Brand Manager/ Category Business Unit

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
• 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 position)
• 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, 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%