally interpreting client’s needs for rapid implementation.
Position Description
- Acting as the ‘technical sales product manager’ for client facing technology solutions such as data marts, standard report portal, ad hoc reporting tool, and other solutions as developed.
- Meeting in person or via phone with clients to understand their business environment and needs in order to provide reporting and insights through the use and/or integration of multiple data sources.
- Preparing client proposals that integrate company capabilities across the organization including database development, operations, report development and consulting.
- Make recommendations to SPINS’ development relative to overall SPINS technology solutions on how to best meet the needs of clients and the marketplace.
- Work with internal team to design all marketing and communication materials regarding technology solutions. Responsible for content of these communications.
- Work closely with clients to assess business needs and processes and translate them into requirements for data and service offering. This assessment is will be used for a specific client’s business needs and support as well as overall planning for effective marketplace offerings for standard tools.
- Be the focal point for feedback on SPINS technology solutions from manufacturers, retailers, and strategic partners. This could be solicited and unsolicited feedback and includes determining what actions should be taken upon that feedback.
- Stay current on services and competitive offerings in the marketplace.
- Gain deeper understanding of the constraints and functionality available through SPINS technology in order to work within the constraints and maximize our use of available functionality.
- Coordinate new report specification priorities and activities for each project and within each technology solution. I.e. determining what we need next on the portal, and who is capable of designing the specifications, then working as a liaison with IT department to ensure that the specs are created.
- Working with finance, sales and IT/Ops on proposal development, order processes and setup procedures, and implementation of contracted SPINS Technology solutions.
- Demonstrate collaborative relationships with both colleagues and clients while also leveraging strong strategic and tactical business planning skills to achieve budgeted results.
Requirements/Qualifications
A Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or Management Information Systems with a graduate degree preferred in Business or Information Services Management with 7 or more years’ experience in the Software or CPG industry.
- Ability to travel as needed up to 60% of time.
- Strong proven track record in identification of project needs and full development and implementation of projects.
- Ability to write comprehensive product development requirements based on direct customer interaction.
- Excellent problem solving skills, project management and ability to present information and solutions.
- Must be able to communicate and educate effectively with a wide range of users
- Ability to build strong relationships within all levels of an organization.
- CPG and/or food retail industry experience preferred with direct experience in retail and/or a consumer packaged goods analytical and data management environment.
- Advanced user level with Microsoft Office with heavy emphasis on MS Excel and MS Access.
Specific technologies:
- Data Integration and Management Applications
- Reporting Tool experience
- Web-based Information Portal experience
- Interfacing MS Excel with external data sources
- Web Focus Portal experience a plus
- IBM DB2 Experience a plus
On-Site Business Consultant, Mrs. Green's
We are currently seeking a part time consultant as our on-site Mrs. Greens Business Consultant in Scarsdale, NY. This position requires exceptional interpersonal skills, an entrepreneurial spirit, an analytical and technical aptitude and a willingness to help build and shape the development of SPINS, Inc. products and services:
Leadership:
Provide thorough leadership and value-added support to client’s business by utilizing SPINS products and services.
- Manage selected selling activities at client to meet sales and profit targets.
- Utilize full suite of SPINS and technology partner products/services to meet the business needs of client.
- Provide subject matter expertise in support of strategic client business issues (e.g. Category Management, Assortment Management and Shelf Management).
- Apply SPINS analytic products and services to business issues.
- Act as a CPG industry consultant and thought leader to management associates within the client’s organization while also building strong relationships and demonstrating measurable ROI for SPINS products and services.
- Manage (as applicable) associate performance and training plans to ensure team members ability to deliver against the client plans. Act as a coach and mentor, conducting performance reviews and providing adequate feedback.
- Develop, monitor and facilitate negotiation of SPINS contracts with client.
Business Insight
Provide valuable insight/support to the client in their strategic initiatives as defined by mutual objective setting with the client.
- Make analytical presentations to client groups and members and also conduct training with new client associates regarding SPINS products and services.
- Manage and oversee successful execution of database management functions including refreshes, restatements, data inquiries and routine/repetitive reporting.
- Provide client support with routine and custom category analytics and provide fact-based recommendations.
- Complete objective setting plans for areas of responsibility and attend client planning meetings.
- Identify additional selling opportunities within assigned area of responsibility to include other SPINS products/services.
- Build and maintain ongoing relationships with respective client partners by providing objective, fact-based, business insight and support in the development of category business plans and routine category management activities.
- Review SPINS and Natural Channel industry studies with client to insure they are aware of industry trends, initiatives, and innovation.
Requirements/Qualifications
A Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with two or more years’ experience with a natural products distributor, broker, retailer or manufacturer, or with an information supplier/market research firm serving the CPG/grocery industry
- Advanced user level in MS Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook
- Proficient in Category management and Syndicated Data (scanner and panel) analysis using SPINS, ACNielsen, IRI or similar data
- Strong analytical skills, interpreting data, market research ability
- Excellent problem solving skills, project management, and ability to present information and solutions
- Must be able to think critically and communicate effectively with a wide range of users
- Ability to build strong relationships within all levels of an organization
- Ability to train and educate others with outstanding writing and presentation skills
How to Apply
Send resume with e-mail cover letter of 200 words or less to jobs3@spins.com.
No calls please.
SPINS Employment Policy
SPINS is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, marital status, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, military or veteran status, mental and physical disabilities, or medical conditions of an applicant. No application will be rejected as a result of a disability that, with reasonable accommodation, does not prevent performance of the essential job duties.