General Manager Marketing

Job Description : GM MARKETING NIGERIA 10+ years experience GM- Marketing - Nigeria Sweets & Snacks Purpose of Job - Help provide the strategic direction for a portfolio of brands under Sweets category in Nigeria. - Responsible for Brand Building for Snacks (non-biscuit) in Nigeria. - Development of the Category Strategy (for Sweets category in Nigeria) and Annual Brand Plans (for portfolio of brands under the Sweets as well as Snacks category in Nigeria) encompassing the whole mix and ensure that this is fully implemented to time and budget. - Drive volumes, market share, relative price index and net contribution for the both the categories (Sweets & Snacks) in Nigeria. Principle Duties - Development of the - strategic vision- for each brand, the Brand Architecture, the Brand Lighthouse (incl. it's positioning) and its place in the company's portfolio for the Nigeria Sweets category. - To lead development of the Category Strategy including the Marketing Strategy for Nigeria Sweets & support the Marketing Head Snacks in developing the same for Nigeria. To develop and Implement Brand Plans (including the Investment Mix) for both the categories. - Develop deep, actionable consumer understanding & insights on category, brand(s), competition, usage and attitudes and purchase behaviour for both the categories in Nigeria. - Lead development of - the big idea-, - advertising-, - activation plans- and PR as applicable for the portfolio of the brands for both the categories in Nigeria - Implementation for both the categories in Nigeria: - Media Planning & Implementation (as applicable). - Consumer activations - Planning & Implementation. - PR Plan. - Provide Inputs into developing Trade Marketing plans with Sales/ Trade Marketing (Trade Promotion & Activation) for both the categories in Nigeria - Manage the development of design and pack changes for both the categories in Nigeria. - NPD - Rhythm Chart planning and development of new products in time through the - Stage-Gate- methodology. - The management of A&P (Advertising & Promotion) spends for both the categories in Nigeria. Regular evaluation of A&P activity. - Commissioning, execution and facilitating the presentation of findings of market research in collaboration with the CMI team. - Management of a team of Brand Managers. - Selection, Evaluation & Management of Best in Class Ad Agencies, Design Agencies, Media Agencies, Activation Agencies & MR Agencies. Skills & Competencies - Knowledge of basic marketing principles and processes - Agency Processes: Ad agency, Digital Agency, Design Agencies, Media agency, Research agencies, BTL agencies etc. - Selection of agencies. - Briefing the agencies with well thought of creative briefs, media briefs, research briefs and activation briefs as the case may be. - Ability to objectively develop & judge advertisements, designs, media plans, research proposals, discussion guides and questionnaires. - Media Plans: Plan, Innovate, Implement, Control, Evaluate. - Consumer & Trade Activation: Plan, Innovate, Implement, Control, Evaluate. - Manage the above mentioned agencies to get the maximum effectiveness. - Understand the cost structure for ad agency, media, research - Ability to develop strong Consumer Understanding through immersions and formal Market Research: - Understanding consumers existing and future needs. - Understanding consumers, their attitudes & behaviour in general and to the brand and the category. - Understand purchase behaviour. - Finding and analysing consumer need gaps. _ Understanding of and ability to implement formal Consumer Research - Qual & Quant. - Brand Tracks - U&A - Product Tests - Concept Tests - Concept Product Tests - Ad Testing - Brand Equity and Varianting Study - Ethnographical methods - Understanding of how Media works in the market and development & implementation of the media plans. Should have working knowledge & understanding of both mainstream media (TV, Radio, Outdoor) and emerging media (SMM, Internet advertising, Mobile advertising). - Understanding of how PR works in the market and development & implementation of relevant strategies. Strategic Thinking: - Developing a future vision. - Conversion of business goals to marketing plans. - Conversion of consumer insights into marketing ideas. - Brand Equity Development & Management: - Developing Brand Lighthouses based on consumer understanding. - Ability to rigorously maintain brand identity in all branding activities. - Ability to conceptualise & develop the Brand Architecture. - Ability to develop a portfolio strategy for the business. - Put together the Category Strategy with cross-functional inputs and over a longer horizon. - Put together Brand Plans that synthesises big-picture and detail. - Lead development of activity plans. - Ability to configure well thought of and innovative BTL activations. - Day to Day management of advertising & media, Research and Consumer BTL. - Understands business situation and sees clearly what is to be done and how to do it. - Knowledge of the Stage-Gate NPD process - Ability to champion a new product idea through stages and gates. - Analytical skills - Identification of opportunities and issues - Ability to develop hypothesis for each issue and come up with alternative ideas. - Analysing sales, media and research data. - Use of data to create detailed, fact based and logical arguments. - Present Analysis and Conclusions in a clear, structured manner. - Understand Brand Performance from P&L. - Ability to understand brand and market dynamics: - Understanding and tracking of brand vs. competition (including strategies, gathering intelligence, activities etc.) - Understanding Trade & Trade structure. - People skills - Develop a strategic contact matrix - internal and external to ensure that brand plans are achieved. - Communication skills - Ability to interact vertically and laterally - discuss issues openly, confidently and with clarity to deliver solutions. - Persuade and influence at any level. - Ability to produce/ present business documents which have well laid out arguments. - Conveys ideas effectively. - Excellent presentation skills. - Planning & conducting negotiations. - Commercial understanding - In depth product understanding along with the revenue and cost drivers across the value chain that impacts the margin delivery - Identify Profitable and sub-optimal SKU's and plan marketing strategies accordingly (invest, exit decisions). - Manage A&P budgets (Plan, Track). - Review P&L monthly and take corrective actions. _ Coordinates a KPI review monthly. - Project management - Set objectives, time lines & responsibilities. - Ability to break projects to components and identify critical path. - Manage day to day communication to ensure projects are progressing on time and on budget. - Ensure that agreed procedures are followed in terms of processes quotations, estimates, proof of work with invoices etc. - A thorough understanding of lead time cycle for various activities. - Ability to issue well thought of briefs for NPDs & tracking deadlines. - Brings in a speed and urgency culture. - Product Knowledge: - Manufacturing Process - USPs vs competition, if any - Teamwork: - Has good working relationship with superiors, peers and subordinates and external customers and is well acceptable to them. - Supports other team members (the wider country team) depending on the need. - Has a thorough understanding of how marketing impacts other groups in the company. - Maintains two way communications with internal and external teams. - Personal - Ability to prioritise tasks - differentiate between urgent & important. - Ability to review & change priorities as new tasks achieve. - Allots times for - thinking-, - planning- and implementation. - Ability to do fieldwork to check plan implementations. - Ability to achieve objectives within deadlines. - Exhibits initiative in handling different assignments rather than waiting for instructions, seeks out opportunities and solutions to problems for continuous improvement, is self motivated and can take stretch goals. - Sees uncertainties as an opportunity and not as a problem. - Recommends and accepts ideas and builds upon them. Creates new and unique approaches by rethinking or reconceptualising so as to resolve problems. Has high degree of curiosity. Leadership: - Seeks out and leads change, challenges the norms/ status quo. - Instils belief and passion among sales, finance & supply chain (including manufacturing) to enthuse, motivate and inspire higher levels of performance on the portfolio. - Is able to create and drive initiatives independently Reporting to: Marketing Head - Nigeria Biscuits & Sweets (Primary)

---