Innovation Sales Manager at Diageo

• To propose a commercial plan which takes into account each projects role in the category strategy, resulting channel strategy and shopper touchpoints
• To be the commercial leader within the Innovation department
• To ensure full alignment of proposed plan with category development and channel leads, prior to CLT alignment
• To ensure commercial plan is in line with approved JUBP plan
• Be the commercial lead and partner from Gate3 – Gate6
• Ensure profitable and sustainable market share growth in both volume and value across our new innovation launches - as per our Gate 5 Commercial Strategy
• To equip the Commercial organization with sufficient support to launch new brands successfully in market
• Develop people capability within the Commercial Innovation team
• Develop the overall capability of Commercial Innovation function

Top Accountabilities

Leadership of Innovation Commercialisation

• Innovation projects fully integrated and aligned to the portfolio and category strategy
• Build robust Commercial Plans to ensure Brilliant Execution of Innovation launches across segments and customers
• Propose and implement aligned commercial launch strategy (seed, challenger, leader, flanker, grass roots etc)
• Innovation is commercialised at scale and executed boldly everytime.
• ‘Best in Class’ customer proposals and commercial toolkits are delivered.
• Search & spin opportunities across categories are commercialised with pace and excellence.
• ‘Best in Class’ tools and processes are developed and implemented
• Develop full QDVPPPP:
• Phased distribution targets by region, channel & segment.
• Pricing strategy to inform favourable Diageo SA and customer margins
• Volume targets linked to distribution plan & to inform COGS calculations & pipeline fill
• Full sales driver plan by channel & segment including National and Regional Accounts.
• Merchandising strategy in consultation with Category Development and 3RD party teams
• Customer narratives and ‘sell in’ story by channel, using clear and proven customer insights
• Shopper touchpoint proposals, understanding the influencing message required at each stage (Stop, Engage, Land)
• Commercial arguments & sales presentations to support sales teams at launch
• Recommended KPI’s by channel

Innovation Performance

• Achieve gate forecast
• Performance conversations within the market affect positive change and growth.
• Performance interventions are made swiftly and effectively through CFT forums via the IBP process.
• Analysis of market trends to identify shopper and customer opportunities.

Building great relationships

• Cross functional ways of working established with the category development functions in Beer, Spirits, FABs & Innovation creating synergies in our planning and activation resulting in more effective execution and significant time, resource and cost savings.
• To develop a culture of shared learning between the Innovation Commercialisation experts across Diageo and particularly within Africa
• Sales & Marketing leaders consider the Innovation Commercialisation resource to be a pivotal component of their team. They recognise the role that the Innovation Commercialisation team plays in building Diageo SA share of categories with customers
• To enhance strong relationships with relevant internal and external partners through customer collaboration sessions and demand planning through the IBP Process to maximise the impact of our Innovation within category platforms.
• Participates in cross-functional insight generation, contributing expert commercial knowledge.
• Analyse competitor activity to identify threats & opportunities.
• Establish appropriate RTC (route to consumer) strategy.
• Lead, develop and implement the Commercial Strategy for Innovation Brands to ensure focus and clarity of purpose amongst sales teams.
   

Qualifications

Qualifications and Experience Required

• Commercial Graduate Qualification – Business Related
• High cognitive ability
   

Experience

• Strong customer marketing (sales capabilities/ trade marketing/ Key Accounts) (> 7 years)
• Note: it is not essential for the candidate to have worked in and Innovation role before
• Multifunctional commercial experience: customer marketing, category management, market research, field sales, key accounts and data analysis experience
• Great performance track record and strong customer relationships
• High level of understanding and experience of customer engagement and project management
   

Key Skills

• Needs to lead and bring commercial expertise into the innovation team. Using strong past experience in the industry, plus strong customer insight, challenge and build new ways of working to drive excellent results and bold execution
• Knows how to get things done in customers: has an in depth understanding of strategic customers - their business strategies, structures, operating practices & culture as well as their shoppers/drinkers
• Sufficient gravitas to present to and influence Key Stakeholder at senior levels
• Highly skilled in fostering commitment and creating alignment across consumer and customer agenda