Channel Strategy & Planning Manager

C&C Group plc is a premium drinks company which owns, manufactures, markets and distributes a unique portfolio of beer and cider brands in its home markets and across the globe. You probably know us best from brands like Bulmers Irish Cider, Magners Irish Cider and Tennent’s Lager.     

Please note this can based from either our site in Glasgow/London or Bristol.

About the Role 

The exciting and dynamic role of the Channel Strategy & Planning Manager – National’s On Trade is to execute in channel activation across our exciting portfolio of owned brands and 3rd party, working collaboratively with the commercial team, allowing us to win in the GB marketplace. This role will ensure C&C engages with customers and consumers in a way which continues to build positive brand equity and value for both our own brands, 3rd party and distribution through our RTM brands Matthew Clark and Bibendum. This role utilises category data to drive strategic thinking, unlocking insight to develop activation plans, allowing us to win in the marketplace in the national’s on trade channel.

Key Accountabilities

• As Channel Strategy & Planning Manager you will be responsible for unlocking customers and consumer insights to generate breakthrough performance to execute where to Play (Priority Segments / Channels) and How to Win.
• Responsible for in depth understanding of the relevant territories and total outlet universe including performance and trends by channel and segments.
• Cross functional working with the commercial finance and national’s sales teams to understand the commercial performance of all categories, suppliers, producers and our brands, highlighting and recommending action as required, and identifying opportunities for further revenue and profit growth.
• Your thorough understanding of the GB market, customer and consumer will inform your decisions when defining the strategy across channel to drive visibility at every consumer touch point.
• Ongoing competitor analysis and sharing information with the sales team.  
• Working with national’s sales team, B2B marketing and procurement to curate the optimal range to go to market based on consumer insight and category sell.
• Set clear KPI’s and measures across all campaign performance making recommendations based on thorough performance review of activity.
• Customer engagement – work with B2B marketing and consumer brand activation teams to deliver customised tender and/or sell-in documents.
• Support senior managers to deliver end to end management the entire portfolio of C&C own brands, 3rd Party brands and Wine from brief, creation implementation and evaluation of activation at the point of purchase that directly impacts profitability, retention and new business.  
• Presenting & influencing at customer meetings and sales team meetings.
• Delivery of compelling selling stories on the C&C own brand portfolio in a customer facing role

About you 

• On trade experience essential with a passion for the on trade and drinks categories.
• Proficient use of Microsoft office (PowerPoint, Excel).
• Comfortable with managing a diverse workload of projects.
• Consumer insight driven, business planning, commercial strategy and creative skills a must with proven ability to translate into compelling narrative for action.
• Entrepreneurial, challenging mindset.
• Good creative judgement.
• Ability to think conceptually yet retaining strong attention to detail.
• Proven ability to deliver outstanding results.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Strong ability to build and leverage relationships with internal teams and senior management
• Strong communication skills.
• Travel is required across GB for sales meetings and customer facing meetings and events.

About Us 

Operating through the Matthew Clark, Bibendum, Tennent’s and Bulmers Ireland brands, the Group has a market leading range, scale and reach including an intimate understanding of the markets it serves. 

From grass to glass, and everything in between, we grow, brew, manufacture, market, and deliver some of the world’s favourite drinks. C&C Group’s portfolio of owned/exclusive brands include: Bulmers, the leading Irish cider brand; Tennent’s, the leading Scottish beer brand; Magners the premium international cider brand; as well as a range of fast-growing, premium and craft ciders and beers, such as Heverlee, Menabrea, Five Lamps and Orchard Pig. 

We seek to champion and embed sustainability in everything that we do at C&C. While delivering joy to customers, we always shine a light on people and the planet. We have a clear ESG vision delivering to a better world. We respect, support, and develop all our people to be their best, with a focus on results by creating a culture of winning together.

We also recognize that people come with a wealth of experience and talent beyond just the technical requirements of a job. If your experience is close to what you see listed here, please still consider applying. Diversity of experience and skills combined with passion is a key to delivering on our mission. Therefore, we encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. Please let us know if you require accommodations during the interview process.

C&C Group (and inclusive companies) do not accept unsolicited CVs from recruiters or employment agencies in response to any of our roles. For help, please contact our Talent Acquisition Team at [email protected]. All applications need to come through the candidate portal https://careers.candcgroupplc.com/vacancies/