Senior Channel Manager Traditional Off-Trade (Innovation Launch & BU Champion)

Job Purpose

Drive growth of the Traditional Off-trade (TOFT) channel through two roles: (1) lead innovation launches in TOFT, translating brand innovation plans into channel launch strategies and deployment plans that secure fast sell-in, strong visibility at POS and off-take driven by occasion-based consumption for In-home; and (2) act as BU (Business Unit) Champion, the TOFT contact point for Sales and Regional Trade, consolidating BU issues and opportunities into the channel plan and coordinating its deployment on time in full.

Key Responsibilities

1. Innovation Launch in TOFT

• Understand consumer & customer: understand TOFT consumers, shoppers, customers, In-home occasions and competitor; bring the channel perspective (channel fit, pack/price, customer value proposition) into the innovation funnel.
• Build channel strategy: develop the TOFT launch strategy for each innovation: target outlet coverage, distribution and visibility objectives, customer & consumer supporting activities, activity phasing and launch KPIs (distribution, re-purchase, penetration, conversion).
• Deployment plan: build end-to-end plans for sell-in (listing incentives, trade programs, sales force reward) and off-take driving through occasion-based consumption for In-home (occasion packs and bundles, in-store visibility, sampling, consumption conversion); develop sales toolkits and brief Sales and Regional Trade for right-first-time execution.
• Track & evaluate: track performance (sell-in/sell-out, distribution, conversion, retail audit), take corrective actions and lead post-launch evaluation.

2. BU Champion

• Act as the TOFT contact point for Sales and Regional Trade in the assigned BU(s).
• Consolidate BU issues and opportunities as input to develop the TOFT channel plan.
• Coordinate the deployment of the channel plan in the BU on time in full; monitor execution and follow up on actions.

3. Others

• Manage the TOFT innovation launch budget with measurable ROI; lead ad-hoc projects as required.

Stakeholder Management

• Internal: Brand Marketing & Innovation, CMI, Sales, Regional Trade Marketing, other channel teams, RTC (Route-to-Consumer), Supply Chain, Finance, Procurement, Legal & Corporate Affairs.
• External: Distributors, Retailers; BTL agencies and research agencies.

Qualifications and Experience

• University degree in Business Administration, Economics, Marketing or related fields.
• At least 6 years of experience in Trade Marketing, Commercial, Marketing or Sales in FMCG, preferably beverage; traditional trade experience is preferred.
• Experience in innovation/new product launch is a strong advantage.
• Proficiency in MS Office and BI tools; fluent in English.

Key Capabilities

• Category, Portfolio & Brand Understanding: builds category, portfolio and brand strategies into TOFT launch and channel plans.
• Shopper & Consumer Understanding: uses shopper and In-home consumer data, insights and occasions as the basis for channel plans.
• Route to Market, Channel & Customer Understanding: understands TOFT route to market, customer needs and trends to create winning plans.
• Channel Strategy Development: sets clear channel and launch strategies for sustainable, profitable growth.
• Annual Planning: translates strategy into clearly defined plans with KPIs that are tracked and evaluated.
• Excellence in Execution : drives the 12-month calendar, PICOS (Picture of Success) and commercial jobs for flawless execution at point of purchase.
• Channel, Outlet & Customer Segmentation: targets outlets and customers with similar needs to focus on launch investment.
• Commercial Acumen: optimizes channel profitability and ROI sustainably; understands RTC and market GRIP.
• Stakeholder Management: influences without authority; strong communication and negotiation

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