CATEGORY DEVELOPMENT LEAD
REPORTING TO
Head of Category Portfolio & Innovation (title tbd)
PURPOSE OF THE POSITION
* Explore and help realize relevant business opportunities in categories outside the defined core categories (i.e. not Cough & Cold or Urinary)
* Develop, align and coordinate all relevant processes in the context of new category evaluation
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS RESPONSIBILITIES
* Providing an international perspective on market opportunities and trends as a precondition for a realistic and ambitious new Categories strategy
* Use selected consumer and customer (incl.HCP) insights to further expanding the company's portfolio in close cooperation with the relevant interfaces
* Help defining the company´s "new categories" strategy in close cooperation with all relevant interface functions (e.g. local organizations, R&D-, Medical and Regulatory Affairs, BD, Controlling, Supply Chain Management, local markets)
* Look for new relevant business opportunity outside the defined core categories (i.e. not Cough & Cold or Urinary)
o Defining for Europe (especially our own-structure markets) which categories make sense for the company (i.e. are in line with the company´s strategy and offer potential)
o With the support of other members of the company, scout these categories for opportunities
o Evaluate relevant opportunities in new categories, which fit to the company' s strategy and its capabilities.
* Develop a successful business model for the chosen new category/categories focusing on exploring growth opportunities in the selected key international markets, working closely with key interfaces e.g. lead market, local market, BD, R&D and medical scientific / regulatory affairs. Working with local marketing in case of categories where success model is driven by local success model
o For categories where local success model has bee
* Ensuring a Category plan is developed and revised yearly which explicitly focuses on the new category international potential
* Provide strategic guidelines for implementation of the new category strategy to the lead market/local market organization, once a success model has been found
* Responsibility for the budget assigned to the new categories activities
QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCES
* Bachelor's Degree in business administration, Economics or similar degree (Master degree preferred)
* Fluent English is mandatory; German desirable, other languages nice to have
* Significant marketing/brand management experience (in the OTC or FMCG world), (ie over 8 years) with experiences in several categories
* International experience (worked abroad or in an international organization)
* Experience with NPD development (from concept until product launch) ,
* Experience with Consumer/HCP Insight & ATL Communication development, (Nice to have)
* Proven track record in a marketing/product management role within an international context
* Experience working within a cross-functional matrix organization in a leading role
* Experience with team management,
* Experience in new brand introductions
* Experience with In-Licensing Projects and with Business Development
* Experience with M&A projects (Nice to have)
SKILLS & COMPETENCIES
* Highly developed strategic, analytical and creative skills combined with business acumen
* Strong understanding and experience with consumer/customer marketing
* Strong communication skills combined with a pragmatic, down-to-earth approach towards challenges
* Politically astute with sound judgement
* Collaborative by nature and able to challenge respectively and constructively, as well as high cross-culture sensitivity
* Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills
* Impactful, assertive, credible and inspiring with senior stakeholders internally and externally
* High level of integrity, and thus able to inspire trust and confidence
* Forward thinking open and receptive to new ideas.
* Modern and innovative "out of the box thinker" able to break with old traditions
* Driver mentality, high sense of responsibility acting decisively and accountable
* Ability to uphold decisions with conviction
* Entrepreneurial, driven and result oriented
