At Barry Callebaut, we are on a journey to transform the cocoa and chocolate industry. As the world's leading manufacturer of high-quality chocolate and cocoa products, our actions truly shape the future of our industry. We are a business-to-business company, serving the entire food sector, from the cocoa bean to the finest chocolate product. We believe in doing well by doing good and reinvesting in the communities we operate. We have a long-standing commitment to sustainability and our goal is to shape a sustainable cocoa and chocolate future. We are headquartered in Zurich, and have more than 12,000 passionate employees working in more than 40 countries worldwide. We are always looking for talented people to help us have a positive impact on our industry and beyond!
JOB DESCRIPTION The Marketing Director will be responsible for leading the planning and implementation of all marketing activities in the Italy Country Cluster to ensure the successful promotion and growth of our brand and product portfolio towards different customer types. This role demands a passion for customer proximity, consistent excellence in execution, and a commitment to create bespoke customer experiences.
You directly report to the Managing Director of the Italy Cluster and dotted line to the VP Marketing Western Europe.Member of the Italy commercial leadership team and key contact for global brand and regional marketing teams.You lead and develop Italy Marketing Managers, manage the marketing budget, and collaborate with local agencies.Work location: 80% - Travel: expected 20%.Based in Milan, Italy.MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES & SCOPE: Business Planning and Execution: Develop and implement comprehensive marketing plans that align with the company's business & marketing strategy and the cluster growth objectives. Member of the Cluster Leadership team.Collaborate with global market intelligence to generate actionable customer insights, competitive mapping, and market trends.Own the 12-month rolling Marketing Plan for the Cluster, manage the Product Portfolio, and identify gap filling/innovation needs.Ensure all marketing activities are executed to the highest standard, monitor & report performance in collaboration with Sales.Owner of the Cluster Marketing budget.Lead Customer Engagement for Industrial Key Accounts: Cultivate a deep understanding of our customers through market research, customer feedback, and engagement initiatives.Foster strong relationships with key customers and stakeholders to better understand their needs and preferences.Support customer-specific innovation initiatives to grow their business. Collaborate with product development teams.Organize bespoke events & memorable experiences to deepen customer relationships.Support regional content creation and implement customer-centric marketing campaigns that enhance customer satisfaction.Oversee Brand & Product Marketing to Artisans: Collaborate with global brand, regional marketing, and agency teams to activate local communication channels and optimize content for local relevance. Create well-selected and targeted local campaigns and customer experiences on fairs & events.Manage strategic partnerships with distributors, influencers, and industry partners to leverage digital campaigns.Lead the team on Trade Marketing to Distributors & Marketplaces: Build and execute a brand activity plan for distributors in priority segments.Lead marketing initiatives for strategic distribution partners based on Joint Business Plans.Support ecommerce sales with strong digital product & activation assets.EDUCATION, LANGUAGE, SKILLS & QUALIFICATIONS: Master degree or equivalent by experience.10+ years of experience in Marketing roles in B2B/B2C, preferably in Food & Beverages in an international context.Language: Local language (native), English (full proficiency). Any other European language is a plus.Strong commercial acumen.ESSENTIAL EXPERIENCE & KNOWLEDGE / TECHNICAL OR FUNCTIONAL COMPETENCIES: B2C or B2B marketing experience, in local or regional roles, in an international environment.Deep understanding of business models in Food: Artisans & Chains, Food Manufacturing, CPG, private label producers, retailers.Proven track record of developing and executing successful marketing plans that drive growth and customer engagement.Analytical & business planning skills. Strong stakeholder management & influencing skills.Mature, inspiring, and confident communicator able to build strong working relationships.Ability to work under pressure, prioritize tasks, and keep the team motivated.LEADERSHIP COMPETENCIES & PERSONAL STYLE: Passion for food: Naturally curious about products and technologies for food.Customer Focus: Deep commitment to understanding and meeting the needs of customers.Leadership: Ability to inspire, guide, and develop a commercial team towards achieving common goals.Strategic action planning: Ability in turning strategy into action plans that align with business goals.Execution Excellence: Proactive, flexible, and hands-on in delivering results consistently.Innovation: Aptitude for creative problem-solving and developing novel marketing approaches.Team player: Positive mindset and leading by example.Agility: Open to change and ability to adapt. Able to deal with ambiguity and complexity in large organizations.At Barry Callebaut, we are committed to Diversity & Inclusion. United by our strong values, we thrive on the diversity of who we are, where we come from, what we've experienced, and how we think. We are committed to nurturing an inclusive environment where people can truly be themselves, grow to their full potential, and feel they belong.
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