Marketing Manager at BIC Nigeria

BIC® products are known and appreciated all over the world for their quality, their affordability and ease of use. The ballpoint pen, the pocket lighter, the one-piece shaver are all part of the daily lives of millions of consumers. These products make BIC® one of the best known international brands, present in 3.2 million retail outlets, in more than 160 countries. As we explore the tremendous opportunities ahead, we have a need for dedicated and dynamic employees to help build our team.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Marketing Manager

Location: Lagos
Department: Marketing and Product Management

Job Summary

• The Manager Marketing Nigeria oversees and holds ultimate responsibility for the development and deployment of a fully integrated Marketing Strategy in the country.
• He/She manages the Human Expression (Stationery), Flame for Life (Lighters) and Blade Excellence (Shavers) categories in their entirety within the Nigerian market.
• Working closely with the General Manager Nigeria, the Manager Marketing MENAWACA, and the local Marketing teams, he/she effectively orchestrates all Marketing efforts. This includes shaping and implementing brand strategy; understand the market and consumers, engage the consumers and customers, design a strategy on product offering and positioning on both BIC and Lucky Stationery… creating demand for BIC products all within a budget, and with close follow-up of Marketing-relevant KPIs.
• The Manager Marketing Nigeria will also have to work closely with Sales, Finance and Supply & Deliver teams to achieve Business Objectives and help LSNL entity create consumers connections: bring simplicity and joy to everyday life!

Main Responsibilities / Tasks

• Manages a winning Brand Portfolio, covering all channels and delivering Revenue Growth Management KPIs.
• Develops an in-depth understanding of the Nigerian market, BIC categories, consumers, and their expectations.
• Develops comprehensive Marketing Plans and Strategies for the Nigerian market and oversees their implementation in the 3 categories BIC operates in, Human Expression, Flame for Life and Blade Excellence.
• Works closely with MENAWACA Marketing HQ to develop a strategy that is synergized to MEA and the Group priorities and representative of the Nigerian market.
• Builds a Lucky Stationery / BIC dual brand strategy.
• Helps define Lucky Stationery Brand Vision, Brand Strategy, and the main growth drivers and shapes the Innovation Brand Pipeline with a long-term vision and consumer-centric mindset.
• Develops new packaging for the new Lucky Stationery products as and when applicable.
• In co-ordination with MENAWACA and MEA Marketing Managers, leads the CMI (Consumer & Market Understanding) and detects insights and new brand opportunities taking into consideration the business needs and the Categories development.
• Defines the Brand Communication (ATL & BTL) and Digital Strategy in collaboration with external partners / agencies to build brand equity and boost brand awareness on both new and existing products in the 3 categories.
• Defines Trade Marketing Priorities and Promotional Calendar (Initiative Master Plans) in collaboration with the Trade Marketing and Sales Teams.
• Coordinates marketing efforts and cost-effective strategies to ensure that marketing spend is within budget, and that all marketing plans are executed on time. Closely supervises budget to support financial objectives for BIC in Nigeria.
• Coordinates Marketing Strategies with cross functional teams (Sales, Finance, Supply & Delivery, Communication…) as well as the MENAWACA & MEA Marketing Managers.
• Plays a leadership role in talent management (2 direct reports for now); develops the Marketing team capabilities and leads them in their value-creation journey through implementing plans that maximize sales, profit, and growth.

Key Performance Indicators

• Achievement of Stationery, Lighters and Shavers Net Sales and GP%; Growth vs. RF01.
• Volume and Value Market Share growth.
• Successful and timely implementation of the Marketing Plans by category.
• Results and ROI of key ATL (including Digital) & BTL Marketing initiatives (measured against expected results).
• CMI (Consumer & Market Understanding) deployment and ROI.
• P&L Responsibility – Brand Support budget management, Managing spend in-line with budget.
• Marketing Team Capabilities building.
• Effective Cross-functional collaboration with key functions to ensure delivery of objectives.

Requirements (R = Required - D = Desired)
Simple Criteria:

• R - 8+ years of Marketing experience in FMCG company as Marketing Manager /Director or Group Product Manager
• R - Marketing Degree / Diploma or equivalent - BAC+5, advanced degree preferred.
• R - Speaks fluent English.
• D - Speaks other Nigerian Spoken languages.
• D - Some customer-facing experience would be beneficial.
• R - Proficient in the use of MS Office including intermediate/advanced Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• R - Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• R - Cross-Cultural team management experience
• R - Management of external agencies (creative, media, research agencies)

Complex Criteria:

• Professional skills: thorough knowledge of marketing technical skills (business strategy / steering, consumer understanding & research, positioning, product offering, innovation & roll-out, communication, packaging design, price, promotion, distribution & trade…)

R- Business Strategy: Optimizing brand / category / product performance:

• Anticipates developments in the marketplace to detect strategic opportunities for Lucky Stationery and the BIC brand in each of their respective categories.
• Develops a mid / long-term vision and rallies the various stakeholders (local & regional teams, agencies…)
• Develops Marketing Plans from scratch, with confidence and competence in presenting them both internally and externally (Leadership team, Sales teams, key customers…)
• Works with the finance team to optimize the P&L and Revenue Growth Management KPIs

R - Consumer understanding & Research: Developing consumer understanding & integrating it in Marketing projects:

• Proactively advises on appropriate market studies and methodologies to meet the business needs/issues/ priorities.
• Optimizes the partnership with the providers when studies are completed locally (quality, cost…)
• Understands and interprets market data (ACNielsen, EPOS…). Analytical, numbers focused and detail driven.
• Enriches insight generation by integrating emerging trends and a cross-category approach. Detect and leverage consumers / influencers insights.
• Ensures proper application of knowledge from research by the teams.

R - Positioning: Defining the brand/range/product positioning and bringing it to life:

• Sets priorities to strengthen Lucky Stationery and the BIC brand positioning.
• Designs & implements appropriate brand actions matching the positioning in Nigeria.

R - Product offering / Innovation: Managing and optimizing the portfolio as well as initiating and steering innovation and roll-out projects:

• Considers the wider picture and state strategic orientations and priorities in terms of range for Lucky Stationery and BIC brands’ portfolio. This includes innovation & roll-out projects based on corporate and brand strategy.
• Completes the process of value analysis.
• Contributes to the evolution of the innovation process to maximize the NPIs success and the time to market.
• Defines launch plans, identifies risks and opportunities, and prioritizes / challenges the allocation of budget for launches.

R - Communication:

• Building the communication strategy with an integrated approach
• Develops strong and enduring brand communication strategies and platforms.
• Steers/participates in brand communication platform developments.
• Optimizes the partnership with agencies (evaluation, remuneration, motivation)
• Steering the creative development process with an integrated approach
• Defines clear and incisive briefs to get the best from agencies (including budgets).
• Co-designs local communication ideas with agencies.
• Strategically evaluates creatives. Challenges for stronger creative work.
• Developing steering media / digital plans
• Proactively develops a vision of the media / digital scene.
• Reviews the overall performance of plans and ensures their optimization.

R - Packaging (mostly Lucky Stationery): Developing / optimizing packaging design & piloting packaging projects:

• Questions packaging design and brand architecture in relation to the brand strategy
• Contribute to major projects such as “brand identity guidelines” and brand architecture projects.
• Optimizes partnership with packaging agencies (timings, quality, motivation, cost…)
• Develops briefs and creative proposals.

R - Price: Develops the pricing strategy:

• Works with Nigeria General Manager, Sales, and Finance teams to create an overall price strategy for the region.
• Integrates the impact of market, competitive and industry changes.
• Assesses potential corrective pricing actions.

R - Promotion: Leading the promotional approach:

• Along with the Trade Marketing team, develops the promotional approach / Initiative Master Plan per category and channel.
• Identifies new / creative promotional tools and encourages teams to integrate them.

R - Distribution / Trade: Integrating the point of sale and trade dimensions in marketing actions:

• Understands the Go to Market Strategy and all trade channels.    
• With Nigeria General Manager and Sales manager, builds trade approaches and seizes new distribution opportunities that are consistent with the brand strategies per category.
• Challenges the commercial proposals to maximize point-of-sale dimension.

Personal Skills:
R - Takes Ownership:

• A self-starter and doer / finisher, working under own initiative and with full autonomy.
• Sense of initiative, tenacity, and self-motivation
• Ability to prioritize, take calculated risks and to perform under pressure.

R - Delivers Results:

• Rigor and high drive for results, with strong ability to make data-informed decisions.
• Committed and able to deliver while fully respecting corporate processes and applying the appropriate level of reporting to management.
• Able to manages projects across multicultural environments and functions.
• Strong organizational and time management skills.

R - Champions Change:

• Takes on challenges even when dealing with ambiguity.
• Innovates and embraces transformation (i.e Marketing technology)
• Makes timely decisions, multi-task and consistently meets deadlines as per expectations.

R - Creates Team Success:

• Situational leader who can handle a diverse team (functions and seniority levels) and empowering them to grow and be responsible for their own work.
• Promotes teamwork and inclusion within a multi-functional team, holds excellent interpersonal skills and strong ability to engage and influence others
• Be the humble marketing expert, respecting others’ point of view and managing diversity regarding different cultures, management styles.

Application Closing Date
Not Specified.

How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should:
Click here to apply online