Trade Marketing Manager

Position Overview

As a Trade Marketing Manager, you will serve as the critical link between Marketing and Sales, driving product visibility, distribution, and sales performance across all retail and channel platforms. This role is pivotal in shaping the commercial success of our brands by strategically influencing retailers, distributors, and shoppers at the point of sale. Your responsibilities will encompass developing and executing channel-specific strategies, optimizing in-store execution, designing impactful trade promotions, and leveraging market insights to enhance brand presence and profitability. The ideal candidate will thrive in a dynamic environment, combining analytical rigor with commercial acumen to deliver measurable growth in market share and sales performance.

Key Responsibilities

The Trade Marketing Manager will be accountable for the following core functions:

1. Trade & Channel Strategy

• Develop and implement comprehensive channel strategies tailored to Modern Trade, Traditional Trade, and e-commerce segments.
• Define assortment planning, pricing architecture, and promotional mechanics aligned with each channel’s unique dynamics.
• Ensure trade strategies are fully integrated with broader brand and commercial objectives to drive cohesive market execution.

2. In-Store Execution & Visibility

• Design and oversee the implementation of in-store strategies, including shelf placement, displays, gondolas, and planograms tailored to each channel.
• Develop and deploy POS materials such as posters, wobblers, and other promotional aids to enhance brand visibility and shopper engagement.
• Monitor and ensure high-quality execution across all retail outlets, maintaining consistent brand standards and compliance.

3. Trade Promotions & Activation

• Design, plan, and execute retailer-focused promotions, including discounts, bundles, and incentive programs, to drive volume and market penetration.
• Manage trade spend budgets and evaluate the return on investment (ROI) of promotional activities to optimize resource allocation.
• Collaborate closely with the Sales team to ensure seamless implementation of promotional plans and alignment with field execution.

4. Market & Shopper Insights

• Analyze shopper behavior, purchasing patterns, and sales performance to identify trends and opportunities.
• Translate data-driven insights into actionable strategies, including refined promotional approaches, optimized shelf strategies, and dynamic pricing adjustments.

5. Product Launches (New Product Development)

• Lead the go-to-market execution for new product launches, defining target channels, visibility standards, and distribution depth.
• Ensure cross-functional readiness across Sales, Marketing, and Distribution teams to support successful product introductions.

6. Customer & Channel Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key accounts, including retailers and distributors, to foster long-term partnerships.
• Negotiate trade activities and collaborate with Channel Heads to develop and execute joint business plans that drive mutual growth.

7. Performance Management & Reporting

• Track and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as sales growth, distribution metrics (numeric and weighted), shelf share, visibility, and promotion effectiveness.
• Provide strategic insights and actionable recommendations to senior management to inform decision-making and drive continuous improvement.

Qualifications & Experience

To excel in this role, candidates must meet the following criteria:

Professional Experience

• 5 to 10 years of progressive experience in Trade Marketing, Sales, Category Management, Key Account Management, or Commercial roles, with a preference for candidates from FMCG, food, retail, or consumer goods sectors.
• A minimum of 2 to 3 years in a managerial or supervisory capacity, with hands-on exposure to Modern Trade, Traditional Trade, distributors, and e-commerce channels.
• Proven expertise in trade promotions, retail execution, planogram development, POS material deployment, trade spend management, and promotion ROI analysis.

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Sales, Commerce, or a related discipline.
• Professional certifications in Trade Marketing, Category Management, Sales Management, Shopper Marketing, Digital Marketing, Project Management, or Data Analytics are highly desirable.

Core Competencies

• Strong commercial acumen with a deep understanding of channel dynamics, shopper behavior, and retail execution best practices.
• Exceptional analytical skills, capable of interpreting sales data, market trends, shopper insights, and promotional performance to drive strategic decisions.
• Outstanding communication, negotiation, stakeholder management, and cross-functional collaboration abilities.
• Robust planning and organizational skills, with the capacity to manage trade plans, activations, budgets, and reporting requirements efficiently.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel and PowerPoint; familiarity with Power BI or other data analytics tools is a strong advantage.