Product Manager - FMCG/Retail

Position Title: Product Manager

Function: Marketing

Key Stakeholders:

Internal: Group Product Manager, Sales, Shared service, Planning

External: Advertising, media and Research Agencies, End Consumers

Educational Qualification: MBA with a specialization in Marketing

Experience: At least 5 years of total experience wherein 3 years in Brand Management in an FMCG / Retail set up and 1-2 years in Sales

Key Responsibilities:

Manage Brands :

- Carry out consumer, trade and competitive analysis and provide inputs to the Group Product Manager in the process of defining the Brand Seed, Pyramid and Proposition.

- Consumer Promotions: Brainstorm and generate alternate consumer promotion concepts plans. Assess feasibility of shortlisted concepts and communicate final concept to Central Planning, R&D and Technical. Seek approval from Legal on the selected consumer promotion. Coordinate execution with Planning and Purchase.

- Pricing: Gather competitive information on pricing inclusive of all margins and schemes, analyse effect on sales due to pricing structure revision, prepare price change proposal and share with the Group Product Manager in order to sustainably increase the Volume, NSV and Gross Margin of the assigned Brand

Develop New Products :

- Prepare concept note and prepare draft charter with the help of assigned multifunctional resources.

- Define Project plan and coordinate the process across the assigned project team members. Follow up with Legal to check on Branding, Claims and Artwork. Lead the consumer validation of the concept sample. Provide design artworks for development. Circulate signed/approved shade cards and top covering sheet in order to ensure that the new product development efforts on the brand deliver Consumer delight within company norms of cost and quality

Manage Marketing Services :

- Draw up activity calendar and allocate expenses based on activity, brand plans and budget allocations.

- Create brief for media agency based on brand vision and plan. Seek approval on activity calendar and revise it as required. Provide feedback on the draft plan for media planning buying. Provide signed/ approved expense statements for A&SP review. Create brief on marketing activities and send it to the respective agency. Review plans with agencies and check adherence with brief, provide feedback. Seek approval, communicate plans to Sales with timelines and probable effect on sales due to the activity, approve incurred expenses based on the approved estimates in order to manage marketing services pertaining to the select brands for BIL.

Understand Markets :

- Draft briefs for the market research agency for consumer research related to the Brand. Prepare QRE's based on objective. Review research plan, provide feedback, seek approval on the plan finalized.

- Provide inputs into selection of respondents and participate in research. Provide feedback to R&D or concerned department/external agency based on research results in order to strengthen the understanding of consumer needs and perception of the assigned brand vis-a-vis Brand Seed and Competition.

Ensure Statutory and Legal compliance :

- Provide intent, scope of contract and relevant information on planned consumer promotions to legal, provide feedback for modifications on the first drafts; gain approval on the contract based on coverage of scope defined and also a principal approval on terms from other parties involved. Incorporate of IPRS guidelines into development of items in order to ensure compliance to statutory and legal guidelines.

Other Responsibilities :

- Monthly Sales Forecast: Provide inputs to Central Planning on the activities planned for the brand and the timelines for the same in order to contribute to sales forecasting.

- Annual Budgeting (Sales Budget): Analyze and Project Category growth rate; Plan the activities to be undertaken to budget for brand growth

- Portal Management: Provide content and scope of content for portal management

Distributor Relationship Management: Provide inputs to the distributor relationship plan from a budget/consumer/brand perspective

- Terms of Trade Process: Provide inputs in planning of promotional activities based on brand strategy

Performance Management: Set and define KRA's and discuss the same with Superior for changes/approval, complete self-assessment form based on KRA set at the start of the period