Job Description:

Segment: Royal Canin

Location: Johannesburg, Gauteng

Everything we do is driven by our passion for the health and wellbeing of every cat and dog. You can now join us at Royal Canin on this mission. Our deep understanding of cats and dogs needs makes it possible for us to design the world's most precise pet health nutrition. We never stop learning and never take anything for granted. That’s why we collaborate with leading scientific, veterinary and behavioral experts, breeders and other pet professionals and maintain an ongoing dialogue with cat and dog owners worldwide.

Purpose:

The Trade Marketing Manager is responsible for the development & execution of trade marketing activities for the total Royal Canin business across pillars and focuses on sales acceleration and customer development in South Africa. The role will contribute to the deployment of specialized trade activities and various projects that will support the development of the brand, customer and market. This role assures executing customer activations for a specific channel/customer which brings all Royal Canin brands to life instore, drives optimal physical availability, engages the shopper and drives conversion. Working closely with marketing and sales, this role is accountable for bringing the brand strategy to life at POP in store through excellence in execution and ensuring channel and activation plans are based on consumer, shopper & customer insights to ensure Royal Canin becomes #1 visible Health Brand in store.

What are we looking for?
• Bachelor of Commerce or relevant Business-related
• 5 years of trade / customer marketing experience essential
• Strong customer and marketing experience that includes selling, negotiating, and leveraging insights and proven ability to understand and translate brand strategies into engaging customer strategies that are mutually beneficial for company and customer.
• Business acumen with a good understanding and application of the sales cycle, innovation processes and broader business implications to making judgments and recommendations for action. Having worked with Key Accounts with JBP.
• Proven and strong project management capabilities and ability to execute with excellence
• Proven ability to build strong and influential relationships with key stakeholders in a cross functional environment.
• Able to respond and adapt to a fast moving, changing environment with a can do / solution-based
• Ability to travel nationally & internationally based on company requirements.
• Fluency in English is necessary.
• Rigorous, well organized, excellent time management
• Strong customer orientation.
• Ability to work independently with great team ethic

What will be your key responsibilities?

Strategy & Development
• · Lead the development of the trade marketing strategy to achieve business objectives across all product categories to become the #1 brand of recommendation in SA .
• Develop picture of success guidelines for Royal Canin and the Eukanuba portfolio.
• Launch & lead the development of Perfect store strategies to achieve instore category growth ambitions through deployment of Sales force execution tools , Set 2 sell audits of training and recommendation efforts as well as digital initiatives that will support the demand team instore .
• Centrally manage all trade marketing processes across brands and channels ensuring alignment with brand and channel plans aligned with Global and regional requirements.
• Leverage/identify key account and channel insights in the development and communication of trade strategy and activation plans.
• Develop and perfectly execute the Activity Plan which delivers the short- and long-term brand portfolio aspirations, drives optimal physical availability, engages the shopper, and drives conversion aligning to the local and global one demand strategies
• Ensure activity plans are aligned across Sales Teams and brought into the S&OP+ process where appropriate ensuring activity trade-offs are made where appropriate to meet wider business objectives.
• Responsible for execution of activities across the unit, from idea generation to execution, to ensuring post launch reviews are conduced and insights are used to continuously improve future plans.
• Drive effectiveness and efficiency of below the line spends to ensure optimal and mutual ROI for the retailer and Royal Canin and alignment to portfolio aspirations and sales choices and priorities.

Execution
• Deploy picture of success in key channels in line with global guidelines across all pillars.
• Deploy best in class tools to achieve consistent brand visibility and #1 visible brand in store.
• Develop and execute the ranging and planogram layouts for in trade execution guidelines, including NPD and new launches.
• Create and test innovative visibility driving initiatives to increase shopper conversion at POP.
• Deploy Sales programs and initiatives consistently across the pillars ie. Perfect Store · Tracking and analysing campaign performance metrics to optimize marketing efforts.

Category Management
• Lead the category leadership agenda through localizing the category vision by conducting market research and building shopper insights in conjunction with the demand team.
• Provide key insight and thought leadership within the Royal Canin business for the health & wellbeing category driver, including developing activation territories strategies and their implementation.
• Build and influence business understanding and capability of the category across innovation, range/portfolio, price & promotion, within health & wellbeing driver.
• Be the voice of the customer, category and shopper internally, inspiring and driving a category-first mindset and customer-centric culture.
• Responsible for leading and delivering category strategy story/category growth plan development internally.
• Partner with leading PSR customers as category captain/advisor by identifying category growth opportunities and developing category growth strategies accordingly.
• Develop shopper strategies on how to reach, convert, engage and educate target shoppers.
• Support field sales force with insights to aid in selling conversations.
• Connect & create a network with regional teams to share best practices and gain insights for quick wins. Inventory execution and management
• Manage and monitor inventory levels, processes, and procurement costs with preferred suppliers for all merchandising, promotional and POS material.
• Ensure stock inventory of required POS material is maintained to the required levels.

Budget Management
• Manage the trade marketing expenditure against budget and monitor and report on trade marketing investment initiatives.

What can you expect from Mars?
• Work with over 130,000 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.
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.