Our client, a food company specialized in the Horeca, foodservice, ice cream and pastry channels, is looking for a Brand Manager/ Category Business Unit who is responsible for leading a product category. The role includes planning the strategic direction for the assigned category as well as driving product lifecycle management, establishing pricing strategy, developing marketing plans, new product/platform roadmaps, financial management and overall responsibility for delivering business results. Scope of work driven by size, complexity and strategic role of the category.
KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES/OUTCOMES:
Leadership:
* Vision/Strategy: Develop and drive assigned category plans and execution to achieve market share, volume and profit targets (including responding to trends, portfolio mapping, innovation/renovation activity)
* Cross-functional team leadership on key initiative products and programs
Understands the Market:
* Understands the customer, competitor, consumer and our capabilities and other insights that will be leveraged to shape the category
* Performs competitive analysis, market quantification and assessment
* Leads Discovery work to generate new products and platforms within appropriate target segments
* VOCC drives for customer and consumer and translate into business opportunities
* Owns responsibility for understanding the market driving insights that will shape strategy and drive outcomes
Marketing Management:
* Manages the brand strategy and value proposition within the assigned category
* Responsible for planning and executing marketing plans for the assigned category to drive demand
* Plans and manages the associated budget
* Interfaces with external agency partners and customer marketing team and Demand Creation COE
* Accountable for ensuring content and data for assigned category is demand creation ready
* Collaborate with Demand Creation COE digital resources to drive demand
Product Management :
* Develop product life cycle and rationalization plan for category to optimize portfolio performance
* Product Development and Improvement: Execute innovation/renovation activity against plan
* Product/Segment Knowledge: Expert” on assigned category (understand operational capabilities, technical aspects, uses, customer positioning)
* Influences category demand plan, risks and opportunities and gap closing plans
* Provides support and solutions to the Product Supply Chain
* Owns pricing and trade guidelines for the category and maximizes our value proposition within the assigned category
Financial Management:
* Owns and manages the assigned category P&L
* Identifies issues and opportunities to maximize profitability
* Understands product cost structure (perform basic proformas)
* Develop and manage gaps and contingency plans as required
* Develop and manage marketing budget for assigned category
KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/EXPERIENCE:
* Bachelor’s degree in marketing or related field required (MBA preferred)
* Proven experience in B2B marketing within food, ingredients, food proteins sector or related companies that sell to the HORECA, foodservice, ice cream, pastry, or similar channels
* Fluent in English
* Demonstrated ability in strategic planning in a marketing role with proven success
* Solid financial skills to include P&L analysis and other analyses
* Solid communication skills to include verbal and written capabilities
* Demonstrated ability in collaboration
* Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize work
* Demonstrated leadership skills with cross functional resources through initiatives, projects and teams
* Proven track record of taking initiative and delivering results
* Solid software proficiency including Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint
* Ability to travel 10 to 25%