Market Strategy & Planning Manager

Location: Arborfield

Company description:
Thornton & Ross

Job description:

STADA UK Thornton & Ross – MS&P Manager Reading | U.K.| Full-time | Permanent

Role

Purpose:

STADA UK is strengthening its Consumer Healthcare (CHC) commercial organisation by creating a more integrated approach to brand strategy, customer planning and in‑market execution.

How You Will Make Impact:

Customer & Shopper Activation

• Translate brand plans into customer-facing activation plans across product, price, promotion and place.
• Develop retailer‑ready selling stories for priority brands, NPD and commercial initiatives.
• Anchor plans in shopper insight, category opportunities and retailer priorities.

NPD Launch Excellence

• Translate innovation strategy into launch toolkits, distribution targets, POS requirements and promo plans.
• Define and monitor launch KPIs by customer including distribution, availability, visibility, feature space and execution.
• Capture customer feedback and in-market learnings to continuously improve future launches.

Distribution, Availability & Retailer Priorities

• Define distribution priorities by brand, SKU and customer, aligned to growth and profitability objectives.
• Monitor R&Os with Sales and Marketing, developing action plan to address gaps.
• Support cross-functional prioritisation when out-of-stock issues or supply constraints impact customers.

Pricing, Promotion & ROI Discipline

• Develop brand/customer promo guidelines, covering promotional depth, frequency, mechanics and timing.
• Lead promo ROI reviews with Sales and Finance, translating insights into improved investment decisions.
• Support pricing flow and ensure activity is consistent with brand positioning and commercial goals.

In-Store Excellence & Perfect Store

• Define best-in-class in-store execution standards, including range, shelf presence, visibility, POS, secondary displays and feature space.
• Develop POS and shopper activation toolkits that support brand plans and launch priorities.
• Monitor execution standards and recommend corrective action where performance is off plan.

Power of 1 Commercial Planning

• Lead the MS&P drumbeat through Commercial Alignment Meetings and launch readiness reviews.
• Equip Sales teams with clear deployment materials, objection handling tools and clear customer priorities.
• Partner with closely with Marketing, Sales, Category, Finance and Demand Planning to maximize success of the category & brand performance.

What We Are Looking For :

We're looking for a commercially minded MS&P professional who understands how to bridge the gap between brand strategy and retail execution. You are passionate about shopper-led thinking and know how to transform marketing plans into compelling customer propositions that drive growth. Comfortable influencing cross-functional teams, you thrive in collaborative environments and enjoy bringing structure, pace and commercial focus to complex projects.

You'll combine strong analytical thinking with excellent stakeholder management, enabling you to influence without direct authority and build alignment across Marketing, Sales and other commercial functions. Above all, you're someone who enjoys turning strategy into action and delivering measurable results in the market.

You will bring:

• A degree in Marketing, Business, Communications or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience, is preferred
• Approximately 5–7 years' experience within FMCG, Consumer Healthcare (CHC), OTC, Personal Care or branded consumer goods.
• Experience in MS&P, Customer Strategy & Planning, Shopper Marketing or Category Management.
• Strong commercial understanding of distribution, pricing, promotions, shopper activation and in-store execution.
• Excellent presentation skills with the ability to create compelling PowerPoint materials for both customers and…