Marketing Manager (Wellbeing)

Woolworths; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 200 000 - 300 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading South African retailer seeks a Marketing Specialist to enhance Wellbeing communications and execute marketing plans. The candidate should have a relevant degree and 3–5 years of experience in marketing, with strong analytical and communication skills. The role involves collaboration with cross-functional teams to deliver strategic marketing objectives while ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. This position demands creativity, attention to detail, and the ability to navigate complex environments.

Benefits

Employee discount

Career development training

Health and wellness programs

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of marketing experience in Retail / Brands / Agency / PR.
• Awareness of all marketing channels including digital, social and online.
• Experience applying customer insights to drive strategy and planning.

Responsibilities

• Execute and activate the Marketing and Communication plans for the Wellbeing portfolio.
• Support the delivery of the strategic marketing vision for the Wellbeing portfolio.
• Manage and maintain the annual brand budget for the Wellbeing portfolio.

Skills

Analytical capability to interpret customer, sales, and trend data

Ability to work within complex regulatory environments

Strong communication skills

Collaborative team player

Education

Relevant 3 year diploma or degree in Brand Marketing, Commerce or similar

Job description

Main Purpose

To execute and activate the Marketing and Communication plans for the Wellbeing portfolio, working in collaboration with 360 Channel partners and business colleagues. This includes completing and actioning the micro-detail of briefs, taking ownership for the user journey across channels and categories, with high attention to detail, delivery focus, and Critical Path execution. The role requires strong capability in navigating regulatory and technical constraints specific to Wellbeing, ensuring compliant, responsible and customer centric communication.

Key Responsibilities

Position the Wellbeing Categories:

• Assist in delivering the agreed positioning of Wellbeing to the market, in a way that drives profitable sales and customer engagement.
• Support the business area to proactively solve challenges with appropriate marketing solutions, working collaboratively with colleagues and cross-functional teams.
• Support brand objectives through understanding Wellbeing product ranges (nutrition, health-focused innovation, better-for-you choices) and how to take these products to market to the Woolworths customer.
• Assist in driving the delivery of the strategic marketing vision and direction for the Wellbeing portfolio.
• Execute the Marketing and Comms plans to deliver the overall Brand Strategy for Wellbeing.

Action and Implement the Detailed Marketing and Communication Plans and Detailed Brief:

• Action the Wellbeing brand marketing and communication plans and briefs in line with agreed projects and timelines.
• Work with the Senior Marketing Manager to action the integrated marketing and comms plan, ensuring the micro-detail required for Creative, Legal, Technical, Compliance and relevant partners.
• Ensure all relevant digital and online opportunities relating to Wellbeing communication have been considered.
• Utilize customer data and research as insight into detailed plans and briefs to target customer needs, behaviours, and opportunities within the Wellbeing space.
• Deliver compelling and engaging Wellbeing customer communication that meets brand goals.
• Assist in growing existing Wellbeing customers and acquiring new ones through brand building and education.
• Influence and shift customer perceptions through health-positive communication that adheres to regulatory requirements (e.g., acceptable claims, approved phrasing, responsible messaging).
• Integrate customer insights in the development of the integrated Wellbeing marketing and communication plan.
• Stay up to date with global and local Wellbeing trends, competitive set, and innovation.

Activate and Execute the Marketing Communications Plan and Detailed Briefs:

• Activate the end-to-end process from Marketing into Agency for all Wellbeing projects, ensuring efficient delivery and on-time execution.
• Ensure communication objectives and big ideas are understood by all teams executing the Wellbeing work.
• Deliver integrated communications briefs across 360 teams including Agency, VM, Direct, Digital/Online, PR, Social Media.
• Proactively flag risk in the process with the Senior Marketing Manager and PM team, especially in areas relating to legal, regulatory or technical Wellbeing requirements.
• Facilitate stakeholder meetings for sign-off.
• Engage key stakeholders on specific Wellbeing requirements, including Legal, Technical, Buying, Compliance, and Customer teams.
• Ensure all Wellbeing communication meets compliance guidelines (e.g., no unapproved health claims, correct product descriptors, accurate nutritional framing).
• Take a proactive, problem-solving approach to drive campaign objectives.

Manage Business Interface & Trade Process Into Marketing:

• Ensure timeous delivery of Wellbeing marketing inputs into the merchandise cycle.
• Work closely with Buying and Product Technology teams to ensure alignment of trade, product, and marketing objectives.
• Act as the primary Marketing point of contact into the business and product groups for Wellbeing categories.
• Engage in trade planning, product reviews, online, sales management and other business processes related to delivering the 360 integrated plan.

Budget and Commercial Management:

• Manage and maintain annual brand budget for the Wellbeing portfolio.
• Manage budget reconciliations to achieve overall plan.
• Deliver PIRs to assess campaign efficacy.

People and Stakeholder Management:

• Work proactively across teams and functions to optimise integration opportunities.
• Communicate timeously with internal and external stakeholders to ensure delivery of the Wellbeing marketing plan.
• Raise issues and manage expectations in line with Woolworths Values.
• Build effective relationships with Agency, VM, PR, Direct, Loyalty, Digital, Social Media, Customer, Buying Groups and Technical partners.
• Drive a positive, motivated culture across marketing and business units.
• Complete IPM discussions according to timelines.
• Ensure all stakeholders deliver according to the critical path.

Key Competencies

Qualifications and experience:

• Relevant 3 year diploma or degree in Brand Marketing, Commerce or similar.
• 3–5 years of marketing experience in Retail / Brands / Agency / PR.
• Awareness of all marketing channels including digital, social and online.
• Ability to brief effectively into Creative Agency.
• Experience applying customer insights to drive strategy and planning.
• Analytical capability to interpret customer, sales, and trend data.
• Ability to work within complex regulatory environments specific to Wellbeing, including understanding approved language, claim restrictions, and compliance guidelines.
• Interest in Wellbeing, Nutrition, Foods, Customer, Design and experience advantageous.

Competencies and behaviours

• Passion for retail, the Woolworths brand, Wellbeing products, and customers.
• Ability to translate Marketing & Comms plans into integrated operational plans.
• Action-oriented, solution-focused approach.
• Creative thinker with ability to evaluate creative work.
• Commercial acumen with a strong understanding of the Wellbeing customer and macro trends.
• Collaborative team player.
• Planning, organising & prioritisation skills.
• Understanding of competitor Wellbeing landscape.
• Strong communication skills.
• Problem solving ability, resilience, assertiveness.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Emotional intelligence.
• Professional, respectful, courteous.
• Leadership and mentoring mindset.
• Agility, adaptability and flexibility.
• Influencing and negotiating skills.
• Comfort working in grey areas, interpreting complex technical/ Legal/ Compliance guidance, and translating this into clear and customer friendly Wellbeing communication.

“As a proud South African brand, Woolworths is committed to transformation. Meeting our employment equity goals will be taken into account in our recruitment decisions”