Brand Manager

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Lead and manage the company’s flagship brand- building profitability and growth through product line expansion, expanded distribution, improved promotion planning, and a superior understanding of the consumer. 

Responsibilities include the brand (the largest brand of its type in the world) and several smaller brands.

To provide strategic and tactical marketing direction to Brand via the following activities:

- Manage the mass marketing activities, programs, promotions and plans

- Develop and execute the annual marketing plans (consumer and trade advertising, creative, media plans, sales promotion activity, marketing research, public relations activity, product development, packaging changes, etc.)

- Identify and develop new products for new and existing brands and markets.

- Recommend and develop the programs to deliver the annual sales and profit goals.

- Manage the marketing plans within the approved budget levels.

- Direct the activities of the Brand Assistant

- Manage the strategic and tactical activities of the advertising agency and other outside suppliers.

- Coordinate all functional areas (Sales, Trade Marketing, Operations, Forecasting, Purchasing, Finance, Legal, Design Dept.) in the execution of the marketing plans.

Essential Duties:

- Develop the annual marketing plans for media, sales promotions, marketing research, new products, etc. prior to the beginning of each year.  Monitor and adjust on an ongoing basis.  Review all annual plans with V.P. Marketing and present to upper management as requested.

- Recommend product/packaging changes and secure program implementation, if approved, through the appropriate outside agencies and in-house functional areas.

- Demonstrate knowledge of retail and/or professional environment and key trade issues.

- Work with advertising agencies, Sales, Operations, etc., to ensure proper coordination and communication in developing and implementing marketing plans, anticipating new business ideas/programs and developing timetables and schedules.

- Recommend research to answer questions on creative execution, alternative media plans, sales promotion activity, product and packaging changes, etc. Responsible for summarizing research and initiating any modifications to programs or products indicated by the research.

- Analyze sales, special programs, new products and market trends to forecast future needs.  Initiate special programs to correct marketing problems as they develop.  Adjust marketing plans to insure profitability consistent with annual plans.

- Initiate creative projects with the agencies, review results, make recommendations for alteration of creative and recommend for or against approval to V.P. Marketing.

- Review media plans, recommend changes to the agency, and approve agency recommended deviations from the media plan.  Present to V.P. Marketing.

- Set promotional strategies in conjunction with the trade marketing team, develop plans and present to V.P. for approval.  Monitor implementation of promotional activity.  (Involves approval of materials, notification of sales force, etc.)

- Monitor sales and gross margins of each sku within the brand and make appropriate recommendations regarding cost or product/packaging changes to insure profitability. 

- Monitor sales trends for each item in the product line and recommend corrective action to sales. Recommend price changes if needed.

- Track spending versus approved budgets.

- Responsible for completing projects on budget.

- Work with corporate legal counsel to insure that all Marketing activity meets legal and corporate guidelines.

- Motivate cooperation and excellence from personnel both within and outside the Marketing department.

- Train/establish/maintain clear performance expectations for subordinates in the Marketing organization, and instill/maintain a disciplined, performance-oriented culture.

- Enforce personnel practices as they apply to all subordinate staff, including timely performance development plans (PDPs) and consistent work rule application

QUALIFICATIONS: 

- Experience with the creative development process and program execution.

- Experience with sales and marketing budgets, P&L’s, forecasts, etc.