At Arla, we do so much more than make some of the world's favourite dairy products. We make healthy taste delicious, mornings worth getting up for and family dinners unforgettable. Cravendale®, Anchor®, Lurpak® and Tickler® - names like these make us a vital, natural part of modern life in over 100 countries around the world. We are 4,000 UK and 19,000 global employees at the heart of it. Every single one of us plays an important role and together we build on our 10bn Euros turnover and establish our position as one of the largest dairy companies in the world.


An opportunity now exists for a talented Senior Category & Brand Manager to join our UK business and execute important growth plans for our Speciality cheese business. This role is a 9 month fixed term contract to cover a period of maternity leave.


In this role you will lead the Speciality cheese category to deliver growth for Arla through both brands and private label. You will also lead the local category strategy based on step change consumer & shopper thinking to build inventive and successful annual plans to deliver growth for Arla and our customers. In addition, you will adopt ideas from other markets where appropriate and create shareable best practice. Ultimately you will also be responsible for leading overarching strategy for Speciality cheese.


Specific tasks in this role are as follows:


STRATEGY

• Owns the development and delivery of the local category (sub) category strategy to define how Arla Foods will unlock consumer insight to deliver growth for both Arla and our customers (including new channel & format recommendations)
• Owns the UK Speciality strategy and portfolio strategy, including the role of private label
• Driving force of creamery's strategy & activation plans including shows and total B2B comms platforms

P&L OWNERSHIP

• Owns the delivery of the (sub) category P&L - constantly seeking to strengthen through profit improvements initiatives across all areas e.g. pricing, supply chain etc., and initiates corrective actions, incl. short term, when needed

BRAND

• Deliver step change brand performance through brand manager
• Support brand manager in creating a consumer-driven and insightful business in touch with consumers' and customers' needs through world-class tools and external focus

INNOVATION

• Feeds insights and local market requirements into global teams to ensure category strategy and relevant innovation pipelines meet local market requirements
• Drives the creation and deliver the +3-year innovation strategy aligned with the category and relevant brand strategy that supports the ambitions of the overall category. Working closely with concept developers and product/pack development team.
• Takes an overview of innovations developed by global and/or other local markets - bringing new products, services and activation ideas to local consumers in the most compelling way possible.

ANNUAL PLANNING & RETAILER ENGAGEMENT

• Owns and drives the annual business planning process for the (sub) category
• Create and deliver retailer engagement sessions
• Lead the creation of strong consumer/category insight led shopper activation platforms

PEOPLE

• As a leader within the marketing function you will drive the consumer agenda in and across

To be successful in this role you will have brand and own label experience. With strong leadership qualities you will be able to influence across a global matrix organisation. You will also be able to demonstrate strong strategic ability and the delivery of volume & profit growth.