Senior Brand Operations Manager at Priority Activator Consulting

Brief Role Description:
The Senior Brand Manager will serve as the category manager for Beauty, Personal Care, and Makeup across both Pharmacy and Beauty Click. This role will drive category growth through data-driven decision-making, strong supplier relationships, and strategic marketing initiatives. The ideal candidate will have a solid marketing background, with experience in procurement, supply chain, and category management.

This strategic role will drive category growth through data-driven decision-making, strong supplier relationships, and strategic marketing initiatives. The candidate will collaborate closely with the Category Manager for OTC to determine the top 10-15 OTC brands that will drive category growth, developing and executing Joint Business Plans to maximize brand performance.

Additionally, the Senior Brand Manager will work with the Category Manager for Chronic & Pharma to identify opportunities for growth, particularly in marketing and partnerships. A key objective for 2025 will be partnering with at least five chronic health associations to drive awareness and collaboration.

The candidate will manage Beauty, PC & Make up product listings, exclusive brand acquisitions, and lead the Beauty Click sales team to strengthen e-commerce and wholesale channels.

Key Responsibilities:

• Category Management: Oversee the Beauty, Personal Care, and Makeup categories for both Pharmacy and Beauty Click, ensuring optimal product offerings, competitive pricing, and strong supplier relationships.
• Annual Joint Business Plan (JBP) Leadership: Lead the annual JBP discussions with key suppliers for all major brands, setting objectives and ensuring alignment with business goals. Conduct monthly follow-ups to track implementation and performance.
• OTC Collaboration: Work closely with the Category Manager for OTC to identify and prioritize the top 15 OTC brands that will drive growth for the category. Develop and implement Joint Business Plans to enhance brand performance and supplier relationships.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize data and analytics to identify trends, measure category performance, and develop strategies to drive growth.
• Supplier Management: Lead supplier negotiations to secure the best cost prices, margins, and promotional terms.
• Supplier & Stock Management: Monitor supplier fill rates, ensure consistent stock levels, and maintain effective supply chain processes to meet customer demand.
• Pricing Strategy: Work closely with the Head of Marketing to determine competitive pricing strategies that optimize margins while remaining attractive to customers.
• Promotions and Campaigns: Develop and execute promotional strategies to boost category performance, in collaboration with marketing and retail teams.
• Market Insight & Competitor Analysis: Generate customer insights and conduct competitor reviews to ensure the category remains competitive and responsive to market trends.
• New Product Listings: Drive the listing of new products and exclusive brands on Beauty Click and Pharmacy, focusing on beauty, personal care, and makeup categories.
• Chronic & Pharma Collaboration: Collaborate closely with the Category Manager for Chronic & Pharma to identify growth opportunities from a marketing and partnerships perspective.
• Brand Training: Lead and manage staff training initiatives, particularly for Beauty Advisors, in collaboration with brand owners and suppliers. In the absence of brand support, take the lead in delivering training to ensure staff are equipped with the necessary product knowledge and brand expertise.
• Exclusive Brand Acquisition: Source and negotiate exclusive makeup brands for Beauty Click, expanding the product portfolio in e-commerce and wholesale channels.
• Collaboration with Marketing Teams: Align with marketing to implement digital strategies for Beauty Click and drive category growth through digital channels.
• Beauty Click E-commerce & Wholesale Leadership: Lead the Beauty Click sales team, focusing on makeup e-commerce and wholesale growth. Develop and implement strategies to increase market share in the online and wholesale space.
• Provide training and development, particularly on brand knowledge, collaborating with brand owners or leading where minimal brand support exists.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience and Qualifications Required:

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Business, or a related field (MBA preferred).
• 5+ years of experience in brand management, procurement, and category management within the beauty, personal care, or FMCG industries.
• Marketing Expertise: Proven experience in brand management, marketing strategy, and category management, with a strong understanding of consumer behaviour and market trends.
• Procurement & Supply Chain Experience: Strong background in procurement, supplier negotiations, and supply chain management within the beauty, personal care, or FMCG industries.
• Data & Analytics: Ability to analyse data and use insights to drive category growth, improve product listings, and optimize pricing strategies.
• Supplier Relationship Management: Experience in managing supplier relationships, negotiating cost prices, and driving successful JBP discussions.
• Team Leadership: Demonstrated ability to lead and mentor a sales or marketing team, fostering collaboration and high performance.
• E-commerce & Wholesale: Strong experience in managing e-commerce and wholesale channels, particularly in the beauty and cosmetics sectors.
• Negotiation Skills: Expertise in negotiating with suppliers and partners to secure the best deals, promotions, and product listings.
• Digital Strategy Understanding: Familiarity with digital marketing strategies and the ability to work with marketing teams to implement successful campaigns.

Desirable

• Ability to stay updated on emerging retail technologies
• Customer Focus: Ability to anticipate and respond to customer needs and feedback.
• Knowledgeable about current marketing and digital trends
• Self-driven- can work under minimum supervision
• Innovative Thinking
• Tech Savvy
• Leadership Skills : Effective communication and delegation to ensure that the team understands and executes the brand’s operational goals.