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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive growth through strategic marketing and customer insights in a dynamic FMCG environment.
- Company: Join DS Smith, a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, bonuses, private medical insurance, and 25 days holiday.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on sustainability while developing your marketing expertise.
- Qualifications: Degree in Business, Marketing, or related field; experience in marketing planning and customer insights.
- Other info: Hybrid work model with opportunities for career growth and a diverse, inclusive culture.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!
About the role
We are currently looking for a Strategic Marketing Manager EMEA, who will deliver growth through strategic planning, ABM planning, customer insights, and a strategic innovations pipeline, while ensuring marketing efforts are customer-centric and commercially impactful. This role supports the Annual Business Planning (ABP) process across two subregions and drives strategic category planning in collaboration with local teams. You will develop compelling value propositions with lead markets or customers and monitor segment performance across EMEA. Additionally, you will co-lead research initiatives with the insights and foresights team, support sales enablement through category insights and customer presentations, and contribute to innovation planning by owning the desirability lens and guiding product development.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Lead ABP and category planning, ensure ABM planning is fully embedded in strategic marketing, with clearly defined objectives, precise targeting, and measurable growth KPIs.
- Define and deliver segment-specific marketing strategies aligned with commercial growth objectives, developing compelling value propositions with lead markets/customers and translating them into actionable ABM plans, with a strong focus on Most Wanted opportunities and tender management excellence to drive commercial impact and customer relevance.
- Strengthen our value proposition differentiation by identifying key points of difference versus competitors through competitor analysis, ensuring strategies and propositions are distinctive and impactful.
- Monitor segment performance and optimise plans based on insights and KPIs. Co-lead research initiatives with the Insights & Foresights team to inform strategic decisions.
- Provide relevant category insights to unlock customer opportunities and accelerate pipeline conversion. Support Account Managers with opportunity identification and ensure marketing deliverables (e.g., insights presentations, VP translation into sell-ins) are tailored to support growth targets and ABM activation.
- Support Marketing Communications in development of perfect offer, ensuring marketing campaigns reflect strategic growth priorities and customer needs.
- Lead the Exploration phase of the Innovation process, own the desirability lens through to product development, and define prioritisation and customisation by being the voice of the customer.
About You
- A Degree or professional qualification in Business administration, Sales, Marketing, or other relevant field of study.
- Demonstrated expertise in marketing planning, value proposition development, customer insight, and sales enablement from previous marketing roles (ideally within Consumer Goods or other industries where marketing is recognised as a core driver of business growth).
- Proven success in partnering with senior stakeholders across complex organisations, negotiating and influencing effectively to achieve business goals.
- Deep understanding of customer-centricity, with a track record of delivering tangible business impact.
- Excellent communication, storytelling, and presentation skills.
- Commercial acumen with proven ability to grasp, analyse and initiate actions based on strong financial insights and understanding.
- Strategic mindset, result-oriented, accountable, energetic.
Benefits:
- Competitive salary
- Discretionary bonus
- Car allowance
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Private Medical Insurance
- Pension scheme, life assurance and income protection
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Employee Discounts
- Cycle to work scheme
To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.
Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.
Strategic Marketing Manager FMCG employer: DS Smith
Contact Detail:
DS Smith Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Strategic Marketing Manager FMCG
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company and its competitors. Understand their products and marketing strategies so you can showcase your knowledge and how you can contribute to their goals.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share your past experiences and how they relate to the role. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers effectively.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team at DS Smith.
We think you need these skills to ace Strategic Marketing Manager FMCG
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Strategic Marketing Manager role. Highlight your experience in marketing planning and customer insights, as these are key for us. Use specific examples that showcase your achievements in similar roles.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to tell us why you're the perfect fit. Be sure to mention your understanding of customer-centricity and how you've delivered tangible business impact in previous positions. Keep it engaging and personal!
Showcase Your Strategic Mindset: In your application, demonstrate your strategic thinking skills. Discuss how you've developed marketing strategies that align with commercial growth objectives. We want to see how you can contribute to our goals at DS Smith.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows your enthusiasm for joining our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at DS Smith
✨Know Your Market
Before the interview, dive deep into the FMCG sector and understand the latest trends. Familiarise yourself with DS Smith's competitors and their strategies. This will help you articulate how your insights can drive strategic marketing decisions.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Mindset
Prepare examples from your past experiences where you've successfully led marketing strategies or ABM planning. Be ready to discuss how you defined objectives, targeted specific segments, and measured growth KPIs. This will demonstrate your ability to think strategically.
✨Communicate Effectively
Practice your storytelling and presentation skills. You’ll need to convey complex ideas simply and compellingly. Consider preparing a mock presentation on a marketing strategy you’ve developed in the past to showcase your communication prowess.
✨Emphasise Customer-Centricity
Be prepared to discuss how you've previously put customers at the heart of your marketing efforts. Share specific examples of how you gathered customer insights and translated them into actionable marketing plans that drove commercial impact.
