Marketing Manager

Job Description Summary

The Marketing Manager is responsible for defining, developing, and executing the full marketing strategy for the Retail Business Unit and its portfolio in line with the company vision. You own the commercial performance of key product groups, ensuring both sales growth and profitability while safeguarding strong, consistent brand equity across all touchpoints. In this leadership role, you report directly to the Retail Business Unit Head, are a core member of the Retail Business Unit leadership team, and act as a critical cross-functional orchestrator across departments, incl. Sales, Medical, Market Access, Business Operations, Regulatory, Supply, Finance, Portfolio, Quality, and regional/global teams. As a people manager, you lead a team of brand managers and a sales officer which you will guide to set and reach objectives while supporting their development in short- and long-term.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities
 

1. Marketing Strategy & Brand Management

• Define and execute the overall marketing strategy for the Retail portfolio in alignment with local, regional, and global strategy, based on insights, competitive intelligence, trends, pricing dynamics, and healthcare policy evolution

• Lead brand planning of full team in continuous and pragmatic manner, including omnichannel engagement, promotional grid, and performance management

• Take on brand management responsibilities for own domains (for example: specific therapeutic areas, projects, or field force lines), including:

  • Define product positioning and key messages based on own insight generation (incl. data analytics, field force, own interviews with KOLs)

  • Lead and coordinate integrated teams to prepare and execute launches and/or strategic projects under your personal responsibility

  • Develop supporting marketing material for the sales force allowing them to clearly convey relevant marketing messages according to Sandoz sales model while respecting our internal policies, incl. script writing in close collaboration with sales leaders

  • Present material to field force and train them to convey key messages in ways that generate real impact

  • Prepare briefings, coordinate and follow-up with external agencies to develop marketing material, market research (and others, if relevant)

  • Accompany the field force in the field to gain insights on how to best support them in their sales journey and identify/test marketing ideas

  • Monitor impact and efficiency own activities, material and allocated resources related to own domains

  • Act as back-up for own team if needed
     

• Ensure buy-in from key stakeholders and execution through continuous alignment and monitoring of execution
   

• Support Business Unit Head Retail in coordinating marketing activities (e.g. Cycle Meeting preparation, monthly business reviews, consolidation of product forecasting, business case preparations)

2. Commercial Ownership

• Act as business owner for the entire Retail portfolio (current and future) in support of the BU Head to ensure topline and profitability targets, with a higher focus on priority domains

• Monitor product performance, market share, competitor landscape, pricing impact, and customer/patient needs.

• Provide strategic and operational recommendations during business reviews

• Support short-, mid-, and long-term forecasting, as well as financial target setting (incl. budgeting) and strategic planning

• Optimize marketing budget allocation to maximize ROI and ensure financial discipline

• Support BU Head with overall budget management

3. Asset development, Brand Activation, & Engagement

• Ensure consistent, impactful communication across all touchpoints, adapting the corporate brand playbook to the needs of the Belgian market.

• Lead and/or oversee partnerships with internal and external parties (incl. creative agencies, media partners) for integrated campaigns

• Enhance usage of internal hubs and partners for campaigns, content creation, and/or re-use of already available assets to drive efficiency

• Drive development of customer-facing communication and services (GPs, specialists, pharmacists) and high-quality tools for pharma and medical representatives.

• Lead and execute both recurring and urgent customer communication (e.g. policy changes, stock-outs)

• Boost motivation, transparency, and sense of belonging in Business Unit through regular engagement

4. Portfolio Expansion & Launch Excellence

• Oversee launch pipeline planning (5+ years) by team and portfolio department, incl. portfolio strategy, opportunity identification, technical and commercial preparation

• Ensure launch excellence of all future launches by ensuring proper preparation and flawless execution in collaboration with global, European, and cross-functional teams

• Adopt challenging and learning approach to continuously improve our portfolio and launch performance

5. Cross-Functional Leadership & Regional Representation

• Act as the pivotal link between Marketing, Sales and Business Operations, ensuring full alignment on priorities, messaging, execution, and performance follow-up.

• Work closely with Legal, Compliance, RIP, Regulatory Affairs, Quality, Market Access, Supply Chain, Medical, and other teams to ensure compliance, availability, and operational readiness.

• Represent the Belgian Retail organization in local/regional/global discussions as the primary marketing point of contact.

6. Team Leadership & Talent Development

• Lead, coach, and develop (in short-and long-term) a team of Brand Managers and a sales officer

• Actively manage team scope, deliverables, performance, efficiency, and individual roles and responsibility to ensure high impact

• Champion adoption of our Sandoz values and principles

 

Desired Profile

• University degree in business administration, life sciences, marketing, commercial engineering, communication, or a related field.

• Minimum 10 years of relevant marketing experience; experience in pharma (generics, OTC, retail) is a strong plus.

• Proven success in Market strategy, brand management, portfolio strategy, and launching products in complex regulated markets.

• Strong strategic thinker with demonstrated ability to translate data and insights into actionable plans.

• Strong business acumen and P&L understanding

• Analytical mindset, able to synthesize data and drive informed decisions.

• Experienced people leader with a passion for developing talent and energizing teams.

• Excellent communication skills and proven ability to collaborate cross-functionally.

• High level of self-awareness, open for feedback and willingness to learn

• Motivated and result-driven team player with an open communication style

• Fluent in Dutch, French, and English.

Skills Desired

Agility, Asset Management, Commercial Excellence, Cross-Functional Collaboration, Customer Orientation, Digital Marketing, Healthcare Sector Understanding, Influencing Skills, Marketing Strategy, Negotiation Skills, Operational Excellence, Priority Disease Areas Expertise, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Product Marketing, Product Strategy, Stakeholder Engagement, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Partnerships