Head of Marketing

Asahi Canada; Toronto; On-site; CAD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading beverage company in Toronto is seeking a Head of Marketing to drive brand strategy and portfolio management. This role requires 8-10 years of marketing experience, excellent communication skills, and a Bachelor’s degree, preferably an MBA. The position leads a team and collaborates with global teams to achieve business goals, ensuring brand alignment and market engagement. Strong leadership behaviors are essential to embody the company's values.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years of marketing/brand/portfolio management experience.
• Experience in FMCG category managing multiple brands.
• Demonstrated ability to coach and develop teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute brand strategies for local portfolio.
• Lead Canadian marketing strategies and activations.
• Champion portfolio management and align strategies.

Skills

Business Strategy

Portfolio Management

Excellent Communication

Trade Marketing

Agency Management

Brand Positioning

Education

University degree, MBA desired

Job description

Job Title

Head of Marketing

Country

Canada

Location

Toronto

Reporting to

General Manager- Canada

Number of direct reports

3

Number of indirect reports

6

Budgets (CAPEX, OPEX) and key metrics (Volumes, NPR):

Full Brand Portfolio Volume & Revenue Nationally; Total Canada DMI; P&L ownership and management.

Main Interfaces

Reports to the General Manager- Canada, and has regular interaction with all functions (Finance, Supply Chain, Sales and Human Resources), leads team of 9 Brand & Trade marketers and guides business partners in plan development and execution (Route to Market Partners, Global Brand teams, creative & media agencies, other business partners).

Key Purpose Statement

As a key member of the Canadian Leadership team, the Head of Marketing is the champion of the consumer perspective in all matters and will use this consumer-driven perspective to directly impact and influence the overall strategic direction of the Canadian organization, including Brand & Trade Marketing initiatives. As head of the Canadian marketing function, this person will lead and champion a portfolio of world-class brands to ensure achievement of the Canadian Ambition, the development and execution of a differentiated portfolio strategy and the delivery of country profit, volume, and strategic brand-building (equity) goals. The Head of Marketing is a visible leadership position within Asahi Canada and must embody and consistently demonstrate the Asahi leadership behaviours for internal and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities & Outputs

Canadian Leadership Team Impact

• Champion the consumer / brand perspective among the Canadian Leadership Team
• Collaborate with Canadian leadership team to ensure ongoing portfolio engagement and identify opportunities to achieve business goals and/or close gaps
• Routinely provide portfolio performance updates to leadership and stakeholders, and proactively recommend changes in direction as required
• Set challenging brand building objectives with appropriate performance metrics attached
• Apply a whole-business mindset in support of delivery of Country business and financial objectives.
• Internalize and demonstrate Asahi Leadership Behaviours daily (role mode)

Brand portfolio management

• Lead in conjuction with the brand team the development and execution of brand strategies for Asahi Canada’s premium portfolio, including Peroni Nastro Azzurro, Asahi Super Dry, Grolsch, and other local or global brands as applicable.
• Collaborate with global brand teams to localize campaigns and toolkits while influencing global priorities based on local market trends, opportunities, and performance.
• Own brand innovation pipeline in partnership with commercial and supply chain teams, supporting the development and launch of new products, line extensions, and packaging updates.
• Leverage global brand strategies and assets as well as local insights and market dynamics to build best-in-class Super Premium beer portfolio strategy.
• Establish a portfolio selling & commercialization strategy and lead the development of mid-term brand business plans and goals based on insights and performance analysis
• Manage the portfolio DME budget to deliver against financial targets, accounting principles, process guidelines and productivity goals

Trade Marketing Team Leadership & Impact

• Partner closely with the Sales to ensure seamless alignment between consumer marketing strategies and in-market execution across all channels (On-Premise & Off-Premise).
• Develop and oversee integrated channel marketing plans that translate brand strategies into compelling shopper experiences and retail programs tailored to key accounts and regions.
• Lead the creation of customer-facing toolkits, brand sell-in materials, point-of-sale assets, and promotional programs that enable sales teams to effectively communicate brand value and drive conversion at the shelf and bar.
• Oversee joint business planning support and retailer presentations, contributing marketing insights, brand plans, and data-driven recommendations to strengthen retail partnerships.
• Champion a consumer/shopper-first approach across the commercial organization by bridging marketing and sales priorities, ensuring consistency and effectiveness from brand message to in-store activation.
• Influence portfolio strategy and pricing architecture to support brand premiumization, including promotional guardrails, channel-specific price positioning, and pack strategy alignment.

Planning and execution

• Lead Canadian marketing strategies and activations by leveraging and adapting Global assets and / or creating new assets and ideas to achieve the brand building ambitions of the organization.
• Lead the development of the Integrated Activity Plan with clear objectives, KPIs, and investment priorities, rooted in consumer insights, business performance, and competitive dynamics.
• Work with Global brand and Trade Marketing leads to translate the business strategies into compelling business briefs to guide agencies, partners and customers in the development of programming and activations.
• Engage with key customers (On & Off-Premise) in conjunction with leadership team and sales leaders (internal and external) to drive brand engagement, support and ongoing partnerships.
• Oversee and approve development of a local brand activation strategies based on a deep understanding of our Canadian consumers
• Foster global brand relationships

Stakeholder Management

• Develop and maintain positive and constructive mutually beneficial business relationships with all key stakeholders including above market teams in EMEAA & AEI
• Champion the brand / portfolio vision, building passion and understanding of the positioning and strategy for Canada
• Share and execute best practices and expand throughout the region
• Inspire, lead and support key stakeholders
• Manage link between global brand teams and their resources, plans and implement/execute locally

Coaching and Talent Development

• Responsible for attracting and retaining functional employees
• Provides effective team communication and sets appropriate business targets/ goals
• Personally mentors and oversees the professional development of direct reports within the context of the broader organizational development processes

Knowledge and Experience Required

Academic background:

• Appropriate University/bachelor degree qualification is essential. MBA desired

Experience:

• 8-10 years of marketing / brand / portfolio management experience (including Trade Marketing)
• Demonstrated portfolio management experience in a FMCG category (managing multiple brands in the same category)
• Demonstrated ability in Social / Digital marketing (brand / customer focused)
• Brand development and brand launch experience (multiple cycles)
• Portfolio planning leadership experience
• Experience working with global brands and within global brand structures
• Demonstrated ability to coach & develop teams.

Required Skills:

• Business Strategy
• Portfolio Strategy
• Portfolio Management
• Research & Insights – understand key terms, principles and approaches
• Trade / Customer Marketing
• Develop and inspire a team of marketers
• Media plan development and management
• Brand leadership – internal & external
• Partner motivation and engagement
• Agency management
• Understand global insights, trends and tools and adapt & apply them to Market specific needs
• Understanding of key marketing terms and principles
• Brand positioning
• Functional & Emotional Benefits
• Budget & P&L management
• Excellent Communication and interpersonal skills

Language skills:

• Proficiency in English essential, Bilingual / French speaking is an asset.

Travel: Regular travel will be required across the Canada for internal and partner meetings. Some global / European travel may also be required.

ASAHI BEHAVIOURS – strong individually, stronger together

• Committed – we do what we say we will do
• Cooperative – we are stronger when we work together
• Curious – we are open-minded and discover better ways
• Bold – we are clear and decisive in whatever we do
• Empowering – I bring out the best in my people

We appreciate and review all applications but contact only those applicants who best fit our requirements.

We are committed to nurturing a workplace where we celebrate and respect difference, and support everyone to be true to who they are!

At Asahi Canada we believe you can SHINE AS YOU ARE - no matter your age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disabilities, religion, or beliefs.

We want to support you to be courageous in your individuality and to know that whoever you are and whatever your circumstances, you can belong with us without having to conform.