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We are working with Reckitt Benckiser in their search for a Brand Manager – CRM based in Parsippany, NJ. In one of the coolest CRM jobs around, the Brand Manager – CRM will execute the CRM strategy across all RB US brands and cross-brand initiative to achieve business KPIs and joint-business goals. This role will also lead the global expansion of RB’s CRM strategy.
This role executes all CRM initiatives and supports the strategy development with the goal of delivering the business objectives and annual financial growth goals associated with these efforts. This position will collaborate closely and frequently with the assigned brand and agency teams to co-develop and execute annual plans to drive e-commerce sales and database growth and engagement. The role will work closely with and influence creative agencies, plus work closely with technology vendors and global counterparts.
HARRY’S COMMENTS: A long time ago I asked a friend what it was like to attend Harvard Business School. I’ll never forget his answer: “The success of HBS lies in its admissions process. Sure, it’s an amazing school, but you could take the same group of students and teach them finger painting and they’d still go out and be successful.”
That sounds like Reckitt Benckiser.
Reckitt Benckiser is a major producer of hygiene, health, and home products based in the UK. It is a massive, world-class CPG manufacturer on the level of a Colgate-Palmolive or Procter & Gamble. No doubt, as a consumer you have grown to know and trust many of the company’s 19 Powerbrands in your own home: Lysol, Mucinex, Finish, Air Wick ,Durex, Vanish, Calgon, Woolite, Clearasil, French’s, Brasso, Cling Free, Easy-Off and many others.
The firm’s strengths include its ability to leverage its brands for higher revenue generation; its ability to continue as we focus on research and development to enhance revenue sources and improve its market share; and it’s incredibly strong financial position.
According to Datamonitor, “in FY2011, RB’s 19 Powerbrands generated 70% of the net revenues. The Powerbrand focus has also delivered strong results in developing countries, where RB was able to register 13% like-for-like growth. This showcases the firm’s strength of leveraging its brand portfolio to generate higher revenue.”
Evidently, leveraging the strength of strong brands to grow revenues allows RB the operating advantages in terms of better product mix, which results in higher operating margins. These combined with cost optimizations enabled the group to deliver a 12.4% increase in the operating profit in FY2011. A portfolio of market leading brands provides RB a strong platform to grow its revenues and margins.
Reckitt Benckiser is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is part of the the FTSE 100 Index (which is sort of the DJIA). The firm has has operations in around 60 countries and its products are sold in almost 200 countries.
This is the second time I have represented this client, and my take away has been the same both times: These are among the sharpest, most business-oriented marketers on the planet. Best I can figure, there are two reasons for this:
1.) The firm is extremely selective about the people they hire. Although Reckitt Benckiser is a huge firm with tens of thousands of employees, each of those employees would be in the top 5% of employees were they employed elsewhere. This is not mere client brown nosing on my part: Reckitt Benckiser has extremely rigorous talent identification and hiring standards, and they seek to sift out individuals who are driven, perseverance, creative problem solvers with an extremely well-developed business acumen and a strong “sixth-sense” of what ideas will work in the marketplace.
Additionally, due to the company’s lean, meritocratic culture, the candidates who rise through the organization quickly are highly adept that setting priorities, negotiating with internal inexorable stakeholders, building team spirit, and getting things done through others in a way that’s “hard on the issues and soft on the people.” In other words, they get stuff done.
2.) Reckitt Benckiser has a better process for on boarding, managing, motivating, and developing talent. The firm has a world-class employee orientation curriculum that allows new hires to make decisions from day one. In other words, while your business school buddies are still in training at Procter & Gamble, you’ll be building real brands and feeling the buzz that comes from working with multicultural, driven people. You get to make your mark quickly in an environment where the more you achieve, the more you will be rewarded.
This kind of lean, customer focused culture is rare in companies a fraction of the size of Reckitt Benckiser. Check out the following video for a quick overview of what it’s like to pursue a career at Reckitt Benckiser:
About the Role:
Reckitt Benckiser’s new Brand Manager – CRM will be charged with helping the team action the firm’s global CRM strategy in the United States. The CRM strategy has 2 primary components:
- Building a direct to consumer e-mail database which will enable the firm to develop a loyalty strategy to better communicate with shoppers and keep them engaged with Reckitt Benckiser’s brands, and
- Leading initiatives that involve the capture, management, and interpretation of all customer information the firm captures across its thousands of far-flung customer touch points.
The basic idea is that, as one of the world’s top digital marketers, Reckitt Benckiser seeks to widen its lead in terms of customer targeting, driving sales online (or enhancing offline sales), and/ or selling through its valued channel partners such as Amazon.com, Walmart.com, and Target.com.
In order to manage the two primary components of this role, the new Brand Manager – CRM will be tasked with putting the finishing touches on Reckitt Benckiser’s CRM platform integration.
The firm has an aggressive three-year goal in terms of the number of records it would like to have in its house file, and the company is doing considerable amount of work with third-party data companies to mine the data, define and segment shoppers, and communicate with shoppers through direct mail, loyalty programs, social media, and more.
Should you apply for the role?
The short answer is YES if you know you are an A-player. There’s nowhere for a B-player to hide at Reckitt Benckiser. It’s a place where immediately you get to drive the success of some of the world’s biggest brands. Moreover, the firm’s culture incentivizes people to constantly challenge and test the status quo. Direct marketers would know this mentality by the expression “beating the control.”
A “control” is a particular marketing initiative that’s working better than anything else, and throughout history the world’s smartest direct marketers have tried methodically to “beat the control” by split testing dozens of variables against it. Whenever they found a better way the new way became the latest control to beat. This method sets up a cycle of constant and never-ending improvement. That’s what Reckitt Benckiser is all about.
There’s no such thing as a sacred cow at Reckitt Benckiser.
Your job will become challenging and testing the norm because Reckitt Benckiser doesn’t believe in “tried and tested.” Only by always questioning the norm can they continuously develop breakthrough products that make their consumers’ lives happier and their homes healthier.
The right person for this job is hungry. S/he wants to grow. S/he’s passionate, and s/he is all about doing things s/he can’t couldn’t do elsewhere. S/he’s decisive, confident, and can make smart decisions even under ambiguous circumstances. S/he’s a doer, and s/he loves a good challenge.
If you share Reckitt Benckiser’s passion for achieving and its insanely driven approach, then RB is the place for you. In return, you will be rewarded with rapid progression and a truly international career with a company that believes in its people.
POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:
- Degree educated from a US or internationally-recognized university
- Experience leading CRM marketing minimum 3 years
- Digital marketing and/or media experience 5 years
- Proficient in Google Analytics, ESP, and database platforms
- MBA a plus
- CPG or agency experience a plus.
- Ability to inspire trust, create direction, drive organizational alignment, build organization vitality, execute and produce results
- Ability to challenge the status quo and the ability to manage and deliver change
- Strong analytical and strategic thinker
- Strong leadership skills
- Dynamic and entrepreneurial with high levels of energy and drive
- Strongly results oriented with demonstrable track record of success
- Ability to set challenging targets, lead, develop and motivate people
- Self-motivated, highly flexible and takes the initiative to do what’s needed
- Internationally mobile
- Team working skills Ability to work in a global environment
- Networking skills
- Resilience
- Financially and commercially astute
- Strong oral, written communication, and presentation skills
- Proficient in MS Office
- Strong time management skills
- Ability to handle ambiguity
Applications for this position are being coordinated by Harry Joiner. To apply, CLICK HERE. Candidates, please be sure to email Harry for additional information that will differentiate you in your candidacy. Due to the extremely competitive nature of this search, you don’t want to be without this material.
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