Job Purpose

 

The Consumer & Market Insights (CMI) Manager is responsible for embedding the consumer perspective into marketing and commercial decision-making. The role leads consumer and market understanding through robust research, data analysis, and insight generation, translating complex data into clear, actionable recommendations that drive brand, category, and portfolio growth.

 

Duties and Responsibilities

1. Consumer & Market Understanding

Define and implement appropriate research methodologies (qualitative, quantitative, and secondary data) to address key business and knowledge gaps. Connect brand equity results with brand reality to form concrete brand story. Generate deep insights into consumer attitudes, behaviors, motivations, and unmet needs across consumers, customers, and channels. Translate consumer understanding into clear implications for brand positioning, innovation, communication, and portfolio strategy. Identify emerging trends and shifts in consumer behavior and assess their relevance to the business. Continuously seek new and improved research approaches and tools, recommending and embedding them within the organization.

2. Data Analysis & Insight Generation

Translate retail sales data/market performance data, and other internal and external data sources into actionable insights for category, brand, and portfolio decisions. Monitor market share and brand performance across markets, regions, channels, packs, and brands to identify growth opportunities, risks, and competitive threats. Integrate multiple data sources (e.g., research, sales, media, shopper, channel data) to create a holistic view for business planning and decision-making. Design, manage, and monitor ad hoc research initiatives originating from marketing or other functions. Go beyond agency outputs by applying independent data interpretation to develop clear hypotheses and rationales that answer key business challenges and objectives. Evolve existing reporting templates into simple, user-friendly dashboards to improve cross-functional reporting and accessibility.

3. Research Project & Agency Management

Lead end-to-end research project management, ensuring objectives, timelines, budgets, and quality standards are met. Brief, manage, and challenge research agencies on both qualitative and quantitative studies. Sense-check agency outputs, challenge assumptions and conclusions when needed, and translate findings into clear business implications. Ensure consistent communication on project progress, risks, and dependencies with all stakeholders. Review agency performance throughout the year, provide structured feedback, and continuously improve ways of working.

4. Stakeholder Collaboration & Influence

Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Sales, Media, Innovation, and other teams to understand business challenges and shape relevant research objectives. Act as a thought partner to brand and category teams, advising on how brands can play a meaningful and differentiated role within their categories. Introduce creative and strategic thinking approaches to insight generation, encouraging curiosity and inquisitive thinking across internal teams and agencies. Clearly communicate insights and recommendations to brand teams and relevant stakeholders in a compelling and business-oriented manner to influence decision-making.

5. Governance, Sustainability & Reporting

Contribute to the Sustainability & Reporting pillar as a KPI Owner, Data Submitter, or Control Performer/Data Validator. Ensure accurate data collection, validation, and transparent reporting in line with organizational sustainability commitments and governance standards.