Assistant Manager – Trade Marketing & Commercial Planning

Role Overview The Assistant Manager – Trade Marketing & Commercial Planning will support the growth of Retail, Food Service and E-commerce channels through trade marketing initiatives, category development, market intelligence and commercial analysis. This role works closely with Sales, Marketing, Operations, brand principals and external partners to translate market and customer insights into effective promotional programmes, category strategies and commercial opportunities. Key Responsibilities 1. Trade Marketing & Channel Development • Plan and execute trade marketing activities, promotional campaigns, product launches and brand activations across Retail, Food Service and E-commerce channels. • Partner with Sales teams to develop promotional plans, customer presentations, product catalogues, POSM and other sales-support materials. • Coordinate with brand principals, agencies, suppliers and external partners to ensure timely execution of marketing initiatives. • Support trade exhibitions, customer events, product demonstrations and industry- related activities. • Maintain marketing and promotional calendars to ensure coordinated execution across different channels. • Oversee the company's social media activities, including content planning, posting schedules, audience engagement and performance monitoring. 2. Category Management & Market Insights • Conduct regular market and outlet visits across supermarkets, convenience stores, wholesalers, food service operators and key customer accounts. • Identify opportunities relating to product assortment, pricing, promotions, distribution and in-store visibility. • Monitor competitor movements, new product introductions, market trends and changes in consumer or customer behaviour. • Analyse category performance and recommend initiatives to improve sales, profitability and market share. • Support range reviews, product rationalisation and new product listing exercises. • Prepare category reviews and commercial recommendations for management and brand principals. 3. Commercial Analysis & Business Planning • Analyse sales, volume, margins, pricing and customer performance. • Review monthly performance against budget and prepare sales gap and variance analysis. • Identify key business drivers behind performance gaps and recommend appropriate corrective actions. • Evaluate promotional effectiveness, customer investments and return on marketing spend. • Develop business cases for new product launches, promotional programmes and potential growth opportunities. • Provide commercial insights and recommendations to Sales and Management. 4. E-commerce & Online Channel Management • Support the development and implementation of strategies to grow online sales across e-commerce platforms and marketplaces. • Manage product listings, online content, pricing and promotional updates. • Track online sales, conversion, customer engagement and other relevant performance indicators. • Monitor online market trends and competitor activities to identify opportunities for growth. • Work with Sales, Operations and Marketing teams to improve online execution and customer experience. 5. Digital Platform & Application Coordination • Coordinate the ongoing maintenance and improvement of company digital platforms, including CRM, ordering and merchandising applications. • Liaise with external technology partners and agencies on system issues, enhancements and platform improvements. • Monitor application performance, user feedback and usage trends. • Support digital marketing activities across websites, email marketing and social media channels. 6. Reporting, Insights & Management Presentation • Prepare monthly sales performance and gap analysis reports for management. • Develop category reviews, business performance reports and commercial analysis. • Prepare management presentations, business reviews and recommendation decks using PowerPoint. • Present findings, insights and proposed actions to internal stakeholders, management and brand principals. • Maintain dashboards and reporting tools to track key commercial and business performance indicators. Key Requirements Education & Experience • Diploma or Degree in Marketing, Business, Retail Management, Commercial Management or a related discipline. • 3–5 years of relevant experience in Trade Marketing, Category Management, Commercial Planning, E-commerce or Sales Analytics. • Experience within FMCG, Food & Beverage, Retail or Distribution environments will be advantageous. • Candidates with a combination of trade marketing and commercial/sales analysis experience are encouraged to apply. Technical & Analytical Skills • Strong Microsoft Excel skills with the ability to analyse and interpret commercial data. • Strong PowerPoint skills with experience preparing management and customer- facing presentations. • Experience working with market intelligence, retailer scan data or syndicated market data such as Nielsen. • Strong capability in sales analysis, reporting and performance tracking. • Experience developing business cases and commercial recommendations. • Familiarity with e-commerce platforms, digital marketing tools and online marketplace operations. Personal Attributes • Commercially driven with strong understanding of business and customer needs. • Analytical and comfortable working with numbers, trends and performance data. • Able to convert data and market insights into practical business recommendations. • Strong communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills. • Proactive, hands-on and comfortable working across multiple functions. • Results-oriented with strong attention to execution and follow-through.