Job Title: Head of Business Development B&J’s Europe/ANZ
Department: B&J’s Europe/ANZ
Reports To: UK, France , Germany Netherlands
Ben & Jerry's is an aspiring social justice company that believes in a greater calling than simply making and selling the world's best ice cream. The company produces a wide variety of super-premium ice cream and Non-Dairy/vegan desserts using high-quality ingredients and lots of big chunks and swirls. As a certified B Corp, Ben & Jerry's incorporates its vision of Linked Prosperity into its business practices via values-led sourcing initiatives when purchasing ingredients. Ben & Jerry's is distributed in over 35 countries in supermarkets, grocery stores, convenience stores, franchised Scoop Shops, and via on-demand delivery services.
Ben & Jerry's, a Vermont corporation and wholly owned subsidiary of Unilever, operates its business on a three-part Mission Statement emphasizing product quality, a fair financial return, and addressing issues of social, racial, and environmental injustice around the globe. The Ben & Jerry's Foundation, guided by Ben & Jerry's employees, granted $3.7MM in 2021 to support progressive, justice-focused grassroots organizing around the country. For up-to-date information visit benjerry.com.
About the role:
New Markets and New Channels are an extremely important role to double down on both financial and social impact across Europe for Ben & Jerry’s.
The expansion model across markets & channels have been consumer & channel demand centric, data driven and strongly supported by the category locally and globally. Ben & Jerry’s has established the fundamentals Spain, East Europe & Portugal to deliver double digit growth and social impact. Ben & Jerry’s is the leading brand in ICNow and are pioneering in the Value Channel and OOH.
Therefore, we are looking for a passionate, business and digital articulate leader who shares our core belief in values-based business and has an appetite to drive a transformational growth by leading this fantastic brand across new markets and new channels.
Who you are & what you’ll do:
Three main responsibilities of the role:
Lead New Markets Development (Spain, Italy, East Europe, Portugal)
- Lead B&J business teams across Spain, East Europe and Portugal, building on and exhibiting a commitment to our unique company Three Part Mission.
- Lead the strategic development and establish goals for marketing and growth programs for the new markets ensuring ability for development and execution to be aligned synergistically with global marketing initiatives, and social mission objectives
- Develop and manage the existing and new portfolio –including retail scooping-to achieve long-term growth, sales and profit goals
- Continue to raise the bar in Digital & PR/influencing for the teams to reach and delight our young and creatively demanding fans in both earned and paid content.
- Develop & roll out together with social mission manager, activist campaigns that drive systemic change and social impact in markets that do not have an activist manager
- Develop together with global functions a brand expansion strategy beyond existing markets including a clear process from BC, resource-needs and sign off to ensure we build our brand consistently and across all 3 parts of the mission
Lead New/Fast Growing Channel Development (ICNow/Discounters/OOH)
- Play a leading role in the strategy development for Ben & Jerry’s in key channels like ICnow, Value channel and OOH in EU/ANZ to ensure we continue to drive our presence with relevant propositions and best in class execution from upper to lower funnel, through collating key insights and data points that allow us to build the best portfolio and market execution plans.
Lead cross-functional Go To Market initiatives/ projects based on latest developments and trends
- Build effective relationships with all relevant stakeholders within Ben & Jerry’s and the TMICC
- Work together with the CBL’s to ensure successful in-market execution of these plans, review and optimize.
- Manage relationships with key stakeholders in the category ie VP, Customers Directors, Marketing Directors and Channel Directors
- Take full responsibility for the P&L in order to deliver on USG and profit targets as well as effective budget management
- Contribute to the development of direct reports through effective coaching and advocating for appropriate training opportunities.
- Be an influential leader in the wider Ben & Jerry’s team, The Global Category of Ice Cream and European/Global B&J communities (Core member of the B&J European Leadership teams)
Direct Reports:
- 2 CBL East Europe & Spain
- In Spain team: CBL & ABM
Key interfaces
- Managing Director B&J’s Europe/ ANZ
- Ice Cream Directors Spain, Italy, East Europe
- BJ’s CSP manager EU/ANZ
- BJ’s Integrated marketing and BJ’s innovation lead EU/ANZ
- CBL’s of all key clusters in EU/ANZ
- CSP and CD managers EU/ANZ for OOH, Value channel and IH
- Global and EU/ANZ Channel teams (ICNow, valuechannel, OOH)
What you’ll need to succeed:
- Strong marketing/business development experience ideally in both local Brand Experience and Brand Development/Channel growth
- Lean & agile mindset, thinking out o the box
- Proactive on defining business opportunities, taking the lead from idea to plan taking key stakeholders on the journey
- Must be a strategic thinker with strong financial acumen, who is comfortable using data and applying consumer insights to complex business challenges
- Proven experience in developing and implementing effective and integrated Brand Marketing Plans, leveraging global framework and executing brilliant breakthrough activation in market
- Excellent competencies in Digital marketing
- Proven experience in full P&L ownership and accountability.
- Strong & proven manager of others with a passion for capability building. Ability to lead and motivate a cross-functional team
- Must have strong influence and negotiation skills and be comfortable interacting with and presenting to senior level management and key stakeholders in a matrix business
- Passion to make this world a better place
- Experience in Dcom, OOH is highly preferable
- Travel is expected approx. 20% of the time (mainly to Spain, East Europe and Amsterdam for category interactions)
Unilever Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Unilever and has not been reviewed or approved by Unilever.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as comprehensive, spanning medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and occupational health support alongside a 24/7 employee assistance program. Wellbeing offerings such as health checks, resilience tools, and counseling support the perceived depth of health-related benefits.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support includes a 401(k) match that reaches up to 5% of base salary, strengthening the overall value of the package. Share and savings options are also referenced as part of longer-term financial support beyond salary.
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Flexible Benefits — Benefits customization is enabled through tools such as a “My Reward” system and a “Benefits Envelope” that allows employees to personalize selections. Flexible working approaches are also associated with improved overall satisfaction, reinforcing perceived choice and adaptability in the total rewards offering.
Unilever Insights
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