Jr. Brand Manager Verkade

Job Environment:

The Jr. Brand Manager Verkade will be part of the Verkade brand team (4 people in total), delivering a strong contribution to achieving the marketing, revenue and profit goals set for the brand in the local market. The candidate will report to the Marketing manager.

The Verkade brand contains product ranges divided over the Sweet Biscuits, Savoury Biscuits and Chocolate categories. The market is mature and facing a challenge in both volume and value development making it a highly competitive environment. The economic crisis of the last years put additional challenges as consumers focus on price, promo and also tending more towards Private Label and Hard Discount.

Brand challenges: pressured market environment, tough competition from PL, HD and A-brands, maintaining share of the brands core, delivering New Product Development projects for future growth, brand activation and communication development.

The Verkade Jr. Brand Manager role requires a highly pro-active posture: continuous adaptation to changing internal and external circumstances is required in order to defend and improve the brand position. The Jr. Brand Manager has a direct link to several different departments on a daily basis: Sales and Trade Marketing, Research & Insights, Demand Planning, Logistics, Finance, NPD Technical, Manufacturing and Legal.

This role offers the opportunity to work – to a certain extend linked to the level of experience of the candidate – on all marketing mix elements. From brand strategy and product development to communications and brand activation and all this for a leading A-brand, in a dynamic market. With the commercial offices situated at the Zaandam factory site, the location for this marketing role allows the Jr. Brand Manager to work in very diverse multidisciplinary teams. An unique challenge for a strong and dedicated marketeer with clear ambition to be successful in contributing to brand growth.

Key activities and responsibilities:

Jr. Brand Management activities and responsibilities: . To contribute to the development and implementation of the brand strategy and brand activation plans for Verkade for the coming years, based on category and customer understanding, consumer and shopper needs and drivers, in order to drive future brand growth; . To initiate, implement and "take ownership" for projects arising from the brand plans; . To be actively involved in execution of new product development projects; . To implement communication strategies and activation plans, incl. development of below the line activations; . Act as a spider in the web for various disciplines within UB on behalf of the Verkade brand; . Budget and process management of the projects within the scope of the function; . KPI’s: Brand revenue and profitability, Market share, Brand awareness, Penetration and Repeat, Pricing, NPD roll-out, Rotation on Shelf, Communications effectiveness

Profile:

For this full time position, we are looking for a candidate with: . University degree in a commercial subject, preferably Marketing . 2 to 3 years experience in brand management for an A-brand within the FMCG sector. . Experience in (strategic) marketing planning, NPD process and marketing communications. . Experience in Account Management/Sales or Trade Marketing is a pre. . Experience and/or affinity with Online marketing and Social media is a pre. . A high level of self-support and stress resistance. . Fluent level (written and spoken) in Dutch and English. . Analytical-, P&L management-, presentation-, communication- and interpersonal relationship skills at moderate level. . High energy- and dedication level and a strong can do mentality

We are looking for the following key competencies and attitude:

Performance: Ambition: . High drive for results . Developing self . Ownership . Meeting high standards . Resilience

Competitiveness: Energy: . Customer and consumer focus . Team work . Insights and benchmarking against the . Interpersonal relationships best

The Company:

Koninklijke Verkade N.V. is a subsidiary company of , an international operating food company, focusing on its core activity (Savoury) Biscuits. United Biscuits has a headquarter in the United Kingdom. Well-known brands in the are Verkade and Sultana with a great history, enthusiastic consumers and tasteful products. Other International brands are BN, McVities, Go Ahead! and Delacre. In Zaandam some 450 employees are working on contemporary, valuable and successful brands which fit current and future consumer needs and developments.

At Koninklijke Verkade the Marketing Department is headed by the local Head of Marketing with both the Verkade and Sultana brands under his supervision. Both brand teams are being led by a Marketing manager. Today, we are searching for a dedicated Jr. Brand Manager for an important role within the Verkade brand team.

Are you interested?

If you want to have any more information you can contact Ms. F. Wouda, Marketing manager Verkade via telephone number +31 (0)75 6556 686. To apply for this job, please send your letter of application and resume to Koninklijke Verkade NV, Mrs I. Wenig, HR Business Partner, Postbus 5, 1500 EA Zaandam. Or send an email to: [email protected].

All applications will be treated with confidentiality. Acquisition is not appreciated.