Head of Brand Architecture and Innovation

We are Pernod Ricard, a leading company in the global spirits industry. We own 16 of the world’s top 100 Spirits Brands and hold one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry with 240 premium brands available in over 160 countries, including: Absolut vodka; Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies; Jameson Irish whiskey; Martell cognac; Havana Club rum; Beefeater, Malfy and Monkey 47 gins; Malibu liqueur; Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes.

In the UK, Pernod Ricard is made up of 3 businesses:

• Pernod Ricard UK, which markets, sells and distributes our products in the UK market
• Chivas Brothers, the largest brand company in the Group, responsible for the production and management of our award-winning Scotch whisky portfolio
• Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail, the global and EMEA home of the group’s duty free, air travel and cruises business.

We are an organisation of 2,000 employees in the UK, headquartered in London, in a brand-new office designed with sustainability, ‘conviviality’ and collaboration in mind. We also have offices in Scotland and various distilleries and production sites across the UK from Plymouth to London to Speyside.

This position sits in our Chivas Brothers business. At Chivas Brothers, our 1,600-strong team across 27 sites is committed to upholding the heritage of Scotch and ensuring its sustainable future, as well as opening it up to new audiences across the globe.

The Speciality whiske(y)s portfolio consists of The Glenlivet, one of the leading Single Malt brands, Aberlour, Scapa, Secret Speyside and several Irish Whisky boutique brands including Redbreast, the Spot range, Method & Madness etc  

The Head of Brand Architecture & Innovation will report to the

The Head of Brand Architecture & Innovation will play a pivotal role in shaping and executing the strategic vision for the Speciality Whisky portfolio. This position is accountable for overseeing the entire portfolio management, range development and innovation pipeline across the Scotch Single Malt brands and Irish Speciality brands, ensuring alignment with the portfolio vision, consumers, and market needs.

In addition to the existing responsibilities, the role will encompass the following:

Leadership:

• In conjunction with the Brand Architecture director, plan and craft the long-term portfolio strategy and lead the development of a 36-month pipeline in partnership with key functions and drive market teams.
• Take a lead role in critical range architecture value strategy projects, such as portfolio simplification and optimisation, pricing strategies, range sales forecast and long term allocation strategies.
• Foster collaboration with drive market, global Innovation hub, insights, strategy, blending and inventory teams to define consumer-centric and culturally relevant pipelines, brand assets and opportunities.
• Bring to life the NPD pipeline and deliver the projects as per expected quality standards and timings.
• Collaborate with drive markets monthly to answer their needs when it comes to local innovation and asset development.
• Act as a brand guardian, ensuring that new products and marketing initiatives are deeply rooted in the brands’ DNA.
• Manage range architecture budget and become a trustworthy partner of CBL finance team.
• Identify and adopt best practices to enhance programs/assets and inspire local markets.

Team Management:

• Manage, develop, coach, and recruit direct reports, leveraging their strengths and addressing development areas through consistent, direct, and constructive feedback.
• Ensure strict adherence to project goals, timelines, and budgets, overseeing project coordination among external agencies, internal teams, and drive Markets.
• Lead the team to ensure flawless launch execution by defining brand experience guidelines and aligning them with local growth plans.
• Oversee the performance and development review process within the team, including individual development and career planning.

Brand Management:

• Together with the Brand Architecture Director and other Head of leaders, assume ownership and accountability for the overall portfolio strategy.
• Continuously challenge the team to deepen consumer insights and transform them into actionable strategies and initiatives.
• Provide clear consumer and business rationale behind all recommendations.
• Challenge the team to optimize spending efficiency and effectiveness while extracting the best value from suppliers and agencies.
• Sustainability and Responsible Innovation: promote sustainability in product development and ensure compliance with environmental and social responsibility goals.

This position could be right for you if you:

Essential

• University educated (Master’s in business/Marketing preferred)
• 15+ years marketing experience
• Track record of cross-functional team leadership and generating best-in-class marketing / NPDs with outstanding creative outputs
• Ability to manage a complex product portfolio
• Ability to plan and anticipate
• Strong analytical skills and ability to synthesise
• Clarity of thoughts and ability to engage and recommend
• Ability to translate consumer insight into concrete range extension and new product proposition
• Experience working with finance team (P&Ls, long range sales forecast & inventory planning)
• Experience working with leading creative agencies and ensuring highest standard in delivery

Additional qualifications desired:

• International experience, working in a market or region, with an understanding of market/consumer dynamics
• Experience within in premium/luxury Spirits or other luxury sectors
• Interest for innovation and new technologies
• Interest in new material and packaging development
• Travel may be required

Role specific competencies:

• Strong interpersonal skills – ability to build strong working relationships and work in teams
• Can combine strategic brand approach while being accountable for multiple projects
• Capable of challenging and influencing across a broad range of stakeholders
• Combine strategic analytical skills with creative eye

Our mix of benefits

For your health, we offer private medical insurance, critical illness cover and an optional healthcare cash plan and dental insurance. Our lifestyle benefits options include 28 days’ annual holiday, your employee pension, share incentive plan, family care, season ticket loans, free mortgage advice, payroll giving and more!

You can access lots of gifts & discounts, including an allowance each year to spend on our brands in our staff shop and employee discounts from a range of high street retailers. We have regular events in our very own office bar, employee-run networks, a culture of flexibility and trust and a variety of tools and resources to help you focus on your wellbeing and mental fitness.

Conviviality: the Pernod Ricard Way

We have our own way of doing things. We call it conviviality! It’s our way of being, and something unique you feel and experience when working for Pernod Ricard.

We’re committed to conviviality, and with this, you’ll be Proud to Belong to our Pernod Ricard family. You’ll be Empowered to Perform, supported to succeed, and acknowledged for the value you bring.

We combine all this with our Commitment to Care: we are unlocking the magic of human connection to transform our industry and make a positive impact on the world though our strong focus on Sustainability and Responsibility (S&R).

We’re committed to diversity and inclusion

People are at the heart of everything we do at Pernod Ricard and are the foundation of our collective spirit as ‘Créateurs de Convivialité’. We promote diversity and inclusion throughout our business and supply chain. In our teams, we proactively foster a diverse work force and an inclusive culture – an environment where we can truly be ourselves.

We will assess your application for this role based on your skills, experiences and achievements, not your gender, age, ethnic or educational background or any other such factors. Please feel free to leave these off your CV and application form if you so wish. Similarly, if you would like to discuss opportunities for flexible working or e accommodations or support to complete our application process, please let us know.

Responsible drinking

As ‘Créateurs de convivialité’, we want to turn social interactions into genuine and friendly experiences of sharing and wellbeing.

In our culture, we want to create diverse teams in which our differences contribute to our success. Therefore, all are welcome at Pernod Ricard, regardless of your religious beliefs or personal choices on the consumption of alcohol.

In our business, we work together with industry members, civil society, governments, local authorities and UN bodies to promote responsible drinking. 

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