Brand Manager / Pet Food

Job Title: Brand Manger

Location: Blackburn, based within a new head office, alongside the Distribution and Manufacturing Centre

Salary: Competitive depending on experience

Job Type: Full Time, Permanent

The company is a leading pet food manufacturer whose industry knowledge spans over 135 years.

The Company has a portfolio of brands offering a variety of products for pets and wild animals under its brands; Webbox, Bob Martin, TastyBone, Meatiful, Spike’s, WildThings, Feathers & Beaky and Vitakraft. Each brand offers a unique insight into animals from dogs to ducks and produces high-quality products that cater to a wide variety of consumer needs.

This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced Brand Manager to join an exciting and growing business.

The Role:

You will work within the marketing team, reporting to the Senior Brand Manager – Pet Food. You will have a background in product marketing, managing agencies as well as an ability to work alongside category, sales, production and NPD teams developing, implementing, and executing strategic product marketing and NPD plans for the pet food and treats category and associated brands.

The role will focus on the pet food brands and as such the role will require involvement in events and shows around the country and occasionally abroad. It is essential that you’re confident and comfortable around dogs and other pets.

You’ll need to drive the product portfolio, working within a fast-paced environment, FMCG experience is essential, along with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.

This is an office based position so you must be able to travel into the office in Blackburn.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage key product portfolios within food and treat brands and contribute to NPD/EPD pipeline ensuring excellence in execution.
• To work alongside the Senior Brand Manager owning performance, identifying opportunities, and ultimately driving business growth for the brands.
• To work alongside the Senior Brand Manager developing, brand content and campaign plan, implements and drives all marketing, advertising & promotional activities.
• To work alongside the Senior Brand Manager developing shopper marketing & category management initiatives to deliver the shopper brand experience at the point of purchase within the retail environment
• Maintains brand integrity across all company marketing initiatives and communications of products.
• Continuously monitors marketing trends and keep a close eye on competitive products & activity in the marketplace – supported by the Category & Insights team.
• Drive New Product Development initiatives from concept through to launch, in the process unifying and motivating cross-functional teams against common goals.
• Responsible for packaging development
• Support the Brand Manager in development and articulation of consumer insights and gains the understanding of their consumer, trends, and learns relevant tools and methodologies that set the foundation of marketing decisions.
• General data administration including updating and generating NPD documents
• Assisting with preparation and execution of consumer exhibitions and other events. Attendance mandatory.
• Generating and thoroughly proof-reading product and marketing copy. Checking, cross-referencing and signing off packaging artworks.
• Manages annual brand marketing budget

About you:

• Degree in marketing or similar
• Minimum of 2 years’ experience working within an FMCG business is essential
• At least 5 years’ experience as a brand or product Manager with knowledge and/or experience in shopper marketing and category management
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to interface with and influence a diverse population, multiple levels of an organization and various cross-functions and multi-cultural teams
• Strong analytics skills
• Result oriented and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously
• Problem solving
• Positive / personable attitude always
• Very organised and reliable
• Must be fluent in English
• Polite, courteous well presented
• Ability to work as part of a team
• A flexible, enthusiastic, and committed attitude
• Full UK and clean driving licence is preferred

Due to the nature of the role the company will not be providing sponsorship opportunities so all candidates must already posses the right to live and work in the UK to be considered.

Please click on the APPLY button to send your CV and Cover Letter for this role.

Candidates with the relevant experience or job titles of; Brand Manager, B2C Marketing, Company Branding, Retail Marketing, Product Marketing, FMCG Brand Manager may also be considered for this role.