JOB ROLE:

Title:    Senior Product Manager Garnier South Africa

Division:    Consumer Products Division (CPD)

Line Manager (N+1)    Brand Business Lead – Garnier Southern Africa

JOB PROFILE:

Senior Product Manager - Garnier

At Garnier, we believe in the power of nature and science to nurture healthy beauty. As the Senior Product Manager within our team, you will play a vital role in bringing nature inspired, effective, and accessible beauty products to market. Join us in our mission to democratize naturally-derived beauty and empower everyone to embrace their natural beauty.

Your Mission:

As a Senior Product Manager, you will be the champion for your specific product range within the Garnier portfolio. You'll be responsible for developing and executing product strategies that align with Garnier's brand values of natural ingredients, sustainability, and accessibility, while meeting the evolving needs of our diverse consumer base. You will shepherd your products from concept to launch, collaborate closely with cross-functional teams to ensure their market success.

Job Summary: The Senior Product Manager is the strategic architect and primary custodian of their assigned brand(s) and or franchises, responsible for developing, articulating, and driving the comprehensive brand strategy. This pivotal role requires a dynamic leader capable of inspiring and directing cross-functional teams, working closely with Digital (including e-commerce and CDMO team), Brand Activations, Supply Chain, Finance, Commercial, Consumer Insights, agency partners and customers to ensure seamless execution and market success. The Senior Product Manager will be instrumental in translating consumer insights and market trends into actionable strategies that not only foster brand growth but also secure a dominant market position. Success in this role is directly measured by the ability to significantly grow market share, drive robust customer sell-in, and demonstrate exemplary efficiency and effectiveness in budget management. This role demands a high degree of creativity and the ability to lead the development of "big ideas" that capture consumer imagination and differentiate the brand in a competitive landscape, and critically, the ability to articulate and inspire internal and external stakeholders with the brand's vision and value proposition. Exceptional project management and time management skills are fundamental to successfully orchestrate multiple initiatives and priorities concurrently, underpinned by relentless focus on strong operational excellence, particularly in ensuring flawless in-store execution of the marketing 4Ps (Product, Price, Place, Promotion) to maximize consumer experience and sales performance at the point of purchase.

Key Responsibilities:

1.    Strategic Brand Leadership & Development:

• Develop and own the long-term strategic vision and annual marketing plans for the brand(s), integrating market analysis, consumer insights, competitive landscape, and company objectives.
• Lead the conceptualization and development of "big ideas" rooted in local consumer insights - for brand campaigns, product launches, and brand initiatives that resonate with target audiences and drive market disruption and standout versus the competition.
• Identify new market opportunities, product trends, and brand extensions to fuel sustainable growth and maintain competitive advantage.
• Champion the brand's unique value proposition, ensuring consistent messaging and brand identity across all touchpoints.

2.    Bringing the Brand to Life for Stakeholders:

• Act as the primary brand advocate internally, inspiring and educating cross-functional teams, senior leadership, and external partners about the brand's vision, values, and objectives.
• Develop compelling narratives and presentations that clearly articulate brand strategy, marketing plans, and performance results, fostering strong buy-in and alignment across the organization.
• Translate complex market insights and strategic imperatives into understandable and actionable guidance for diverse audiences.
• Build strong relationships with key internal departments and external agencies, acting as a trusted advisor and collaborative partner.

3.    Cross-Functional Team Direction, Alignment & Operational Execution:

• Serve as the central point of contact and strategic lead for cross-functional partners, translating brand strategy into clear, actionable objectives for each team.
• Digital Team: Provide strategic input for digital campaigns, e-commerce initiatives, social media engagement, and online content development. Work in collaboration with the digital media team to consult in the development and execution of performance marketing strategies (e.g., SEM, SEO, paid social, affiliate marketing) to optimize online customer acquisition and conversion, ensuring maximum brand visibility and consumer interaction across all digital touchpoints.
• Supply Chain Team: Collaborate closely to forecast demand, optimize inventory levels, manage product launches, and ensure efficient product availability in line with market needs and promotional activities. Lead the run out of excess and obsoletes on respective brands driving for efficiency and effectiveness and minimum P&L impact.
• Finance Team: Work in partnership to develop and manage brand budgets, conduct profitability analysis, evaluate ROI of marketing initiatives, and ensure financial targets are met while maximizing resource utilization.
• Sales Team: Empower the sales force with compelling brand stories, sales tools, product knowledge, and pricing strategies to drive strong customer sell-in and achieve distribution targets. Collaborate intensively with sales and trade marketing to ensure the flawless in-store execution of the marketing 4Ps, translating brand strategies into effective retail activation plans.
• Facilitate regular meetings and communication channels to ensure all teams are aligned on brand objectives, timelines, and performance metrics.
• Lead the planning, execution, and tracking of all brand projects and campaigns from inception to completion, ensuring adherence to scope, budget, and timeline with a focus on streamlined processes and high-quality outputs, particularly for retail activation and merchandising.

4.    Market Share Growth & Competitive Advantage:

• Monitor market trends, Proactively monitor competitor activity, analyze market dynamics, and identify opportunities to differentiate Garnier's products and strengthen our position in the market and grow market share.
• Develop and execute highly creative and innovative marketing campaigns (ATL, BTL, digital, and in-store) that resonate with target consumers, build brand equity, and drive demand.
• Analyze sales data and market share reports to identify areas for improvement and adapt strategies as needed, ensuring an agile and responsive approach to market dynamics.

5.    Driving Customer Sell-In & Distribution (with In-Store Focus):

• Collaborate with the Sales team to develop compelling trade marketing strategies, promotional programs, and merchandising guidelines tailored for various retail environments.
• Define optimal in-store product placement, shelf merchandising standards, and promotional visibility to enhance brand presence and consumer engagement.
• Prepare and present strategic brand plans, new product launches, and promotional calendars to key retail partners and internal sales teams, clearly outlining in-store execution requirements.
• Monitor sell-in performance and work with sales to overcome challenges and capitalize on opportunities, ensuring efficient channel execution and strong retail support.

6.    Efficient & Effective Budget Management:

• Develop and manage the brand's marketing budget (on a monthly basis) with a strong focus on 1) optimizing expenditure for maximum impact and ROI and minimizing waste.
• Track and analyze the effectiveness of marketing investments, adjusting spend as necessary to achieve financial objectives and operational efficiency.
• Ensure all brand activities are executed within budget parameters and deliver measurable value, consistently seeking opportunities for cost optimization without compromising quality, especially for in-store activations.
• Portfolio Management: Manage the existing product portfolio, identifying opportunities for optimization, line extensions, and new product introductions.
• Forecasting: Develop and manage accurate product forecasts and budgets.

7.    Content Management – consistent with big idea within all touchpoints

• Translating DMI brand content into locally relevant assets that appeal to the brand target audience
• Create locally relevant assets if none are available appealing to the target audience and within brand guidelines.
• Tapping into local trends and timeously reacting with content that captures the audience attention.

8.    Product Lifecycle Management:

• Lead the new product development process to successful launch NPDS with clear post analysis.
• Manage product portfolio, including SKU rationalization and discontinuations, based on performance and strategic fit, ensuring operational efficiency throughout the product lifecycle, from factory to shelf.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):

• Market Share Growth: Year-over-year percentage increase in market share within target segments.
• Customer Sell-in: Achievement of sell-in targets for new products, promotions, and overall brand portfolio.
• Efficient and Effective Budget Management:
• Adherence to approved marketing budget.
• Demonstrable ROI for key marketing campaigns and initiatives.
• Cost-effectiveness of brand activities and optimized resource utilization.
• Specific e-commerce KPIs (e.g., conversion rates, ROAS for performance marketing campaigns, online sales growth).
• Internal Brand Advocacy: Measured by cross-functional team engagement, understanding, and alignment with and delivery of brand objectives.
• Project Delivery: On-time and on-budget completion of key brand initiatives and campaigns, meeting defined quality standards.
• In-Store Execution Excellence: Lead the execution of gold standard brand presence and experience in store.  Setting merchandising guidelines, monitoring share of shelf, driving promotional visibility, and effectiveness of in-store activations across key retail partners.

Required Skills:

• Strong Operational Excellence & Retail Activation: Demonstrated ability to translate strategic plans into flawless execution, especially in a retail environment. Expertise in defining, implementing, and monitoring in-store marketing programs, merchandising standards, and promotional activations to maximize visibility and sales conversion at the point of sale. A proactive approach to identifying and resolving operational bottlenecks and a commitment to continuous improvement across all execution touchpoints.
• Big Idea Development & Creativity: Proven ability to generate innovative, disruptive, and culturally relevant "big ideas" that drive brand engagement and stand out in a crowded marketplace. A passion for creative problem-solving and a keen eye for aesthetic and impactful communication.
• Strategic Acumen: Proven ability to develop comprehensive, data-driven brand strategies that deliver commercial results.
•  Exceptional Leadership & Influence: Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate, and align diverse cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Superior Communication, Storytelling & Presentation Skills: Ability to articulate complex strategies clearly, persuasively, and inspirationally to various stakeholders (internal and external) using compelling narratives and data. Strong ability to "sell" the brand vision internally.
• Stakeholder Management & Relationship Building: Proven ability to build strong rapport and influence diverse groups, from senior executives to operational teams, ensuring alignment and collaboration.
• Project Management Expertise: Strong capability in leading complex projects, including planning, scheduling, resource allocation, risk management, and ensuring successful execution through to completion. Familiarity with project management methodologies is a plus.
• Exceptional Time Management & Organizational Skills: Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, projects, and deadlines simultaneously in a fast-paced environment, maintaining meticulous attention to detail and delivering high-quality work efficiently.
• Strong Analytical & Commercial Skills: Proficient in market analysis, budget management, and ROI analysis; able to translate data into actionable insights.
• Marketing Expertise: Deep understanding of the marketing mix (product, price, place, promotion), consumer behavior, and brand building principles.
• E-commerce & Performance Marketing Expertise: Demonstrated experience in developing and executing successful e-commerce strategies, including a strong understanding of online customer journeys, conversion optimization, and various performance marketing channels (e.g., SEO, SEM, paid social, affiliate marketing). Ability to analyze digital campaign data to optimize performance.
• Problem-Solving & Adaptability: Capacity to identify challenges, develop creative solutions, and adapt strategies in a dynamic market environment.
• Financial Literacy: Strong understanding of P&L statements, forecasting, and cost management and implications of everyday actions on the P&L.

Other:

•    PASSIONATE AND ENTHUSIATIC ABOUT BEAUTY

•    Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.

•    Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, cross-functional environment.

•    Persuasive skills

•    Negotiation skills

•    Presentation skills – powerpoint expert or master

•    Excel acumen

•    Bachelor's degree in related fields

•    A strong understanding of the beauty industry would be an advantage

L'ORÉAL COMPETENCIES

•    INNOVATOR 

•    STRATEGIST 

•    PEOPLE DEVELOPER 

•    INTEGRATOR

•    ENTREPRENEUR

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and take pride in a diverse environment. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, medical condition or disability. We adhere to all local Labour Relations legislation.

Closing Date: 16 January 2026