Category Marketing Manager: FMCG

takealot.com, a leading South African online retailer, is looking for a highly talented Category Marketing Manager: FMCG to join our team in Cape Town.

We are a young, dynamic, hyper growth company looking for smart, creative, hard-working people with integrity to join us.  We offer a market related, Total Remuneration Package which allows full flexibility according to your needs, a great work environment and a promise that you won’t be bored as long as you are prepared for a challenge and want to build something great.

This position reports to the Head of Category Marketing & Partnerships.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Develop and implement effective marketing strategies for a the Beauty category to drive customer engagement, adoption,  brand awareness, GMV and market share growth objectives
• Conduct market research and analysis to identify customer needs, preferences, and trends within the category, and use this information to develop targeted marketing campaigns and initiatives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Retail & Marketplace, Advertising, and Marketing, production and design, to ensure alignment of marketing strategies with business objectives and campaign calendar / roadmap.
• Create and manage marketing budgets for the category, allocating resources effectively to maximize return on investment.
• Create and own the category, supplier and brand marketing plans and marketing calendar.
• Plan and execute integrated marketing campaigns across various channels, including paid / performance, social media, CRM marketing, events, and brand & comms, ATL to reach the target audience and achieve growth objectives
• Monitor and analyze marketing campaign performance, using data-driven insights to optimize strategies, improve conversion rates, and drive continuous improvement.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with external stakeholders, such as suppliers, industry partners, and influencers, to enhance brand positioning and expand market reach.
• Build relationships with suppliers, sellers and partners to identify strong co-branding opportunities, and craft value exchange  / co-op marketing agreements with these partners.  In addition, you will be required to drive commercial opportunities with suppliers through the crafting of proposals, timeous execution of campaigns and post campaign reporting.
• Stay up-to-date with and share industry trends, competitor activities, and emerging marketing techniques, and make recommendations for adapting strategies to maintain a competitive edge.
• Collaborate with the marketing team to foster a high-performing and collaborative work environment to achieve category marketing objectives
• Collaborate with the Advertising team to develop effective campaigns, materials, and promotions that align with marketing strategies and support growth, GMV and Advertising revenue goals.
• Operational and Management reporting weekly and monthly

Attributes required:

• FMCG category knowledge essential
• Demonstrable negotiation skills
• Strong knowledge of marketing principles, techniques, and best practices, with a demonstrated track record of successful marketing campaigns and initiatives.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to translate data into actionable insights to drive marketing strategy and decision-making.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to effectively prioritize and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Creative thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a keen eye for detail and a strong sense of aesthetics.
• Proficiency in marketing software and tools, including analytics platforms, CRM systems, email marketing platforms, and social media management tools.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience in managing a team, including the ability to provide guidance, feedback, and support to team members.
• Flexibility and adaptability to navigate ambiguity and thrive in a dynamic, evolving industry.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree  or equivalent qualification in business, marketing or communication
• A minimum of 8-10 years marketing & retail experience
• Experience working across marketing channels – Digital, ATL, Partnerships, Commercial  – with demonstrable results
• Retail or e-commerce marketing experience beneficial 
• Demonstrable negotiation skills
• Experience in developing and managing annual marketing budgets
• Proven experience in category marketing, brand management, or product marketing, preferably within a similar industry or product category.
• Strong knowledge of marketing principles, techniques, and best practices, with a demonstrated track record of successful marketing campaigns and initiatives.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to translate data into actionable insights to drive marketing strategy and decision-making.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to effectively prioritize and manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Creative thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a keen eye for detail and a strong sense of aesthetics.
• Proficiency in marketing software and tools, including analytics platforms, CRM systems, email marketing platforms, and social media management tools.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and experience in managing a team, including the ability to provide guidance, feedback, and support to team members.
• Flexibility and adaptability to navigate ambiguity and thrive in a dynamic, evolving industry.
• An understanding of e-commerce and the key levers that drive sales in an e-commerce environment
• A strong working knowledge of Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel is required
• Tech Savvy - have a passion for technology and how to use technological solutions to improve performance

The Environment:

• takealot.com employees are entrepreneurial and dynamic, smart, customer-centric, fun and have the shared ambition of takealot.com being the leading e-commerce company in Africa.
• We have fun, work hard, take ownership, work in teams to create solutions, and are always open to direct feedback/new ideas on where we can improve.
• We are short on ego and high on output.
• We are doers and not only thinkers, it's all in the execution after all.
• We love what we do and what we are creating.

We seek to Employ an Extra Ordinary Mind who:

• is respectful but forthright
• is an expert at doing, who can not only design but also execute
• is analytical, able to use data to make decisions
• is competitive, self-directed and strive to be the BEST (GREAT requires a lot of work and does not only happen during business hours)
• is passionate about the potential of e-commerce and delivering a world-class customer experience
• is entrepreneurial, thrives under change and accepts it is a constant and always looks for solutions to do something better and faster
• is business SMART. Able to think about problems from a business perspective using technical and product input;
• is curious and challenge the status quo
• is innovative and enjoys iteration
• is collaborative
• will be at the cutting edge of developing new concepts for takealot.com
• thinks like an owner of the business
• is SMART, has INTEGRITY and is HARD WORKING

If you meet the above you are an Extraordinary Mind so come and join us!

Takealot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Applicants from the previously disadvantaged groups and people with disabilities will be given preference