Promotion Insights Consultant (Inmar VSI Promotion Consulting)

January 11, 2010

POSITION SUMMARY

Inmar VSI Consultants provide marketing and promotions analytics, insights and optimization services for leading marketers of consumer products.   The Consultants work as an integral member of their client's integrated shopper marketing, brand marketing, or consumer promotions teams, to plan and implement promotions that efficiently and effectively meet marketing objectives and address changing consumer, retailer, competitive and other market dynamics.  The Consultants support a client roster for delivery of marketing and promotion optimization and insights services.   In addition, the Consultants write and present case studies and whitepapers, perform marketing surveys, develop new products and services, and assist with selling Inmar VSI services.  The Consultants work under the general supervision of the Director, and in close collaboration and cooperation with other Inmar VSI team members, client contacts, vendors and agencies, and Inmar CMS Promotion Services account teams.

MAJOR JOB RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITY

The Consultant is responsible and accountable for timely and accurate delivery of services according to the Consultant's assigned role (lead, support, backup) on a given client engagement or project.

Client Service:

  • This is a client-facing position. 
  • Proactively and frequently communicate with clients to properly deliver services.  This communication includes presentations, emails, telephone calls, WebEx's, and in-person meetings. This communication will involve complex and detailed topics with multiple participants from clients, third-parties, and Inmar teams.
  • Provide analyses, reports, lists, recommendations, presentations, and advice to clients in a timely, accurate, courteous and professional manner.
  • Diligently manage the tight and overlapping timelines for key deliverables and work to keep tasks on track across Inmar and client team members. Keep people well-apprised of the status of deliverables.
  • Actively participate in meetings and discussions and request information to fully understand key marketplace and brand goals and activities that will impact the clients' promotions and marketing plans. 
  • Participate in seminars, education sessions & self-study to keep abreast of clients business and marketplace trends, etc. 
  • Assist with sales renewals and extensions of services to clients.  
  • Handle confidential information with discretion. 

Execution of Marketing and Promotions Analysis, Insights and Optimization Services:

  • Build insights and develop plausible conclusions and recommendations for client promotions using qualitative and quantitative inputs from multiple sources.  (i.e. marketing briefs, marketing mix analyses, retailer and shopper marketing data, coupon redemption data, BDI/CDI, Scanner data, Sales data (POS, shipments), competitive intelligence, IRI/Nielsen info, and other brand, retailer, consumer and promotions data.) 
  • Develop and deliver in-depth KPI's, metrics, and post-event reporting on promotional events and programs.  
  • Provide budgeting / planning assistance. Develop predicted rates and build budgets/plans for promotional offers, programs, and events using historical client data and other appropriate data, approaches and tools.  Provide solid rationale for projections. Provide budget analysis and monitoring to client.  Make recommendations on budget issues.
  • Provide advice, research, and consultation on promotions throughout the year;  
  • Perform geo/ demographic market-level targeting using advanced models and techniques. 
  • Create and administer insights-based market lists. 
  • Develop insights and recommendations for promotions using multiple variables and key factors (identifying trends in any new methods or new strategies for client, etc.)  
  • Create scenarios, options, and recommendations for distribution of offers and offer values that meet client goals and objectives for efficient and effective marketing and promotions.
  • Make in-depth, insights-based recommendations on promotion design and values.
  • Make recommendations for building insights into programs– including design and execution of offer coding & testing. 
  • Deliver formal presentations and facilitate meetings to deliver findings and results. 
  • Apply strong knowledge and understanding of marketing and sales promotions for consumer goods, including promotions using coupons. 
  • Gather, cleanse, assimilate and leverage brand, shopper marketing, promotion, financial and other data; 
  • Collaborate with key stakeholders to develop appropriate client marketing and promotion strategies and resolve issues.
  • Consistently document work and maintain client contact and other key administrative information.

Recurring and Special Projects:

  • Work closely with other team members to perform projects to maintain assigned accounts and support services and sales efforts across clients (i.e. client set-up, data collection projects, market surveys, research projects).

Marketing and Sales Support:

  • Participate in industry and internal events to promote Inmar VSI services and stay abreast of trends and client needs.
  • Develop and deliver presentations, white papers, webinars, and case studies. 
  • Participate in sales calls, including pre-call analysis of data and engaging in discussions  to understand client needs and to position VSI services accordingly. 

EDUCATION, TRAINING, EXPERIENCE

  • Bachelors degree from an accredited four-year college or university; AND 
  • A minimum of two year's relevant work experience.  Prefer analysis/insights experience with marketing and promotions for consumer packaged goods; Or
  • An equivalent combination of experience, education and training. 

KEY KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES 

  • Possess the consulting, analytical, insights, business and communication knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to execute the responsibilities and meet accountabilities noted above. 
  • Perform complex analyses and build reports and presentations using multiple data inputs, advanced modeling techniques, and structured approaches. 
  • Maintain business relationship relevant to assigned client engagements 
  • Represent ideas clearly and provide clear documentation of work and key communications
  • Compose complex, professional business correspondence, reports, and presentations 
  • Plan and manage own work in collaboration with team to meet assigned deliverables in a timely manner. 
  • Manage  overlapping client and project tasks that require extensive follow-up and have tight deadlines and critical interdependencies
  • Work effectively with individuals at all business levels in a variety of situations requiring tact, judgment, maturity, and composure.
  • Solid understanding and ability to apply marketing and promotional concepts and practices, 
  • Solid understanding of the marketplace for consumer goods--including role of agencies, manufacturer/marketers and major retailers. 
  • Strong desire, willingness and ability to invest time to increase understanding of client promotional needs and concerns and related promotional approaches and tactics
  • Intermediate use of Excel (advanced skills is a plus); Intermediate use of Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Explorer, Access (or other common database suites/applications).

REQUIRED PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ATTRIBUTES  

  • Strong problem-solving and solution oriented approach – a consultative approach.
  • Enjoy working independently as well as in a collaborative and dynamic environment.
  • Possess a strong accountability for work, while being accommodating of needs of others.
  • Ability to multi-task and prioritize own work; 
  • Have a client-centered approach--with the appropriate sense of urgency and ownership of issues and deliverables
  • Tactful, patient, respectful, cooperative  -- yet persistent
  • Maintain positive attitude and manage stress well under challenging, deadline-sensitive business demands
  • Self-motivated, assertive with demonstrated high maturity level
  • Professional appearance and manner; Reliability, regular attendance at work
  • Willing to work periodic overtime, and to travel overnight (10-25%).