Aromatherapy Associates | Global Brand Manager

Job Title: Global Brand Manager

Location: Brentford Offices

Contract: Full time / Permanent

Department: Marketing

Reporting to: Global Head of Brand and Innovation

Aromatherapy Associates has been sharing the therapeutic powers of essential oils for almost 40 years. The brand was founded in 1985 by Geraldine Howard & Sue Beechey, therapists that had trained under the renowned aromatherapist Micheline Arcier, who can be traced back to the modern-day founders of aromatherapy. It was then that they experienced first-hand the powerfully positive effects of essential oils on our physical and emotional wellbeing.

As a company we have a family culture and live by one of Geraldine’s beliefs: “It’s more than just a business, it’s a way of life”.

The brand is present in over 50 markets globally with regional sales offices in the UK, US and Hong Kong. Distribution is across spa, retail, online retailers, e-commerce and distributor partners.

As aromatherapy experts, our vision has remained constant for a generation – sharing the power and therapeutic effects of natural essential oils. Our award-winning blends have gained recognition across the beauty world for their transformative effects on the mind, body and skin.

Expertly hand-blended in our London laboratory, our essential oils and unique active botanicals have created innovations in body and skincare.

We care deeply about the ingredients we use and how we deliver them to you. We take a mindful approach to the origins, workers wellbeing and certification of all our oils and botanicals, with a commitment to evolving our support for global community projects.

Our sustainability vision is an ongoing endeavour, along with our desire to create the very best aromatherapy products, so you can enjoy beautiful, glowing, healthy skin, free from harsh chemicals and synthetics.

Overview of the role

The Global Brand Marketing Manager will be responsible for brand planning, developing the marketing calendar, and executing impactful marketing plans while managing a brand team of two. Additionally, this role will serve as the creative lead for the brand and create the PR strategy ensuring alignment with commercial goals and innovative growth. Collaboration with various teams (commercial, digital, NPD) will be essential to enhance brand awareness and consumer engagement Your understanding of the brand’s purpose, values and ambitions will be considered in your activation planning. This role will also support the Global Head of Brand & Innovation in developing a long-term brand strategy and work on the brand refresh.

Key Responsibilities

• Team Management: Provide line management for the brand marketing team, comprising two direct reports, fostering their development and empowering each member to reach their full potential.
• Strategic Planning: Collaborate with the Global Head of Brand & Innovation to develop the annual brand strategy and budget, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives. Support in updating the Brand Visual Identity (BVI), Consumer Driven Strategy (CDS), Tone of Voice (TOV) and messaging hierarchy, ensuring consistent messaging across all channels.
• Marketing Strategy Execution and annual marketing planning: Formulate a marketing calendar that reflects brand priorities and aligns with key initiatives.
• Marketing Activation Plans: Lead the briefing and delivery of all campaign assets, collaborating closely with the Global Brand Marketing Executive and the Social Media Manager to provide comprehensive toolkits for all channels.
• Campaign toolkits: Create campaign toolkits with clearly defined campaign objectives, content (key assets, campaign idea and strapline) and brand activation plans including events, PR, social content, influencers, brand partnerships. Ensure that the campaign is consistently executed across all channels (brand, DTC, trade, spa).
• Brand Sampling Strategy: Develop and execute a brand sampling strategy to enhance product trial and awareness, identifying key touchpoints and opportunities to engage consumers directly.
• Creative Direction: Lead the creative direction for brand and campaign photoshoots.
• Content Creation: Lead the creation of campaign content and assets, including digital banners, campaign ideas/taglines in collaboration with the Marketing Executive.
• Annual PR Strategy: Create and execute the annual PR strategy while managing the PR agency to enhance brand visibility in collaboration with the Brand Marketing Executive.
• Budget Management: Handle day-to-day brand marketing budget management, covering creative development, events, influencer partnerships, awards and other marketing expenditures, along with monthly reporting.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Lead bi-weekly marketing meetings to ensure effective cross-functional collaboration, aligning efforts and fostering communication among teams.

The Ideal Candidate

As the Global Brand Marketing Manager, you will showcase strong leadership and the ability to influence cross-functional teams, demonstrating a proactive spirit. You’ll transform insights into actionable strategies, execute impactful marketing plans, and lead the creative development of the brand. With exceptional project and time management skills, your attention to detail will ensure effective budget management and successful campaign delivery. You will also play a key role in shaping the long-term brand strategy.

• Experience: 5-10 years of experience in brand marketing, preferably within the beauty, luxury, or wellness sectors.
• Leadership Skills: Proven ability to lead and inspire cross-functional teams.
• Strategic Thinking: Strong capability to develop and execute brand strategies that align with commercial goals.
• Project Management: Excellent project and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple campaigns simultaneously.
• Creative Development: Experience in driving creative direction and overseeing content creation for campaigns.
• Budget Management: Proficient in managing marketing budgets and ensuring effective allocation of resources.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to analyse market trends and consumer insights to inform marketing strategies.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills for effective collaboration and presentation.
• Problem-Solving Mindset: Strong aptitude for identifying challenges and developing innovative solutions.
• Marketing Trend Savvy: Up-to-date with industry trends and able to identify new, innovative marketing opportunities.
• Collaboration: Proven ability to work collaboratively across functions.
• Attention to Detail: Meticulous approach to project execution and quality assurance.
• Passion for the Brand: A genuine enthusiasm for aromatherapy and wellness, aligning with the brand\’s values and mission.
• Must be able to travel into our Brentford Office 2-3 days per week.

Aromatherapy Associates is dedicated to fostering a workplace that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We believe that a diverse workforce leads to richer discussions, innovative ideas, and better outcomes for our team and the communities we serve. We actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds to join us in our mission to create a more inclusive and equitable future.