Job Title: Business Unit Manager
Division: Luxury Division
Location: Woodmead, Johannesburg, South Africa
Reports to: General Manager Luxe
Role Mission
As the Business Unit Marketing Manager, you will be the guardian of brand equity and the architect of growth for your assigned brand portfolio. Your mission is to define and implement the marketing strategy for the South African market, ensuring global brand consistency while achieving local relevancy to deliver against the division financial objectives. You will lead a high-performing team of product managers to deliver consumer-centric innovations, digital excellence, and retail prestige. The BU Marketing Manager plays a key role in the division management team.
Key Responsibilities
1. Strategic Planning & Brand Vision
- Market Adaptation: Translate global brand strategies into actionable local marketing plans tailored to the South African luxury consumer landscape.
- Market Intelligence: Monitor local trends, competitor activities, and consumer insights to identify growth opportunities and potential threats.
- Brand Equity: Ensure all touchpoints (digital, social, retail) reflect the prestige and DNA of the Luxe brands.
2. Product & Innovation Management
- Launch Excellence: Lead the end-to-end execution of new product launches, ensuring 360-degree integration across media, PR, and point-of-sale.
- Portfolio Optimization: Manage the existing catalogue, identifying "star" products and implementing animations to maintain their momentum.
- Forecasting: Work closely with the Supply Chain team to ensure accurate sales forecasts and stock availability for animations and launches.
3. Digital, Media & Data Excellence
- Omnichannel Strategy: Drive the digital transformation of the business unit by integrating e-commerce growth with traditional brick-and-mortar retail.
- Media Planning: Oversee the BU A&P (Advertising & Promotion) budget and working with the CMO team to optimize spend across high-impact luxury media, social platforms, and influencer partnerships.
- CRM & Data: In partnership with the CMO team, Leverage consumer data to build loyalty programs and personalized communication strategies that increase lifetime value.
4. Commercial & Retail Partnership
- Retailer Relations: Partner with key accounts (e.g., Woolworths, Edgars, Foschini) to create exclusive retail experiences and animations.
- Visual Merchandising: Ensure premium execution of counters and pop-up stores to provide an immersive luxury experience.
- Sales Alignment: Work closely with the Sales team to ensure marketing plans support commercial sell-out targets.
5. Financial & P&L Responsibility
- Budget Management: Full ownership of the marketing budget (A&P), ensuring high ROI and strict financial discipline.
- Profitability: Monitor the Business Unit’s P&L, analyzing the impact of marketing activities on the bottom line.
6. People Development & Leadership
- Team Leadership: Manage, inspire, and upskill a team of Brand Managers and Assistant Brand Managers.
- Collaboration: Act as a key stakeholder within the Luxe management committee, fostering a culture of collaboration and agility.
Requirements & Qualifications
- Education: A University Degree in Marketing, Business Management, or a related field (Masters/MBA preferred).
Experience:
- Minimum of 7–10 years of experience in Marketing, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
- Proven track record in the Luxury, Beauty, or Prestige FMCG sectors.
- Deep understanding of the South African retail market and luxury consumer behavior.
Skills:
- Strategic Thinking: Ability to see the "big picture" while maintaining attention to detail.
- Digital Native: Strong proficiency in digital marketing, social media trends, and e-commerce.
- Analytical Prowess: Comfortable with complex data, P&L management, and ROI analysis.
- Communication: Exceptional storytelling and presentation skills to influence internal and external stakeholders.
- Attributes: Entrepreneurial spirit, agility, aesthetic sensitivity, and a passion for the world of beauty and luxury.
Why Join L'Oréal Luxe South Africa?
- Prestige Portfolio: Work with some of the most iconic brands in the world.
- Purpose-Led: Be part of a company that strives to "Create the Beauty that Moves the World."
- Growth Opportunities: Benefit from world-class training and international career mobility within the L'Oréal Group.
- Innovation: Work at the forefront of Beauty Tech and sustainable luxury.
We’re committed to guaranteeing inclusive recruitment processes and to advocating for hiring and promoting each candidate in an ethical and equitable way. The Group strictly prohibits discrimination against any applicant for employment because of the individual’s gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, visible and/or invisible disabilities, socio-economic and/or multicultural origins, health conditions, age, religion, or any other characteristics protected by law.