📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Brand Manager
🔹 Company: Valeo Foods
🔹 Location: Pontefract, Wakefield, United Kingdom
🔹 Job Type: Full-time
🔹 Category: Food Production
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-07-17
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Leading brand plans for a category group, covering both Valeo-owned and retailer-owned brands
- Driving budget targets and ensuring compliance with marketing budgets
- Strong stewardship of initiatives within brand plans and regular reporting on progress
- Collaborating cross-functionally and representing brands externally, particularly with retailers
- Overseeing and inspiring consumer engagement through the "Consumer is Boss" plan
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic mindset, with a focus on delivering results through effective planning and execution of brand initiatives.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Hit or beat budget targets on the category group
✅ Strong stewardship of initiatives within the brand plans
✅ Strong monthly reporting on their initiatives (board-level standards)
✅ Strong contribution to building a "Valeo Brand Building Framework" and ensure a consistent and excellent use
✅ Strong contribution to the annual strategy review
✅ Strong leadership of the quarterly update on the initiatives
✅ Very strong marketing budget compliance and optimisation (Core marketing, ASOH, shopper marketing)
✅ Very strong cross-functional collaboration
✅ Valued representation of brand externally, esp. with retailers
✅ Very strong overseeing and inspiration of the "Consumer is Boss" plan (regular connections with the consumers)
ASSUMPTION: The role involves a mix of strategic planning, hands-on execution, and stakeholder management, requiring strong leadership and analytical skills.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
Experience: 5-10 years of experience in brand management, with a proven track record of driving business results
Required Skills:
- Strong leadership to shape, align, and plan
- Very strong analytical thinking
- Strong capacity to create and embrace change
- Strong collaboration skills, including the capacity to tell people what they need to hear
- Very strong "Personal Best" mindset: to seek to be better tomorrow than we are today
- Good stewardship of initiatives from the brand plans
- Good adaptability to operate at all levels of the organisation
- Very strong presentation skills – written and verbal
- Very strong ability to work in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
- Strong experience of the full marketing mix – from insight generation, problem-solving, target-setting, delivering, and measuring
- Strong experience in interacting successfully with board-level stakeholders and in collaborating widely with sales
- Strong track record of creating change that shaped the thinking and delivered business results
- Strong experience in NPD, Go-to-market, internal and external engagement around brand plans
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in the food production industry
- Fluency in additional languages
ASSUMPTION: Given the role's focus on brand management, a strong background in marketing and a proven track record of driving business results are essential.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: £45,000 - £60,000 per annum (Based on industry standards for a Brand Manager role with 5-10 years of experience)
Benefits:
- Excellent Career Opportunities
- Matched pension scheme up to 10%
- Death in service
- Cycle to work scheme
- Retailer discount platform
- Staff discount
Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week), with flexibility to work additional hours as needed
ASSUMPTION: The salary range is estimated based on industry standards for a Brand Manager role with the required experience level. Actual compensation may vary based on individual qualifications and company policy.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Valeo Foods UK operates in the competitive food production industry, with a focus on creating and managing beloved brands across various categories.
Company Size: Valeo Foods UK has 1,001-5,000 employees, providing ample opportunities for career growth and development.
Founded: The founding date of Valeo Foods UK is not specified, but the company is a part of the larger Valeo Foods Group, which was established in 2010.
Company Description:
- Valeo Foods UK is the creative force behind an array of beloved brands, spanning indulgence, innovation, and tradition
- The company's portfolio includes iconic brands such as Kettle Crisps, Rowse Honey, and Matthew Walker puddings
- Valeo Foods UK offers an exciting array of products and experiences, with a family of brands that extends beyond its core portfolio
Company Specialties:
- Brand management and development
- Product innovation and NPD
- Marketing and consumer engagement
- Cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management
Company Website: www.valeofoods.co.uk
ASSUMPTION: Valeo Foods UK's diverse portfolio and commitment to quality make it an attractive employer for brand management professionals seeking to work on well-known and respected brands.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: This role is at the mid-level management career stage, requiring a balance of strategic thinking and hands-on execution.
Reporting Structure: The Brand Manager reports directly to the Marketing Director and oversees brand initiatives within their category group.
Work Arrangement: This role is on-site, with the expectation of working from the company's headquarters in Pontefract, England.
Growth Opportunities:
- Progression to a senior brand management role or a broader marketing leadership position
- Expansion into different categories or brands within the Valeo Foods UK portfolio
- Opportunities to work on international projects or collaborate with sister companies within the Valeo Foods Group
ASSUMPTION: Given Valeo Foods UK's size and diverse portfolio, there are ample opportunities for career growth and development within the company.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: The company's headquarters in Pontefract, England, is a modern, professional workspace designed to foster collaboration and creativity.
Office Location(s): Valeo Foods UK's headquarters is located at Ferrybridge Road, Pontefract, England, with additional offices across the United Kingdom.
Geographic Context:
- Pontefract is a town in West Yorkshire, England, with a population of approximately 30,000 people
- The town is located near major transportation links, making it easily accessible from other parts of the United Kingdom
- Pontefract offers a mix of urban and rural living, with nearby countryside and cultural attractions in nearby cities such as Leeds and York
Work Schedule: The work schedule is primarily Monday to Friday, with flexibility to work additional hours as needed to meet project deadlines or attend events.
ASSUMPTION: The location of Valeo Foods UK's headquarters in Pontefract provides a convenient and accessible base for employees, with opportunities to enjoy both urban and rural living.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application and resume screening
- Phone or video call with the HR department
- Face-to-face interview with the Marketing Director and/or other members of the marketing team
- Final interview with the CEO or another senior leader
Key Assessment Areas:
- Strategic thinking and brand management skills
- Analytical and problem-solving abilities
- Communication and presentation skills
- Collaboration and stakeholder management
- Cultural fit and alignment with Valeo Foods UK's values
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant brand management experience and achievements
- Prepare examples of your brand planning, execution, and measurement skills
- Research Valeo Foods UK's brand portfolio and be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to its success
ATS Keywords: Brand management, brand planning, brand execution, stakeholder management, cross-functional collaboration, consumer engagement, marketing mix, NPD, Go-to-market, budget compliance, reporting, strategy development
ASSUMPTION: The application process for this role is likely to be competitive, with a focus on assessing candidates' brand management skills and cultural fit.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Marketing automation and analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, social media analytics)
- Project management software (e.g., Asana, Trello)
- Consumer research and insights tools (e.g., SurveyMonkey, NetBase)
ASSUMPTION: The required tools and technologies for this role are standard for brand management professionals, with a focus on marketing automation, analytics, and project management.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Passion for our brands
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Innovation and continuous improvement
- Accountability and ownership
- Customer focus
Work Style:
- Strategic and forward-thinking
- Hands-on and execution-focused
- Collaborative and cross-functional
- Adaptable and resilient
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you demonstrate passion for brands, and how have you driven their success in previous roles?
- Can you provide an example of a time when you successfully collaborated with cross-functional teams to deliver a brand initiative?
- How do you approach continuous learning and improvement in your brand management practice?
ASSUMPTION: Valeo Foods UK values candidates who are passionate about brands, collaborative, and committed to continuous learning and improvement.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing multiple brands within a category group, each with its unique requirements and priorities
- Balancing strategic planning with hands-on execution and stakeholder management
- Working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment that requires adaptability and resilience
- Meeting and exceeding budget targets while ensuring marketing budget compliance and optimisation
ASSUMPTION: The Brand Manager role at Valeo Foods UK presents both strategic and tactical challenges, requiring a strong and adaptable candidate to succeed.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Unlike some brand management roles, this position requires a balance of strategic planning and hands-on execution, with a focus on delivering results through effective initiative management
- Valeo Foods UK's diverse portfolio and commitment to quality provide unique opportunities for brand management professionals to work on well-known and respected brands
- Career progression in this role may involve expanding into different categories or brands within the Valeo Foods UK portfolio, or taking on broader marketing leadership responsibilities
ASSUMPTION: This Brand Manager role at Valeo Foods UK offers a unique blend of strategic and tactical responsibilities, with ample opportunities for career growth and development within the company.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and executing a brand plan for a new product launch, including market research, target audience identification, and campaign development
- Conducting a brand audit and rebranding initiative for an existing Valeo Foods UK brand, including consumer research, competitive analysis, and brand positioning
- Managing a cross-functional team to deliver a major brand event or activation, including event planning, logistics, and stakeholder management
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the strategic and tactical nature of the Brand Manager role at Valeo Foods UK, requiring a balance of planning, execution, and stakeholder management skills.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the brand portfolio within my category group and how my role will contribute to its success?
- How does Valeo Foods UK support the professional development and growth of its brand management team members?
- Can you provide an example of a time when a Brand Manager at Valeo Foods UK drove significant business results through effective brand planning and execution?
- How does Valeo Foods UK approach cross-functional collaboration and stakeholder management, and what role will I play in these areas?
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 90 days, and how will my success be measured?
ASSUMPTION: These interview questions are designed to assess the strategic and tactical aspects of the Brand Manager role at Valeo Foods UK, as well as the company's culture and approach to professional development.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through the Valeo Foods UK careers portal
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant brand management experience and achievements
- Prepare examples of your brand planning, execution, and measurement skills
- Research Valeo Foods UK's brand portfolio and be prepared to discuss how you can contribute to its success
- Follow up with the HR department one week after submitting your application to confirm receipt and inquire about the next steps in the process
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
