Shopper Activation Manager EMEA

Ikrut; Netherlands; Hybrid; EUR 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday allowance 8%

Performance bonus

Hybrid work

26 days annual leave

Pension scheme

Commuting reimbursement

Home office allowance

Laptop and mobile

Job summary

Dole Packaged Foods seeks a Shopper Activation Manager to translate marketing priorities into activation across EMEA, with a focus on the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands and Belgium.

Based in Rotterdam, this hands-on role covers activation calendars, POS materials, trade fairs and budgets, with travel across Europe. You will partner with Sales, Marketing and Category teams to deliver measurable ROI and timely delivery.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, marketing, economics, commercial management or sales.
• Minimum 3 years of experience in Trade Marketing, Shopper Marketing, Trade Activation, or Brand Activation.
• Understanding of shopper activation and European retail and food service.
• Strong project management with multiple projects, deadlines and stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, collaboration and negotiation skills.
• Fluent English; additional European languages are an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Translate commercial and marketing priorities into shopper activation plans and manage the annual activation calendar across markets and channels.
• Develop and roll out point-of-sale materials, promotional tools and shopper activations, taking ownership from briefing through delivery.
• Plan and execute trade fairs and events, coordinating stand design, product samples, marketing materials and customer engagement activities.
• Drive strong in-market execution across Retail, Wholesale and Foodservice, and distributors; continuously improve based on results.
• Track and report activation performance, ROI, and progress with clear priorities and next steps.
• Work closely with Sales, Marketing and Category Management, coordinating agencies, media partners, suppliers and distributors across European markets.
• Manage activation and trade budgets, making informed investment decisions while keeping multiple projects on track.

Skills

Fluent English

Project management

Communication

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Multicultural collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Marketing / Economics / Commercial Management / Sales

Job description

Shopper Activation Manager

Location: Rotterdam | Full-time | Hybrid

Ready to turn great commercial ideas into shopper activations that make an impact across EMEA?

At Dole Packaged Foods, we are building our EMEA organization with freedom, energy and ambition to make things happen. We are looking for a Shopper Activation Manager who knows how to turn commercial and marketing priorities into strong execution in-store, online and at trade events, and in Europe and the middle east across Retail, Foodservice and distributor-led markets. With over 100 years of experience, Dole Packaged Foods creates high-quality food that helps nourish people while caring for the planet, guided by our purpose: Sunshine for All.

This is a hands‑on role with broad and fast-moving workload for someone who likes to do, build and deliver. Someone who brings structure to a fast-moving environment and enjoys working across different markets, customers and teams.

If you enjoy thinking disruptively and out of the box, build dynamically as you go balancing momentum and quality and see the direct impact of your work, we would love to meet you.

About the role

As Shopper Activation Manager, you are responsible for translating our strategies and commercial and marketing priorities into effective shopper activation across our EMEA markets.

You will work across Retail, Wholesale and Foodservice, and distributors with a strong focus on markets including the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands and Belgium.

From developing activation calendars and POS materials to managing trade fairs and deciding where activation budgets can make the biggest impact: you make sure plans don't stay on paper but happen

You report to the Marketing Manager Demand and work closely with Sales, Marketing and Category team, as well as external agencies, media partners, suppliers and distributors.

The role is based in Rotterdam and includes occasional travel within Europe, approximately once per quarter.

What will you do?

• Translate commercial and marketing priorities into clear shopper activation plans and manage the annual activation calendar across markets and channels.
• Develop and roll out point-of-sale materials, promotional tools and shopper activations, taking ownership from briefing through delivery.
• Plan and execute trade fairs and events, coordinating stand design, product samples, marketing materials and customer engagement activities.
• Drive strong and consistent in‑market execution across Retail, Wholesale and Foodservice, and distributors identifying opportunities and continuously improving based on results.
• Track and report on activation performance, commercial impact and ROI, keeping a clear overview of progress, results and priorities.
• Work closely with Sales, Marketing and Category Management, while coordinating agencies, media partners, suppliers and distributors across different European markets.
• Manage activation and trade budgets, making informed investment decisions while keeping multiple projects, stakeholders and deadlines moving.

About you

You are a commercially minded, hands‑on professional who enjoys turning ideas into action.

You are highly organized and know how to prioritize, keep an overview and make sure things get delivered.

You bring energy, resilience and a positive mindset. You communicate easily with different people and cultures, and you know how to challenge, negotiate and collaborate without losing sight of the end goal.

You can manage competing priorities, work to tight deadlines and stay organized, calm and solution-focused when under pressure.

What you bring

• A bachelor’s or master’s degree in business, preferably in Marketing, Economics, Commercial Management or Sales.
• A minimum of 3 years of relevant professional experience in Trade Marketing, Shopper Marketing, Trade Activation, or Brand Activation, preferably within FMCG and a multi‑market environment.
• A good understanding of shopper activation and European retail, and food service from building activation calendars and planning campaigns to translating commercial priorities into execution.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines and stakeholders simultaneously.
• Strong commercial judgement and analytical skills, enabling you to make informed decisions and report clearly on progress and results.
• Excellent communication, collaboration and negotiation skills, combined with a pragmatic and entrepreneurial mindset.
• Fluent English; additional European languages are an advantage.

You are based in the Netherlands and can work from our Rotterdam office at least two days per week.

Why Dole?

Dole Packaged Foods combines the strength of a global brand with the energy and freedom of a smaller, entrepreneurial business.

Our EMEA business is growing and developing, which means there is room to build rather than simply maintain. Not everything comes with a blueprint, and that is exactly where you can make a difference.

You will work in an international environment with colleagues across the Netherlands, UK, Germany, France, Belgium, and middle east. The team is collaborative and focused on getting things done.

We want people to feel seen, heard and respected, and we believe good ideas can come from anywhere.

For someone with ambition, this creates plenty of opportunities to take ownership, make an impact and grow with the business.

What we offer

• An annual salary of €50,000–€60,000 gross including 8% holiday allowance, based on a 40-hour working week and depending on your experience;
• Performance based bonus
• An initial 7-month contract with the intention of offering a permanent contract thereafter;
• Hybrid working, with two days per week in the office;
• 26 days of annual leave;
• A modern defined pension scheme, with contributions split 50/50 between Dole and the employee;
• Full reimbursement of public transport costs for commuting;
• Working from home allowance;
• Laptop, mobile phone and home office equipment.