Regional Fragrances Brand Manager

Job description / Role

Our Client, a fragrance and cosmetics distributor is looking for a Regional Fragrances Brand Manager. This individual will be responsible for supporting, launching, developing and expanding a portfolio of brands. Responsible for maximizing sales potential and meeting company targets for sustainable growth, profitability and cash flow by implementing sales and marketing strategies and initiatives.

Key responsibilities and accountabilities:

Business Targets, Forecasting and Results
• Work with clients and suppliers to generate accurate volume forecasts. Deliver results for the brand, focusing on net sales and brand contribution to the P&L.
• Manage aspects of sales function, from client support of devising and implementing sales strategies, managing promotional activities to achieve brand objectives
• Ensure effective budgetary control of sales and expenses.
• Achieve sell-in and help achieve sell through sales targets, business planning accuracy.

Business Development
• Ensure that all tools are exercised in order to seek, expand and improve the business and product penetration at retailer, distributor at a regional level.
• Ensure new brands/lines are successfully launched

Operational Marketing (Advertising & Promotion, PR and Merchandising)
• Proper budgeting and planning of A&P and A&P expenses.
• Regular monthly/quarterly monitoring.
• Media information gathering and analysis, planning and booking based on company agreements as requested by Principals.
• Propose/implement marketing plans/animations adapted to the region and in accordance with the brand guidelines
• Check good implementation of merchandising guidelines and proposes possible improvement.
• Monitor shelf space and visibility of brands in selected main retail doors.
• Local PR follow up, including PR insertions.
• Prepare presentations and meet retailers whenever necessary , particularly for 1st and 2nd semester strategy meetings
• Liaise smoothly between retailers, principals, and local distributors for implementation of specific animations, promotions, Star brand programme

Inventory Management
• To maintain adequate inventory of fast sellers and to ensure that slow movers and dead stocks are depleted and to avoid over stock situations.
• Proper forecasting in conjunction with the markets and their needs to maximize sales and coverage.
• Consistently maintain sufficient supply coverage : checking stocks on a monthly basis and ordering on a monthly basis
• Inventory turn ratio remains lower than a defined number of months
• Arriving at the end of the year with a specific stock day supply.
• Processing of orders to be done in less than a specific number of days within the department and making sure that the customers receives the good within a specific amount of days.
• Making sure that delisted products are depleted and not in the stock.

Market Analysis
• Provide consumption based data analysis for the brand. Provide insight and support to the enterprise to better understand market trends and dynamics. Also, identify opportunities in markets where there are unmet needs.
• Perform a retail audit on monthly basis.
• Monitor level of distribution per market Vs Total market (DN).
• Gather market facts and new developments including new malls/shops openings, change of regulations and key news to communicate.
• Obtain and communicate ranking data from key retailers to principals.
• Monthly reporting on brands launches, animations, promotions.
• Maintain a tracksheet of Year End fragrance and cosmetics figures.
• Monitor retail price database of supplier’s vs key competitors.
• Analyse competitor activity

Reporting
• Provide suppliers with monthly sales reporting and figures synthesis by country and by brand
• Gather monthly stock statements from clients
• Send market visit reports to clients and suppliers

Travel
• Regular market visits to monitor and follow up on the business.
• Prepare market visit reports.

Relationships
• Ensure that a workable and business conducive relationship is maintained at all time with our suppliers, retailers and distributors.
• To foster professional and respectful attitude and communication within and outside the company at all levels.

Requirements

Desired Skills:

• Direct Marketing, Market Segmentation, Marketing Research, Coordination, Project Management, Reporting Research Results, Understanding the Customer, Process Improvement, Initiative, Planning, Financial Skills, Team building, Management

• Evidence of passion, achievements and leadership.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills.
• At least 5 years of experience in all areas of Luxury beauty (perfumes and cosmetics) marketing: new product briefs, POS, promotional plans (conception and implementation) advertising development, media plans and brand presentations.
• GCC market experience.
• Market awareness and experience in fragrances.
• Travel in the Middle East is required 30% of the time.
• Driving License and car are needed for the UAE market.
• Excellent analytical and strategic thinking.
• Very strong in Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Fluent in English. French and Arabic is a plus

Desired personality We are looking for a person who is:

• Dynamic and motivated
• Eager to learn,
• Can work under pressure
• Is result oriented and likes new challenges
• Is down to earth
• Market oriented,
• Independent
• Is able to prioritize tasks
• Very importantly has a sense of initiative
• Shall be ready and enthusiastic

About the Company

RecruitME are a specialized recruitment consultancy supplying top tier business support staff to Dubais leading multinational organizations. We carefully source, screen and select only the very best candidates to assist our clients in making easier recruitment decisions faster.

Differentiating ourselves from standard recruitment agencies our consultants have been carefully chosen for their backgrounds in business support for leading multinational organizations. Having been both the client and the candidate previously, we have an insiders understanding of the recruitment process and our clients needs.

What we do:

Specializing in business support positions we can assist in introducing a small selection of experienced administration, finance and human resource candidates with the relevant experience to benefit your business. Our careful screening process ensures that we have met with and can give a concise overview of each candidates skills and current situation before you meet them.

We pride ourselves on sending our clients only the very best available candidates in the market to ensure a simplified, hassle free and timely recruitment experience for all involved.