Job Description

To contribute in coaching and developing local sales & marketing organisation to accelerate the achievement of Congo and Gabon business objectives by ensuring that the Brand Marketing, Trade Marketing and Sales plans, processes and strategies continually improve the competitive position of the Company in Congo and Gabon, within the constraints of agreed and clearly defined marketing plans and budgets.

As a member of the Management Team, contribute to the formulation of the Company Plans strategies and is jointly responsible for achieving agreed Company objectives.

Main Responsibilities

¨  As a member of the management team, participate and contribute to the establishment, development and review of Company policy, planning, strategy and business development plans.

¨  Provide a clear vision of the market environment through both market research and field force data collection as a base on which to build marketing and corporate strategies.

¨  Jointly with the GMs and regional sales and marketing management teams, develop, agree and implement the annual brand marketing plans for the Group brands to ensure corporate objectives are achieved.

¨  Jointly with the GMs and regional sales management team, develop, agree and implement a trade marketing plan which maximises the company's market, brand, volume and channel objectives and ensures the support and loyalty of Congo and Gabon customers in the wholesale and retail trade.

¨  Oversee all group brand and trade marketing activity to ensure that it is in line with both brand strategy and corporate guidelines.

¨  Improve brand profitability through active cost control, regular price/trade margin review and continuous evaluation of all marketing spend activities.

¨  Build with the GMs and regional sales management team the best Route to "shoppers".

¨  Propose, agree and champion the development and implementation of the most effective trade marketing structure, the level of manpower and the size of financial resources needed to exploit market opportunities and to achieve the company's trade marketing and distribution objectives.

¨  Develop and monitor the Cycle Plan, which meets the company's market, brand and volume objectives and reflects the needs and priorities of the individual trade channels in each market.

¨  Develop and ensure an efficient and effective trade marketing organisation which is well trained and highly motivated in order that the company's trade marketing representation is superior to the competition in respect of both core and added value services.

¨  Train and develop people within the brand and trade marketing team to ensure that talented individuals are motivated and are able to progress within the organisation/group.

¨  Build effective working relations with external agencies to ensure that first class service levels and products to agreed budgets are received.

¨  Champion and propose innovation in products and processes in order to achieve competitive advantage.

¨  Provide regular marketing information and reports on performance, plans and strategies, ensure all relevant company management is fully informed at all times.

¨  Manage key trade customers through the development and implementation of account strategies and plans in order to maximise volume and share performance.

¨  Consistently communicate the marketing vision throughout the business to ensure clarity of purpose and work effectively with all department to ensure achieved.

¨  Investigate new opportunities esp. export opportunities in the neighbouring markets and if so set up jointly with the GM and regional sales and marketing team the business plan.

Knowledge, experience and skills

-  Solid brand marketing and trade marketing experience with a minimum of 4 years managerial experience in a FMCG company that has adopted a modern trade marketing approach.

-  Tobacco industry experience preferred.

-  Degree education with a proven appreciation of and exposure to marketing principles

-  Proven brand marketing knowledge and ability, with a minimum of 4 years managerial experience.

-  Good communicator / team player.

-  Business planning acumen and ability.

-  Fluent written and spoken French and English

-  Cultural flexibility with and an ability and willingness to work in developing markets.

- Key abilities: negotiation, influencing, adaptability, quantitative analysis, people and project management, transfer knowledge and coaching.

Working relationships 

• The principal focus will be on the establishment of a close working relationship with other managers of the 2 ITG's entities and respective local sales & marketing team.
• Important internal contacts will be with the Regional Sales& Marketing Director, and with the regional Brand Managers.

• Important external contacts will be key wholesalers and retailers, suppliers and service providers and competitor counterparts.

Other

The candidate will be based in Brazzaville (Congo) but will travel to Gabon on a regular basis (around 10 times / year).