Marketing Manager, CloseUp at Unilever

Reports to: Head of Country, Nigeria; dotted reporting line to EWA Demand Creation Lead

JOB PURPOSE

• The Marketing Manager is responsible for driving consumer demand and achieving exceptional achievement of business objectives for the Oral Care - CloseUp Power Brand in Nigeria.
• This role involves translating business strategy into actionable marketing plans, working with the CSP Teams, and championing a digital-first, social-first approach to brand building and consumer engagement.
• Drive Innovation to achieve ambitious business objective, delivering multi-year brand growth, penetration, brand power KPIs and business model.

WHAT WILL YOUR MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES BE

• Translate the 1UL AML / BWPC BG strategic vision into comprehensive CloseUp Marketing Plans specifically tailored for the Nigerian consumer, acting as the guardian of these plans and ensuring their effective implementation.
• Oversee all marketing activities for the CloseUp brand in the market, comprising advertising campaigns, consumer engagement initiatives, direct-to-consumer strategies, and the execution of global brand innovations.
• Collaborate with Demand Creation Lead and relevant agencies to develop impactful brand assets, create compelling content and amplify brand messaging across digital and retail platforms in Nigeria.
• Drive all marketing activities focused on (digital) Consumer Demand Creation, in partnership with the in-market DMC team, including brand activation, consumer insights generation, data analytics, content development, strategic partnerships, and the planning and execution of in-market experiential events across all Power Brands in the market.
• Lead the Digital Marketing agenda, developing and implementing strategies to plan and deliver seamless, engaging digital consumer experiences and campaigns.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO SUCCEED

Experiences & Qualifications

• Demand Creation Leadership: Minimum of 7 years of proven experience in marketing, with a strong emphasis on demand generation, brand building, and digital marketing within the consumer goods industry.
• Strategic Planning & Execution: Demonstrated success in developing and executing integrated marketing plans that align with business objectives, drive consumer demand, and deliver measurable results.
• Digital Marketing Expertise: Deep understanding of digital marketing channels, tactics, and best practices, including social media marketing, influencer marketing, content marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and paid advertising.
• Team Leadership & Management: Proven ability to lead, inspire, and develop high-performing marketing teams, fostering a collaborative and results-oriented environment with clear accountability and decisive action.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Experience working effectively with cross-functional teams, including customer development, R&D, finance, and creative agencies, to achieve shared goals.
• Budget Management: Strong financial acumen and experience managing marketing budgets, tracking ROI, and optimising campaign spending.

Skills

Strategic Marketing & Demand Creation:

• Strategic Thinking & Planning: Ability to translate business objectives into actionable marketing strategies and plans that drive consumer demand and achieve measurable results.
• Demand Generation Expertise: Deep understanding of demand creation principles, tactics, and best practices across various channels, including digital, social, and experiential.
• Brand Building & Storytelling: Skill in crafting compelling brand narratives, developing engaging content, and creating consistent brand experiences that resonate with target audiences / social first cohorts.
• Product Understanding: In-depth understanding of the brand formulation and how to bring product superiority to life during the shopper journey to drive desire and UBS.

Digital Marketing & E-commerce:

• Digital Marketing Mastery: Comprehensive knowledge of digital marketing channels, platforms, and tools, including social media, search engine optimisation (SEO), paid advertising, email marketing, and marketing automation.
• Social Media Expertise: In-depth understanding of social media platforms, trends, and best practices for building brand awareness, engaging audiences, and driving conversions.
• E-commerce & D2C: Experience with e-commerce platforms, digital merchandising, and direct-to-consumer (D2C) marketing strategies.

Leadership & Collaboration:

• Team Leadership & Management: Proven ability to lead, motivate, and inspire high-performing marketing teams, fostering a collaborative and results-oriented culture with clear accountability and decisive decision-making.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Strong interpersonal and communication skills to effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams, external agencies, and stakeholders.

Analytical & Data-Driven Mindset:

• Data Analysis & Insights: Proficiency in using data analytics tools and techniques to track marketing performance, measure ROI, and derive actionable insights.
• Budget Management & Optimisation: Strong financial acumen and experience managing marketing budgets, optimising campaign spending, and maximizing return on investment.

Leadership

• You are an inclusive motivator of people. Your team deliver with real passion, growing and learning from each other whilst delivering quick wins.
• You are still responsible for your own results and as a manager, you also need to motivate others to deliver with passion, creating an inclusive and engaging climate around you. You can balance challenge with support and coaching. You understand the wider business context and you are emotionally intelligent enough to motivate people to deliver what is needed.

Critical SOL (Standards of Leadership) Behaviors

• PERSONAL MASTERY: Sets high standards for themselves. Has emotional intelligence to take feedback, manage mood and motivations, and build empathy for others.
• PASSION FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE: Generates intensity and focus to motivate people to deliver results at speed. Takes personal responsibility and accountability for execution and results.
• TALENT CATALYST: Invests in people – coaches individuals and teams to realize their full potential. Creates an inclusive climate, empowering everyone to be at their best.
• PURPOSE & SERVICE: Has humility, understanding that leadership is service to others, inside and outside Unilever.
• CONSUMER LOVE: Invests time inside and outside to understand the needs of consumers.
• BUSINESS ACUMEN: Creates sustainable growth with purpose, engaging different partners across the system for change.