Brand Activation Manager Benelux

Description Overview

The Brand Activation Manager  is responsible for translating brand strategy into impactful in‑market activation plans at country level. Reporting to the S&W Cluster Senior Marketing Director (with a dotted line to the Market Lead), this role ensures seamless alignment between Brand, CS&I, Sales and Commercial teams to deliver strong brand visibility and execution.

Scope of the Role

Translates brand strategy into a clear activation action plan in partnership with CS&I and
validated with the market lead in his/her country/market.

1.Exposed to the brand strategy and key category objectives (metrics and KPI’s) from category
local teams and in alignment with marketing director, defines an activation plan brief in
partnership with brand managers and CS&I and aligns with market lead to create the
activation plan adapted to local context and needs:

•   Co creates with category teams the desired plan calendar to match with media
  according to consumer insights (season, annualization of results, etc..) and aligns
  with CS&I on commercial input for feasibility and best dates to create a full
  activation promo/advertising/pos animation calendar.

•   Defines the desired assets to play in store to maximize the activation and aligns
  with CS&I input on feasibility and shopper insights.

•   Defines desired HCP priorities and key assets and aligns with CS&I

•   Defines in partnership with CS&I distribution priorities according to brand
  positioning and sets the reach ambition align with CS&I input from
  channels/sales.

•   Defines in partnership with CS&I the desired price brand positioning, taking into
  account brand positioning, competition bench, consumer perception,
  commercial and RGM inputs.

2. Coordinate and manages priority at country/market level:

  • Coordinates with the local CS&I team and validates with the Market Lead the priorities to
match category priorities and country priorities.

  • Consolidates and creates the activation calendar in partnership with CS&I

  • Follow ups plans execution and tracks and shares status and first results

  • Shares and presents the category/brand plan with the Market lead and CS&I to local sales
team in convention, sales meeting etc. with the support and participation of the marketing
team when needed.

3. Enhance visibility on plans and unified priorities fitting into country context and
responding to cluster plan.

  • Manages and shares country calendars and brand activation plans with all stackeholders

  • Defends and explains the prioritization after working a common vision with the local CS&I team
  and the Market lead and ensures it is within the cluster activation priorities guidelines frame.

• Coordinates the cross category documents with the marketing teams to be updated (A&P’s
files, sell out forecast and results…etc.. )

4. Responsible for local jewels and distribution brands with a dedicated team.

  • Manages teams dedicated to local jewels and distribution brands

  • Set with the teams the activation plans and activation strategy for these brands

  • In agreement with marketing director, insert these brands into the local priorities proposal to in
  alignment with market lead and CS&I.

 • Takes care of getting all assets needed to manage these brands.

5. Local point of reference of the marketing team.

• Member of the local lead team
• In Local marketing and sales meetings represent marketing or coordinates
  attendance of certain category teams depending on the agenda
•  Gathers feedback and needs from marketing team (ways of working, engagement,
  training…)

Experience Required

• Degree in Marketing, Business Administration or related field

• Several years of experience in Brand Activation, Trade Marketing, Shopper Marketing or Brand Management (FMCG/Consumer Health preferred)

• Strong ability to translate strategy into actionable activation plans

• Experience collaborating with CS&I, Sales, RGM and Brand teams

• Solid understanding of distribution, pricing, competition and shopper insights

• Proven experience in activation calendar planning and POS execution

• Strong analytical skills and confidence in KPI tracking

• Excellent stakeholder management at market and cluster level

• Structured, proactive and execution‑driven working style

• Fluency in Dutch and English, with strong communication skills in both languages