Marketing Manager - Foods Promo & Value and New stores & SOTF

Main Purpose

To execute and activate the Marketing and Communication plans working in collaboration with 360 Channel partner and business colleagues, completing and actioning the micro-detail of the Brief, taking ownership for the user journey across channels and Brands with high attention to detail, focus on delivery and Critical Path execution.

Key Responsibilities

Position the Food Categories

• Assist in delivering the agreed positioning of the Private Label brands to the market, in a way that focuses on driving profitable sales and customer engagement.
• Support the business area you work with to proactively solve business challenges with Marketing solutions, working collaboratively with colleagues and the business area to provide appropriate solutions.
• Support the brand objectives in understanding the product and how to take that product to market to the Woolworths target customer e.g. product and seasonal launches.
• Assist in driving the delivery of the agreed strategic marketing vision and direction to key business units and stakeholders in the business.
• Responsible for the execution of the Marketing and Comms plans to deliver the overall Brand Strategy for the Brand portfolios covered working in collaboration with colleagues, your line manager and teams across Marketing and the business area accountable for.

Action and implement the detailed marketing and communication plans and detailed brief

• Action the Private Label brand marketing and communication plans and briefs in line with agreed plans (ILF projects) and timelines.
• Working with the Senior Marketing Manager, action the integrated marketing and comms plan, and provide the micro-detail to ensure the brief has all necessary elements to be actioned by Creative and relevant colleagues using the Project Manager link for delivery, risk management and tracking.
• Check that all relevant digital and online opportunities have been considered, working in collaboration with your Senior Marketing Manager and Digital and Online colleagues as input into the Marketing and Comms plans and detailed brief to target customer needs and new business opportunities.
• Utilise all relevant customer data and research from Customer colleagues and use Insights and data as input into your detailed plans where allocated and the brief to target customer needs and new business opportunities.
• Deliver the achievement of brand goals and targets through the agreed compelling & engaging customer communication.
• Assist in growing existing customers and acquiring new customers through brand building.
• Assist in influencing and changing customer perceptions through marketing communication in line with the marketing strategy, customer insights and an understanding of the customer journey and what channels are relevant to the customer you are targeting.
• Implement the agreed marketing communication plan that will influence and change customer perceptions in line with the marketing strategy.
• Keep up to date with new opportunities and new thinking, to assist in ensuring that Woolworths stays ahead of the game, both locally and on a global perspective.
• Drive partnership with buying groups to ensure alignment of trade and marketing plan.
• Understand and interpret market and business trends.
• Integrate customer insights in development of the integrated marketing and communication plan.

Activate and execute the marketing communications plan and detailed briefs

• Activate the end-to-end process from Marketing into Agency working in collaboration with Project Management and colleagues to ensure the team run with on-time efficient delivery to objectives, using the Project Manager link for delivery, risk management and tracking.
• Ensure that the overarching communication objectives and big ideas are understood by the teams executing them to deliver an integrated plan across all channels and touch points.
• Deliver the integrated communications brief, engaging with key stakeholders and areas of specialisation across 360 areas within Marketing including Agency, VM, Direct, Digital/Online, VM, PR, Social Media.
• Flag risk proactively in the process with the Senior Marketing Manager and PM.
• Facilitate key stakeholder meetings for sign off.
• Engage key stakeholders on specific requirements for on-time delivery.
• Ensure the communication objectives and briefs are understood and delivered across channels and touch points.
• Action and deliver key elements of the communications approach such as media plans, trade plans and in-store communication.
• Be proactive in thinking, problem solving and driving best results per campaign objective.

Manage business interface & trade process into marketing

• Ensure timeous delivery of marketing inputs into the buying group merchandise cycle.
• Work closely with the Trade business unit to ensure that deep alignment of trade and worth it objectives are met.
• Take a “can-do”, proactive approach to “make it happen”, working with the Buying Groups, Trade Forum, Sales Management, Stores, Agency and 360 partners etc.
• Act as the primary Marketing point of contact into the business with trade team and loyalty on all promotional and value campaigns as agreed with the Senior Marketing Manager.
• Engage in all key and relevant aspects of the business, including trade planning, online, sales management, product reviews, IT process, in relation to delivering the 360 integrated plan where relevant to your area and role.

Budget and commercial management

• Manage and maintain annual Promo budget.
• Manage all budget reconciliations to achieve overall plan.
• Deliver PIR’s ROMI to measure and assess efficacy of campaigns.

People and stakeholder management

• Work proactively across teams and functions, to optimise integration opportunities.
• Connect and communicate timeously to all internal and external stakeholders, peers and team members where necessary to ensure delivery of the marketing plan.
• Raise issues and concerns timeously and in a professional manner, and manage expectations in line with Woolworths Values and Strategy.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with key 360 partners including Agency, VM, PR & Corp Comms, Direct, Loyalty, Digital, Online, Social Media, Customer, Sales management, Product Groups, Foods, Special Occasions and Packaging and Production.
• Proactively manage relationships with product/buying groups and 360 partners and Agency.
• Drive and encourage a motivating and positive working experience across marketing and business units.
• Complete IPM discussions with line manager according to IPM timelines.
• Ensure that all stakeholders deliver according to the critical path.

Key Competencies

• Relevant 3 year diploma or degree in brand marketing or commerce or similar.
• Solid (3-5 years) of marketing skills and experience in Retail / Brands / Agency/PR.
• Solid technical knowledge and awareness across all elements of marketing including all relevant digital media channels and is up to date with innovative business and marketing solutions.
• 360 media understanding and ability to brief into a creative agency.
• Digital, social media and online experience in taking brands to market is advantageous.
• Experience in using customer insights optimally to drive a relevant marketing strategy and plan.
• Analytical skills to interpret Customer data and insights and sales and turnover and then translate this into Comms Strats and operational plans.
• Interest in Foods, Fashion, Customer, Design and experience advantageous.
• Passion for retail, the Woolworths product, brand and customers.
• Ability to translate a Marketing and Comms plan into integrated operational plans, clear briefs and deliverables.
• Action-orientated, delivery and solution focus approach to work.
• Creative thinker and ability to evaluate creative work.
• Commercial acumen: demonstrates commercially-led marketing delivery and understanding, as well as understands the macroeconomic environment.
• Collaborative team player: willing to work co-operatively with others, within a team and across departments, towards a common objective.
• Planning, organising and prioritising skills.
• Ability to understand local and international trends and stays up to date with the competitor landscape.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Problem solving ability, assertive and resilient.
• Attention to detail and follow up.

"As a proud South African brand, Woolworths is committed to transformation. Meeting our employment equity goals will be taken into account in our recruitment decisions"