Job closed
Ref: HP698-9781
Job description / Role
Marks & Spencer, part of Al Futtaim Retail, is a globally recognised retail brand offering stylish, high quality, great value clothing and home products as well as outstanding foods.
With 25 Stores currently located across the GCC including locations in the UAE, Oman, Egypt, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar there is further growth planned with additional stores to open in 2014 to further strengthen this exciting brand within the Middle East market.
Job Overview
You will be responsible for planning, advertising, public relations, organizing events, product development, distribution, sponsorship and research for Marks and Spencer in the UAE. The work is often challenging, varied and exciting.
In brief your role will include:
* Liaising and networking with a range of stakeholders, e.g. customers, colleagues, suppliers and partner organizations;
* Communicating with target audiences and managing customer relationships;
* Sourcing advertising opportunities and placing adverts in the press (local, regional, national and specialist publications) or on the radio (depending on the organisation and the campaign);
* Managing the production of marketing materials, including leaflets, posters, flyers, newsletters and e-newsletters and DVDs;
* Writing and proofreading copy;
* Liaising with designers and printers;
* Organising photo shoots;
* Arranging for the effective distribution of marketing materials;
* Maintaining and updating customer databases;
* Organising and attending events such as conferences, seminars, receptions and exhibitions;
* Sourcing and securing sponsorship;
* Conducting market research such as customer questionnaires and focus groups;
* Contributing to and developing marketing plans and strategies;
* Managing budgets;
* Evaluating marketing campaigns;
* Monitoring competitor activity;
* Supporting the marketing manager and other colleagues.
Key Responsibilities
Marketing Plans
Help Create and implement marketing plans for each activity in line with previous lessons learnt and feedback from stores to achieve the brand as well as the group's objectives and the brand's long term business plan. You will be responsible in preparing and briefing the agency and ensuring that once briefed agency follows accordingly. Also will actively search IFG site for material to be shared used in planning.
Yearly Commercial Calendar Plan
Assist marketing manager in Recommending, finalizing and executing the annual commercial calendar or calendars where necessary for different regions, for M&S in order to reflect and promote M&S MENA and UK, long term priorities.
Brand Management
Assist Marketing Manager in Managing the brand to ensure that the M&S brand identity; brand values and key benefits are communicated properly and contribute to fulfilling their objectives (to support the price and quality relationship, to educate on the product innovation at M&S, to represent the M&S British identity). Here your main role will be liaising with the visual merchandising department on effectively coordinating activities and creating synergies between the stores across the region with campaign execution and ensure key areas highlighted in research findings are addressed to and market relevant needs are taken into account.
Budgeting
Assist Marketing Manager in Preparing and controlling the annual budget for M&S MENA so that structured marketing activities are carried out across the region for achievement of goals and maximizing resources. Responsible for monitoring Budget versus spend.
Media Liaisons
Responsible for preparing a PR calendar inline with plans set by the Marketing manager in order to ensure positive brand image in the market. Will engage with PR to look for opportunities where M&S can be a part of media activities, events as part of the calendar and news. Will also be expected to coordinate events, photo shoots and interviews.
Relations with the Principal & Key partners
Liaising with the Principal (M&S UK) where necessary on marketing activities, store openings, PR, research issues, etc. and at the same time maintain good relations whilst ensuring that the company's own (local) business objectives are met. You will also be responsible for maintaining relationships with key partners from M&S international markets inorder to develop regular channels of communication and shared practices. As well as mall management across MENA to establish the same.
Market Research
Assist Marketing manager in briefing and implementing research for M&S in the MENA region with the contracted marketing research companies, as to assess a realistic market position and to help us to place ourselves against our objectives, goals and plans for M&S MENA , as well as important factors like, demographics, catchment area, life styles, etc which affect a feasible planning. Will also be responsible for Assisting Marketing manager in analyzing both locally and commissioned research and preparing necessary research summaries. As well as follow through on action plans carried out by stores to address key areas.
New market entry Strategy
Assist Marketing Manager in Developing and executing a market entry strategy as and when required, inclusive of analyzing plus determining the Primary Market Area, Catchment area & target segment, contracting necessary vendors & partners in these markets, planning for long term period, determining & controlling the necessary budget for the new market and executing the necessary external store launch campaign in order to maximize the visitors' and sales volumes for the year through the main marketing mediums.
Requirements
Personal Skills
* Good project management skills.
* Sound knowledge of marketing principles.
* Up-to-date knowledge of new technologies and ability of applying it to marketing principles.
* Ability to work individually and ability to handle self-driven projects efficiently.
* Conversant with report writing, business procedures and correspondence.
* First-class copyright skills and ability to use various technical aspects of the marketing theory for a wide range of customers.
* Strong knowledge of products in the market and knowledge of Marks and Spencer consumers.
* Time management, fixing priorities, organizing skills, attentiveness, accuracy in performance.
* Statistical knowledge for analyzing systems and data
* Effective presentation of information and strong spoken language skills for responding to questions from managers, clients and the general public.
Education / Experience / Skills
* Bachelor's or Master degree in Business Administration or Marketing.
* Good working knowledge of Microsoft applications
* Prior experience of working in Marketing / PR
* Experiencing in Project / Event Management
* Strong collaboration / negotiation skills
* Ability to work autonomously
About the Company
Established in the 1930's, the Al-Futtaim Group initially operated as a trading enterprise. Rapid development throughout the 1940's and 50's saw it establish itself regionally as an integrated commercial, industrial and services organisation, positioning itself one of the leading business houses in the lower Gulf region. Today, it operates collectively over 40 companies bearing the Al-Futtaim name, dominates many market segments in the UAE, and has expanded its sphere of operation to include Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt.
The Group comprises a diverse range of strategically positioned operating subsidiaries and associate companies, structured to give the Al-Futtaim Group the flexibility and versatility to keep ahead of local competition while keeping pace with the ever-evolving global business scenario. The Groups continued investment in world-class systems technology is clear evidence of its commitment to maintain leading edge performance and service delivery.
The success of the Al-Futtaim Group can be attributed to a business approach that combines the ability to change with the traditional values of integrity, service and social responsibility that define its core business philosophy. This, linked with the Groups belief in decentralisation, gives the heads of the operating companies a high degree of functional autonomy and authority, providing the Group with essential flexibility, and individual employees a clearly defined work culture and sense of responsibility.