Head of Marketing - Mainstream Spirits, EABL at Guinness

So, what’s the task?

We are looking for a senior leader who can write the next chapter of this spirit companies’ phenomenal story. A self-starter with a spike in strategy, problem solving and building relationships. Someone who can win the hearts and minds of the organization, manage complexity and deliver transformational growth in a competitive environment.

Dimensions:

a) Financial

b) Market Complexity

Financial:

• Deliver the F’20 spirits category AOP: circa 150m NSV and m 4.3m EU’s
• Develop the F’21 – F’22 spirits MBP’s and deliver AOP.

Market Complexity:
We work in one of the most interesting and diverse markets in the world. The only thing that is guaranteed is VUCA, but with complexity comes unparalleled business and personal growth opportunity.

• Business model: EABL, a well-respected and stock market listed company that has been serving East African consumers since 1922. This role reports to the EABL Marketing & Innovation Director, who in turn reports to the KBL Managing Director. The role has a dotted line to the a number of central spirit global brand teams.
• Category: EABL operates across beer and spirits, with strong share in both categories. As a result of our position, the primary purpose of this role is to deliver growth that recruit new category drinkers, growing penetration. Therefore, this role requires significant strategic capability, as well as the drive and problem-solving skills to execute brilliantly.

Purpose of Role

This is an unprecedented chance to work in one of Africa’s most respected companies, with huge personal accountability. EABL has great potential for growth across spirits. The role is accountable for setting the premium & reserve spirits strategy and developing the participation model, growth plans and executing campaigns launches in time and in full, as well as directing the premium & reserve spirit innovation pipeline to ensure full portfolio participation.

Top Accountabilities

• Strategic Penetration: Working alongside the Exec across three markets and to understand the consumer trends and business opportunities that should inform the EABL Premium &
• Reserve spirit participation strategy.
  Influencing, Coaching & Inspiring: You work in service of big business outcomes. You will build deep and authentic relationships, have the tough conversations when needed and annex resources from agency partners, EABL leadership and the central teams. You are a natural coach, you build talent, grow people and embed a culture of curiosity for best in class marketing in the business.
• Marketing Flair: You will have a great understanding of the key marketing elements that deliver success in spirits: consumer insights, formats, category strategies, revitalize our mainstream consumer offers, pricing and promotion, packaging, TTL launch campaigns. You are focused on delivering scale reach with impact.
• Commercial Excellence. You will partner with the commercial team developing a deep understanding of channel segmentation, trade persuasion tools, competitive context, route to consumer and the resources required to commercialize our spirit brands successfully.
• Culture: You will help to embed an entrepreneurial culture, drinks culture curiosity and action within organisation. As a leader on the Marketing Leadership Team (MLT), you will work closely with the Exec, GM’s, Commercial Leadership and other MLT members. You will be adept at understanding matrix lines of responsibility, and use your skill set to drive disproportionate outcomes for EABL.

Qualifications & Experience Required:

• The successful candidate will see this role as an opportunity to demonstrate a broad set of business skills. The candidate must demonstrate mastery of strategic penetration, marketing flair, commercial understanding and have a strong focus on EQ and relationship management. You will have a relentless pursuit for delivering big business outcomes, a proven track record of creating renowned marketing campaigns, strong experience within TBA and a track record of building relationships.
• You are an entrepreneurial self-starter that can create opportunities and partnerships where none previously existed. You are comfortable operating in ambiguity, influencing senior stakeholders and can charismatically move the business with you.
• You have a brilliant external and competitor radar, understanding best practice from adjacent markets and categories and you will win the hearts and minds of the organization annexing resources and support to ensure EABL wins in the market.
• The role requires a self-starter with genuine excellence in marketing and spirits, preferably honed in an in market role. The candidate will have huge drive and energy, seeing the potential and the opportunity to deliver business outcomes and working hand in hand with the central support teams.
• You have 10+ years of marketing or innovation experience in a market & have genuine expertise in all aspects of marketing. You have a strong spike in strategic penetration and have a strong track record that demonstrates this. You have experience of working in developing markets for at least 2+ years. Ideally you have experience in commercial or customer marketing. You are a self-starter, you are motivated by seeing opportunities and bringing them to life. You communicate with flair and inspire those who you work with. You recognize that success in role means delivering for EABL, you build the relationships and the humility to drive the right outcome.

Qualifications: Educated to Graduate level

Barriers to Success in role

• Inability to successfully manage projects with precision
• Inability to manage a large number of stakeholders
• Inability to influence, inspire & coach & operate brilliantly in a matrix organisation
• Inability to deal with ambiguity or prioritise