Group Category Director

Duties and responsibilities

The Group Category Head supports operating countries in managing the category’s products throughout their life cycle; from concept, R&D, business case construction, BOM improvement, key supply chain arbitrage, brand plans, and finally products end of life. The position is to incarnate the benefits of centralised support and custody, from a category/brand/product point of view, within a multi-local company.

Main indicators of performance are sales and profitability growth of the category, brand equity and performance indicators, successful projects execution, and perceived added value to the operations and the group.

Ensure brand custody

Build brands equity for which he is custodian for the group
Monitor the performance (sales turnover, market share, gross margin, volume, contribution) of brands and make recommendations to improve performance
Keep abreast of current consumer usage, habits, motivation, consumption trends and monitor competitor advertising platforms to provide strategic advice to operations
Validate product design and renovation, balancing local operational constraints and long term profitability
Support effective and timely commercial plans execution in order to deliver country and category results
Build and share category guidelines and policies

Champion group momentum

Ensure the alignment of the operating companies strategic direction and the group strategic direction for the category
Champion group initiatives that can be used by several countries (TVC, R&D developments …)
Cross fertilise and share best practices on the category within the group
Participate in key supply chain arbitrage aiming to optimise installed capacity and local savoir faire

Actively support local initiatives

Monitor global developments in brands and advise on trends, rejuvenations and innovations that have potential relevance to the brands in the respective category
Identify new product launch opportunities with countries through visits to markets and discussions with country personnel
Manage any NPD, brand rejuvenation or brand innovation and participate in, and advise on, any NPD, brand rejuvenation and brand innovation or marketing projects as requested by operating countries or group management
In conjunction with the R&D department, provide a resource to assist, as agreed with the respective country, in developing new products or range extensions
Monitor the financial performance (sales turnover, gross margin, volume) of new product launches versus forecast and make recommendations to improve performance

Requirements

Tertiary Marketing qualification – Masters/ MBA
Extensive classical marketing experience – 10 years + 
Experience marketing in Africa
Language: English, French (Arabic, Portuguese would be a plus).
Hands on, pragmatic, good communicator able to discuss at different levels of the organisation including MDs, Marketing Heads, Commercial Heads, R&D managers.
Willing to travel 40 to 60% of time in African countries.
Good command of Excel, PowerPoint. Usual communication tools.