Director, Marketing Director – Terms of Reference

General Description

The Trade Export Promotion Agency (TEPA) is a statutory corporation, established under the Trade Export Promotion Agency Act No. 16 of 2013 and operating under the auspices of the Ministry of Commerce, Business Development, Investment and consumer Affairs in Saint Lucia.

As the lead agency mandated to spearhead the island’s National Export Development effort, its overall objective is to increase aggregate volume and value of goods and services exports from Saint Lucia to the rest of the world.

TEPA’s programmes are designed to increase exposure of Saint Lucia products and services in the global market and to promote the national image or brand by providing information, counsel and marketing services to exporters looking to expand into external markets.

TEPA undertakes activities that will improve relationships between buyers and sellers, and enhance the competitive advantage of Saint Lucian exporters

 

Job Summary

Working under the guidance of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the Director – Marketing and Promotion takes the lead for design and implementation of initiatives under the Marketing and Promotion component of the TEPA Action Plan.

  • Under the supervision of the CEO, develops, implements, manages, monitors and evaluates marketing and promotions activities locally and internationally.
  • Leads initiatives and teams for marketing and promotion improvements at national and firm levels.
  • Supervises the Marketing and Promotion technical staff including officers assigned within specific international markets.
  • Anticipates and responds to customer and customer team needs.
  • Visits customers and retail markets regularly.
  • Liaises with program colleagues on issues of marketing and promotion, coordination and management;
  • Plays a role in the identifying, developing and managing of TEPA’s contacts with other international Trade Promotion agencies, the OECS Competitiveness Business Unit, the Caribbean Export Development Agency and other similar institutions that support the trade promotion function of TEPA.
  • Contributes to TEPA’s public relations efforts and to knowledge dissemination and utilization, including participation in  public fora;
  • Manages the evaluation and analysis of promotion events to determine effectiveness

 

Primary Duties or Responsibilities

Planning and Programing for marketing and promotion

  • Develops promotional plans and strategy for the domestic and export markets.
  • Ensure national and export promotional plans support and drive the national brand strategy.
  • Develops brand/category platform strategic trade plans aligned with sales and marketing objectives for the new item launches and ongoing business matters related to exports.
  • Works closely with the marketing and promotion team to develop programs and initiatives driven by key consumer insights.

 

Implementation of Marketing and Promotion Action Plan (s)/ Activities

  • Works with distributors, retailers and suppliers to develop customer and /or market specific promotional events.
  • Ensures appropriate resources and lead-times are identified and funded according to the go-to market strategy.
  • Initiates appropriate selling enhancements and/or defense plans to capitalize on market opportunities.
  • Provides recommendations on pricing, sizing, packaging, placement, and assortment opportunities.
  • Reviews brand consumption data to identify opportunities and gaps, and to assess impact on category/product group as a whole.
  • Provides value-added and actionable selling tools which incorporate category management principles, consumer learning and strategic brand insights that allow the category/product group sales force to achieve volume and profit objectives.
  • Assists exporters to build sales promotions and product communication.
  • Works with exporter’s sales teams to turn the “selling stories” into sales tools to effectively present the brands, the products and the marketing initiatives to their customers.
  • Supports the export facilitation team in the execution of Exporter training and Advisory programs;

 

Customer Service and Quality Assurance

  • Responsible for ensuring that the requirements of the Quality Management System for marketing and promotion function within TEPA are adhered to and updated in a timely manner to reflect best practices.
  • Ensures that the local feedback is taken into account by regularly visiting clients, sales teams, and markets.

 

Collaboration

  • Works and contributes within the Technical  team structure that guides the formulation and development of the TEPA Annual Action Plan and related project portfolio;
  • Collaborates with the Finance Officer and the technical team for the ideation, planning & budgeting, production and implementation of all marketing and promotion activities.
  • Participates in regular Staff meetings, and when required in other Technical Team meetings, and represents the organization at other meetings and committees when required;
  • Collaborates with exporters to ensure specific trade plans are in alignment with the national trade promotional plans in order to achieve overall objectives.
  • Collaborates with internal and external stakeholders to ensure marketing and promotion events are aligned with branding requirements and trade promotional plans in order to achieve the desired objectives.
  • Any other duties as assigned by the Chief Executive Officer

 

Research Utilization and Agency Representation

  • Assists in writing, editing, and publishing reports, newsletters; and other relevant publications.
  • Collaborates with the Trade Information Officer and other technical staff in the identification and evaluation of emerging and key export development trends and priorities in individual markets.
  • Collaborates with marketing intelligence resource to read and report results of activities and to provide recommendations and forecasts
  • Collaborates with colleagues in connection with the Export Business Support portfolio of projects in the identification and evaluation of emerging and key export trends and priorities.
  • Participates in consultative and other relevant fora

 

Supervision

  • Directly supervises the Marketing and Promotion Officers and other technical and administrative and support staff when required and;
  • Indirectly supervises staff responsible for Graphic Design and Website Management component of the TEPA Action Plan assisting with the administration of the approved initiatives and projects.

 

Skills & qualifications

Qualifications

  • University degree in marketing or comparable is needed
  • Masters and or any other further qualification in marketing / trade marketing is appreciated

Experience

  • Minimum 3-5 years of trade marketing management   or trade promotions
  • Relevant experience in international, modern companies is needed
  • Former Experience/background in Sales is highly recommended

Knowledge

  • Knowledge of marketing and trade marketing activities, tools and techniques is needed
  • Knowledge of trade channels in any of Saint Lucia’s major export markets (mass market and traditional trade) is highly recommended
  • Knowledge of most important IT tools is needed

Languages

  • Fluency in spoken and written English
  • Knowledge of further languages is appreciated

Mindset and personal skills

  • Capability in building strategic, multilevel and team work relationship
  • Capability in dealing with complexity in a multinational environment
  • Energetic, organized and business-driven approach is highly recommended
  • Engaged and with structured and strong communication skills
  • An affective hands-on approach together with fearless of challenges are appreciated
  • Good role-based leadership and decision making are highly appreciated

Additional Desirable Skills/Abilities

  • Strong public speaking and presentation skills
  • Competency in use and application of MS Office Suite and other relevant Project Management Applications