6 months maternity cover role. Overall responsible for creating the brand and portfolio strategy on Bars, Rusks and SAFARI. Portfolio rationalisation together with 8 Innovation projects assisted in landing the short-term strategy on the brand which I will see through until May’18. Strategic and Financial Results:•Develop long term sustainable through analysing Nielsen data together with consumer research and internal sales in order to determine underperformance within category and setting up an action plan to combat risks.•Managed budgets through Junior Brand Manager in order to allocate spend against key activities and plans for the year.Operational Results:•Investigating operating profit across three factories in order to optimise production schedules across 183 products. Presenting plans to Senior Management.•Managing run out schedules in order to minimise write-off cost across 3 product categories as part of the full portfolio packaging upgrade and rationalisation.Customer and Relationship Results:•Crafted online brand management strategies and marketing tactics that utilise all tools and channels, including emails, social media and paid media•Working closely with Key Account Managers in order to set promotional campaigns in Grocery accounts that drives volume and share.Innovation and Improvement Results:•Researched and implemented two new Rusks variants for Winter campaign together with 5 new Trail Mix variants in order to close the competitor gap within Snacks and Treats.•Upgrading packaging on 83 SKU’s and signing off final colour standards at printers.Leadership Results:•Managed and briefed research and creative agencies (Paton Tupper, Liquorice, Hirt & Carter, KANTAR & Nielsen) to ensure strategic brand objectives are met through planned events, activations and consumer 1-2-1.•Managed and responsible for the output, development and performance appraisal of the Junior Brand Manager.

Strategic & Financial•Developed Retail, Supply chain, Merchandising, and Consumer engagement strategies by utilising market evolution and intelligence information (EPOS, RA, Shipments, Macro, Industry & Research data) to recommend actionable Marketing plans for Peter Stuyvesant.•Managed Budgets through managing committed and accruals. Budget Estimation on 10 projects retained Budget allocation and a saving of R8.5mn by combining research projects.•Developed the Product and Brand strategy for 2017/2018/2019 by analysing performance data and research over the last 5 years to showcase the necessity and consumer need for Product Enhancement and line extensions.Operational•Constantly monitoring brand performance and engaging with Factory, Product, Packaging and Key account managers in brand related developments. Presenting brand plans to Senior Management.•Launched the first flavoured innovation capsule product within Peter Stuyvesant’s portfolio, achieving 0.3ppts market share (+0.1ppt above target) within the first two months of launch.Customer & Relationship•Planned creative campaign deployment by utilising NTE’s, HoReCa, Mobile App’s, Brand Ambassadors and In-store to relay brand strategic intent.•Facilitated the exchange of brand information cross-functionally to promote commitment and implementation of agreed brand strategies.Innovation & Improvement•Positioning Peter Stuyvesant’s portfolio against competitors through consumer & channel segmentation. •Unlocking the potential that capsule technology has in determining new segments that Peter Stuyvesant can explore.Leadership•Managed and briefed research and creative agencies (OGILVY) to ensure strategic brand objectives are met through planned events, activations and consumer 1-2-1.•Supervising the sign off of marketing literature and campaigns, liaising with legal and compliance personnel, ensuring the designs and messages meet the company brand and regulatory guidelines.

Strategic & Financial•Analysing, Reporting and Value adding Insight generation from performance data using EPOS, AC Nielsen, Shipments, Consumer and Macro environment and presenting findings to Senior Leadership team.•Calculation and estimation of market size in driving oganisation growth and Weighted Average Price to assist with segmenting the market and closing portfolio gaps.•Using the Co-plan Forecast in developing the Regional/Channel FC.Operational•Designed and implemented a Dashboard with key Channel, Regional and Brand insights that reported on consumer and competitor performance in conjuction with a 2day training session to upskill managers.•Designed and entrenched a Field Force Insights Network to support impactful recommendations based on robust insights received from Reps.Customer & Relationship•Managing Projects and Budgets with Brand & Agencies (IMRB & Nielsen) to ensure marketing activities are evaluated against stated objectives.•Assisted Key Account Managers with analysing and interpreting their respective Accounts’ performance in preparation for Quarterly business updates to respective Accounts. Innovation & Improvement•Build a comprehensive competitor knowledge base to proactively address threats by ensuring BAT portfolio superiority.•Fostered the development of customised strategies based on the Strengths/Weaknesses of each Region & Channel; instead of an umbrella approach. Regions now operate as Strategic Business units that support the overall strategy.Leadership•Trained 10 Management employees Internally/Externally on the various data resources and empowered insight generation skills to facilitate performance tracking. •A structure change resulted in the management of 5 Insight Executives responsible for relaying weekly insights, performance updates and reasons for not achieving targets as input into the core drivers of overall company performance. This enabled proactive action taking in addressing gaps and opportunities.

An entrepreneurial venture in wanting a unique concept by merging a second hand bookshop with a tobacconist. I managed the day-to-day activities of the business ranging from the accounting, marketing, business decisions, sales and all other day-to-day business tasks. I worked in the shop over weekends and had an assistant during the week as I still worked full time. I gained valuable insights and learned a lot about the broader functioning of a business. This also taught me to be a self-starter and take responsibility of my situation.Accomplishments●Building and establishing a business from nothing●Doubling profit within two years.

*Managed financial accounts to ensure that trade marketing resources are secure and used in the most efficient and effective manner possible.*Provide trade marketing information and reports on performance and accounts to ensure that the Area Manager and the key account handlers are fully informed at all times.*Developed and implement a territory trade marketing plan that facilitated the implementation of brand, volume, merchandising, promotion and share objectives.*Ensure that company resources are managed in the most effective manner by managing financial accounts and assets for the area.*Building retail customer relations through discussing new agreements relevant to trade investments and signing up new customers in order to achieve sales and trade targets.*Proven record of coaching and developing a highly motivated team and new sales representatives.*Execute marketing activities in outlets located within a specific area in order to meet customer, consumer and brand objectives. *Full responsibility for customer business development, customer relationship management, new brand introductions, stock management and communicating the brand essence to retailers.*Maintain accurate customer information and report on competitor moves and sales and distribution targets to ensure that key role players are fully informed at all times.

*Plan daily route visits based on assigned visit activities and objectives.*Influence orders from customers, ensuring that the portfolio of brands is available in the right place, in the right quantities, at the right time.*Achieve distribution objectives of product availability, customer service levels, stock holding and stock rotation.*Propose new ways of creating relevant Consumer Experiences by identifying opportunities in retail to excite the Consumer and Customers alike.*Establish close working relationships with the trade in order to gain high levels of trade support and loyalty.

Develop and implement CRM activities for an allocated geographical area.Effective Management of funds, materials, equipment and company vehicles, in accordance with BATSA policies and procedures.Actively participate in cross-functional working relationships with Marketing and other relevant functions to enhance consumer focus within BATSA.Actively develop and build relationships with consenting adults smokers older than 18 in order to increase brand engagement whilst enhancing understanding of the brand.Provide data and maintain accurate records on consumer and brand specific information as well as competitor moves in order to ensure that key role players are fully informed at all times.Networking.Organising own brand and consumer events.