Market Strategy & Deployment Director

Job Description

The MS&D Director will be the key driver for deploying our brand strategy across the EMEA region. Reporting to the Managing Director EMEA, the MS&D Director will be a key member of the EMEA leadership team, co-creating the overall business strategy for the region by leading demand creation and pursuing business opportunities (e.g., providing insights on emerging trends in the industry as they relate to the category and to marketing strategies and tactics).

The four main areas of the role’s responsibility are: Customer and Brand experience (Shopper and Trade marketing), Advocacy, Category and Portfolio Management, and Digital Marketing (focus on communities and influencers).

What are we looking for?

• 10+ years’ leadership experience, with full responsibility for Marketing at a large or medium sized, international, brand-centric organization in the pet food, food, packaged goods or pharmaceutical industry.
• Experienced in working across a diverse set of markets and within direct and indirect routes to market.
• A track record of success in devising strategies and implementing tactics to drive results.
• Experience driving an R&D/innovation agenda and building an efficient and effective portfolio strategy.
• Solid understanding of market research and data analysis methods and experience in building strong in-house capabilities.
• Demonstrated ability to build, manage and mentor high-performance Marketing teams.
• Outstanding listening, communication and presentation skills.
• The passion and commitment to fit with the company’s collaboration and relationship centered corporate culture and leadership team.
• Continual learner, keeping abreast of the latest developments in branding and marketing, and familiar with the use of new technologies in the field.
• Outgoing, independent and confident, with a practical, hands-on approach to management and problem solving, and a strong orientation toward collaboration.
• High energy with a drive to succeed; ability to thrive in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment and ability to remain calm and objective while moving the organization towards its vision.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Develop, lead, and manage Champion’s MS&D strategy and efforts.
• Contribute to the development and execution of the global Champion brand strategy ensuring a meaningful representation of EMEA’s specific context and needs.
• Develop the long-term strategic marketing plan and craft go-to-market, direct and digital marketing tactics.
• Build overarching portfolio strategy, leveraging sales and customer feedback, financial analysis, and market research and insight.
• Partner closely with global marketing and R&I to drive innovative and compelling new product development that incorporates emerging trends and pet and pet owner needs, constantly bringing in the EMEA standpoint and specific needs.
• Build new product launch plans in partnership with sales to ensure continued growth and category expansion.
• Create differentiating strategies that leverage industry best practices, customer interactions and insights to drive deeper customer relationships and maximize efficacy, efficiency and profitability.
• Set and monitor market strategy, tactics and plans via reliable and ongoing KPIs (sales, profit, market share, equity, net promoter score).
• Utilize quantitative and qualitative research to better understand customer/pet lovers needs and extend that knowledge into targeting and messaging.
• Build market analysis and customer segmentation capabilities to understand customer value and needs and inform investment strategies and planning.
• Ensure that within the complexity of the EMEA region strategies and tactics are as standardized as possible and as customized to individual markets as needed to maximize resource efficiency and consistency.
• Increase marketing efficiency by building strong capabilities with our distribution partners and customers as needed especially in the digital space.
• Develop a framework to measure marketing effectiveness and design testing strategies.
• Drive automation to maximize speed and efficiency.
• Work with external stakeholders to increase not only awareness for our brands but for our company overall.
• Build, actively develop and lead a strong team and support them in their long-term career planning.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.