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Job Location: Mumbai, India * Summary* As Head of the Marketing function for the India and APAC markets, this role is responsible for developing the overall Hershey India & APAC Marketing & brands strategy and driving consumer demand with the objective of growing brand recall and market share, protecting brand identity increasing operating profit, and maintaining good brands health within the limits set by the organization. The role holder will drive and coordinate within other Functional Heads to create synergy and build operational efficiencies. * Major Responsibilities/Duties Areas of Responsibility* * Strategic Planning and Review* ⦁ Review competition performance and new entrant activities, analyze historic trends in pricing and categories performance, interpret changing consumer behavior, study socio-economic indicators both at a country level as well as segmented by regions within the country ⦁ Review inputs from Consumer Insights and other teams to build a long term strategy for the categories ⦁ Review and lead annual categories based marketing plans and execution strategy based on overall organizational direction and priorities– annual budgets, overall sales, margins and market share targets, brand focus * Monitoring and Reviewing* ⦁ Cascade categories strategy and review brand wise strategy developed by Category Managers based on priorities– annual budgets, overall sales, margins and market share targets, brand focus, etc. ⦁ Review and oversee brand wise initiatives and guide on execution ⦁ Periodically review the annual plan for the categories and suggest changes to it as appropriate, after considering inputs such as competition analysis, market trends, consumer behavior, company priorities etc. ⦁ Monitor achievement of market share, demand generation, brand health targets per quarter ⦁ Monitor advertisements, promotions, return on investment on marketing campaigns ⦁ Oversee the gap analysis and brainstorm with team on action plans for course correction ⦁ Lead regular review meetings to monitor progress across brands ⦁ Track brand health periodically using data from Customer Insights team – brand awareness level, brand performance, consumption patterns, etc. ⦁ Review processes and provide inputs on automation and process improvement opportunities for the marketing function ⦁ Review and approve concepts created for key brands within the categories, guide team to test consumer responses and review advertisement briefs ⦁ Co-lead pre-production meetings with Advertisement Directors to finalize the ad film * Product Innovation* ⦁ Lead product innovation for key products within categories and provide inputs through the various stages of design of new products ⦁ Lead coordination on Go to Market phase in terms of testing the product in context of portfolio and competition, pricing, distribution partners, in-store support, retail environment and geography of launch ⦁ Monitor the launch and product performance for the initial phase post launch * Relationship Management* ⦁ Visit critical markets and key customers regularly to understand latest consumer behavior patterns ⦁ Represent the company in industry for a ⦁ Interact with division and global category teams to discuss brand positioning, architecture, issues etc. * Review of Marketing Services* ⦁ Lead team of marketing CoEs (consumer insights / digital marketing/ PR) ⦁ Evaluate goals for the year, approve initiatives taken, design KPIs for each CoE and monitor progress against each ⦁ Digital - Approve digital marketing activations, social media initiatives, advertising spends and other investments and measure ROI against each ⦁ Consumer Insights - Review consumer insights plan for the organization, define prioritization matrix for research, approve reports to invest in and monitor progress ⦁ Public Relations - Review promotional plans, create strategy for interacting with media, approve necessary releases of information, and govern internal and external messaging of the organization * People Management* ⦁ Design and make necessary modifications to the team structure; conduct interviews for selecting right candidate for open positions ⦁ Cascade overall functional goals for team, set up objective goals and conduct periodic performance reviews ⦁ Guide teams and drive engagement by applying consistent standards for performance management, providing equal opportunities of training and job rotation, and recommending job enlargement and promotions of deserving team members ⦁ Communicate regularly with team members to provide organizational/functional updates, resolve conflicts, create intra-functional work groups, etc. * Minimum knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform major duties/responsibilities: * * Knowledge:* ⦁ Well-developed marketing and sales skills that can help the company develop an overall marketing strategy to enable achievement of defined KPIs:- sales, share, profit and consumer KPI results. ⦁ Knowledge of the FMCG Food industry including: a) The general external and internal trends impacting the business; b) The assessment, and c) A deep and thorough understanding of both consumers and customers. ⦁ Strong analytical skills to sort through complex data to make well-reasoned conclusions that translate the learnings into sound strategic direction and business plans / actions on advertising, promotion, competitive product / packaging innovations, pricing, retail programs, and other key programs that could affect the short and long term profitability and share position of the brands ⦁ Strong communication skills to liaise with key stakeholders across sub-regions and countries. * Skills:* ⦁ Strong leadership skills ⦁ Strong thinking & problem solving capabilities ⦁ Strong interpersonal & influencing skills ⦁ Outstanding analytical abilities ⦁ Strong orientation towards emerging trends and technologies in marketing ⦁ Ability to nurture and contribute to innovation and creative solutions ⦁ Strong ownership to be accountable for sales and income results and the success of initiatives ⦁ Strong verbal and written communicator to wide breadth of audiences including senior management ⦁ Strong functional marketing expertise ⦁ Lifelong learner and strong people developer ⦁ Passion for winning in the marketplace * Minimum Education and Experience Requirements: * * Education: MBA degree with a good mix of working experience preferably FMCG companies * Experience: 15+ years of working experience in managerial roles in marketing departments (Brand Management or Innovations) in international FMCG companies, and/or advertising agencies, and/or consulting firms; 1. Solid marketing experience in managing multiple categories and multiple brands. 2. Prior experience of working closely with Sales / Retail teams, R&D, Supply Chain & external agency partners 3. Foods company experience is preferred 4. Preferable if worked in Sales for at least 1-2 years #LI-SW1