Summary
This new, pivotal strategic role in Japan will act as the leader for big, profit driving consumer/shopper ideas, inspiring brand and sales teams and senior leadership teams, by understanding what matters to consumers/shoppers and overall market landscape and delivering insights which unlock significant brand and business growth.
Responsibilities
Under the guidance of the Marketing Director, Japan and working closely with the Insights Manager - Asia, Insights Director, and the Global Brand teams, the role holder will be a strategic ‘thought partner’ in the identification, development, targeting and monitoring success of Japan.
The role will provide brand teams with actionable business and A&P allocation direction as well as opportunities, insightful and actionable consumer/shopper understanding, strategy recommendation, research implementation and analysis. The role will support the Marketing team in informing and influencing portfolio and innovation strategy.
The role will also provide commercial team insight on trade environment, category, channel and customer trends. The role will also be an instrumental partner for Japan and Asia Leadership teams as the business moves into Own Distribution RTC, working on strategic initiatives and identifying business opportunities.
In addition to managing research, the role will co-lead the Annual planning process (in particular identifying key business questions with Marketing team, designing S&I structure and content with brand teams, designing commercial workshops together with commercial team, supporting country planning) and help identify compelling insights and use them to help develop inspired solutions to business issues and opportunities. The person will be a champion of their role as well as a representative of the company Insights function in and outside the company.
Insights Generation:
Lead the identification of critical knowledge gaps relative to consumers, shoppers and the marketplace, and champion the development of solutions to address
Lead continuous analysis of market trends as well as ad-hoc research projects needed to address key business priorities or knowledge gaps
Generate actionable insights about the brands, consumers, market trends to assist in the development of brand and portfolio strategies
Join the dots between consumer, shopper and trade insights
Being the voice of consumer and shopper, collaborates with brand teams in the development of brand building strategies and activations by performing analyses and preparing recommendations, including setting up consumer-led KPIs as appropriate
Business Planning and Strategy:
Play instrumental role in Country and Region Strategy development and other long-term projects
Co-lead annual planning process (leading S&I session and Commercial workshops) and actively contributing in the whole cycle
Lead edge in shopper knowledge and category management; co-lead/contribute to category management/redesign projects with Key Accounts together with Brand and Commercial team
Help establish strong culture of measurement and evaluation of marketing activities
Ensure rigid discipline of research budget usage. Approach spending decisions with critical KPI-based mindset; ensure team’s adherence to business unit spending authorization policy
Provide strategic oversight of planning cycle in relation to Insights subjects. Assign the appropriate tasks and resources to ensure full alignment with this business process
Japan Insights Leadership and Asia/Global Insights Team Contribution:
Lead the local/regional Insights project initiatives ensuring
(i) disciplined target setting and tracking of execution and
(ii) development of team knowledge and capabilities
Establish culture and necessary projects/processes aimed at holistic consumer and shopper understanding closely linked to business ST and LT strategies and objectives
Test and learn, connect with wider Insights team and exchange/steal with pride
Manage relationships with local research agencies and panel providers (contract negotiations, costs, accurate delivery of services, etc)
Building insights capabilities within Japan team
Build and nurture the culture of insights and fact-based approach within Marketing & Sales organization
Educate and train teams on company principles, establish common language
Build awareness and confidence in usage and interpretation of existing data and tools within Marketing & Sales
Closely collaborate with Finance analytics to connect the dots and gather relevant insights for pricing strategy and RGM.
Monitor the market to identify opportunities to get data and relevant insights, Test & learn new mechanics.
Fosters culture of thorough and comprehensive research briefing among the teams
Required Experience & Education
5+ years of client or agency side FMCG/Beverage/Tobacco/consumer/shopper/retail insights experience
Strong Business and Trade environment acumen
Shopper understanding
Retail Market Sales Data
Excellent quantitative research skills and understanding of/exposure to qualitative research
Fluent Business English proficiency - advanced written and oral communication in English
U&A studies, brand tracking, retail sales data analysis and concept testing
Proficient with Microsoft Office Products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Advanced statistical analysis skills, working with different data sources, drawing formed, logical conclusions.
Ability to synthesize different streams of information into precise, relevant hypotheses.