Assistant Brand Manager - alconbury, United Kingdom - Westland Horticulture Ltd

Description

Welcome to Westland Horticulture. Westland is a privately owned FMCG business supplying a wide range of award-winning gardening products to specialist retailers, grocers and a vast network of independents and wholesalers. We pride ourselves on being entrepreneurial which will give you great scope to be creative, have autonomy and see your ideas come to market in a multi-million growing part of the business.

This role is a bit special in our eyes – as our Assistant Brand Manager, you'll be building valuable brand management skills by offering support to the Head of Category (Hardware) and wider product marketing team who are a great bunch, if we do say so ourselves This is a great opportunity for a smart, curious, self-starter to work across market leading, household brands in a fun, friendly and fast paced environment

Job Purpose:

To assist the Senior Brand Manager to champion the product portfolio & to support other product categories within the marketing team. The job will require implementation of the annual marketing plan. This will include development, improvement and delivery of the Kent & Stowe range and communications including:

• Implement marketing plans for the Product range ensuring plans are delivered and budget is achieved.
• Recommend and implement plans for developing that portfolio in order to meet consumer and customer needs
• In conjunction with Brand Manager and Head of Marketing implement/manage PR and Marketing strategy to ensure the brand obtains maximum exposure within the marketplace

Main Duties:

• In conjunction with Brand Manager, assist in constructing, developing and implementing marketing plan/s for the brand
• Assist in delivering annual plans within the brand portfolio with clearly defined objectives and strategies, including pricing, positioning, promotion, (above and below the line & in-store) & distribution.
• Coordinate the design & management of all brand communications including advertising, point of sale, consumer & trade websites, digital activity & PR.
• Monitor key performance criteria against business plan and market plan including market share, price, margin, market trends and opportunities.
• Recommend and develop cost effective promotional plans, help gain support for these programmes and ensure effective implementation and post activity evaluation.
• Working within the development team and Brand Manager, help to implement improvements to the existing product range.
• Coordinate product development primarily to ensure all products are set-up on our system, barcodes allocated and specifications available for external use.
• Ensure all product information/specifications; component information is up to date, well understood and correct at time of component order.
• Regularly review market conditions, competitor activity which may impact in the success of the product portfolio. Suggest improvements and adjustments to ensure our products have the optimum position.
• Ensure sales and all other departmental managers are fully briefed on brand activities, product changes and market changes.
• Supplier contact point for all queries and communication
• New product development based on market research, trends, product innovation, market segmentation and margin requirements
• Responsibility for showroom samples, upkeep and replenishment

Skills and Experience:

• Minimum 1 -3 years' Product/Brand/Marketing experience
• Reporting to the Head of Category, this is a pivotal role requiring someone with positivity, drive and passion
• Cradle to grave Product Management experience preferred
• Experience of sourcing and manufacturing products, ideally from Europe and Far East preferred but not essential
• Cost negotiation and vendor relationship building skills
• Solid commercial acumen is essential
• Excel skills to analyse and interpret data

As an ABM you'll have autonomy to shape and make a real impact on the business. If this sounds interesting, get in touch, we'd love to talk to you