Microsoft: Category Management Lead

The partner/channel marketing manager executes the marketing plans that are tailored for assigned accounts in order to drive sell thru, optimize cost effectiveness and deliver the right consumer experience. This marketing expert leverages account specific marketing plans to build execution strategies to successfully apply marketing programs within budget that maximize revenue

Key Responsibilities:
1.Analysis & Insight.
-Procure and assimilate consumer behavior into insights within the context of your account’s profile to drive informed marketing action plans.
-Maximize ROI on future activities by measuring and optimizing marketing campaigns and promotions performance
Anticipate and discover competitor’s activities, and adjust marketing programs to counter.
-Analyze the partner’s existing marketing capabilities in order to recognize and execute on specific local.

2.Marketing Planning.
-Implementation & Positioning of Product Plans to grow sales.
-Develop a merchandising plan that aligns partner goals to Microsoft’s category goals to maximize profits for both parties.
-Create medium and long-term marketing execution plans that maintain channel momentum through the product life cycle.
-Align to seasonal planning guidelines to ensure readiness and execution in market.
-Anticipate needs of the selling seasons and industry trends by creating a forecast plan.

3.Marketing Fundamentals.
-Product expert for accounts.
-Build integrated campaign plans, and strategically leverage digital and in-store tactics to maximize partner/MSFT revenue potential.
-Deploy storytelling skills, ensure clear marketing messages and leverage brand and product positioning to emotionally connect with consumers and drive demand.
-Articulate to the account and stakeholders how past tactics performed and build upon successes and/or failures to continually optimize our marketing efforts.
-For RSM, understand and drive strong visual merchandising.

4.Marketing Execution
-Account execution & seamless integration between Category, Sales & Retail Services.
-Project Mgmt for end-to-end successful promotions & Events
Deliver In store, Online, On Ad Execution that achieves required goals.
-Provide product and marketing expertise while optimizing for the account’s objectives in order to increase partner trust in Microsoft.
-Own and project manage marketing plans with seamless integration and execution, validating the correct plan for each assigned account.
-Responsibly budget and allocate funds based on result of analysis and in alignment with the partner’s and Microsoft’s goals.
-As necessary, translate category management plans for your account, and coordinating marketing efforts at the local level between sales, category management (Retail Sales & Marketing / Operator Channel) , and internal support teams (visual merchandising, field labor & training) to drive successful execution of programs, training, promotions, and events.
-Use results of analysis to learn from execution success and failures in order to optimize continued and future marketing efforts.

5.Business Operational Excellence.
-Execute against retail budgets.
-Demonstrate creativity and entrepreneurial behavior.

6.Governance
-Direct and indirect leadership with outcomes.
-Executive presence and leadership.
-Influence across boundaries.

Role Accountabilities:
-Revenue of account.
-Scorecard.
-Customer & partner experience.
-Account Attach.
-Accuracy to forecast.
-Account and Vendor Budget.
-Go-Dos & Commitments.
-Marketing KPIs.
-New customer & partner insights.
-Contribution Margin.
-Partner program adoption.
-Account Category Share.
-Account Share of Shelf.
-Vendor Deliverables.

Key Responsibilities:
Plan:
Leverage account-specific plans to build execution strategies
Work within budget set to achieve marketing ROI goals

Execute
Execute the marketing programs, promotions and campaigns with the partner.
Identify vendors with the qualifications & expertise to support business needs.

Manage & Monitor:
Manage the budget/ resources/ schedule.
Manage vendors to deliver results.
Build Partner/ RSP relationships and gather insights.
Track KPIs / BI planner tracking (sell thru, attach, etc.).
Analyze data to drive sell in.

Experiences Required:
-Candidates must have at least 3-6 years of practical experience developing and driving partner and/or customer marketing (including focus on digital) strategy and execution.
-Be able to effectively drive cross-group communication and cooperation, using strong communication, project management, and organizational skills.
-Possess a personal passion for marketing, customer relationship marketing, technology, partners and satisfaction.
Experience driving demand generation with third party partnerships.
-Passion for driving results.
-Proven ability to influence others as well as negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
-Knowledge of SMB, Enterprise and/or Consumer marketing and selling approaches.
-Ability to engage and influence at senior levels.

Education:
Four Year college degree required – MBA preferred.