📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Brand Manager Meat
🔹 Company: Unilever
🔹 Location: Brussels, Belgium
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-07-17
🔹 Experience Level: 2-5 years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Driving the growth of the iconic Belgian brand Zwan, focusing on its meat and plant-forward portfolio.
- Leading the daily business of Zwan Meat (replacers), responsible for the P&L and budget, and accountable for delivering growth targets.
- Developing in-depth understanding of and expertise in the Meat (replacers) category, specifically cooked sausages.
- Identifying and implementing future growth opportunities based on consumer insights and competitive analysis.
- Initiating and building the Meat (replacers) innovation funnel, working closely with 3PMs and Unilever R&D.
- Developing leading-edge brand assets and activation campaigns that elevate Zwan’s DBA’s from social media to shopfloor execution.
- Driving Zwan’s brand purpose: “Niets moet, alles Zwan”/”C’est la bonne Zwanitude”.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong understanding of the Belgian market and consumer behavior, as well as the ability to work effectively in a local context while being part of a global organization.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Lead the daily Zwan Meat (replacers) business, responsible for the P&L and budget, and accountable for delivering growth targets.
✅ Develop in-depth understanding of and expertise in the Meat (replacers) category, specifically cooked sausages.
✅ Identify and implement future growth opportunities based on consumer insights and competitive analysis.
✅ Initiate and build the Meat (replacers) innovation funnel, working closely with 3PMs and Unilever R&D.
✅ Develop leading-edge brand assets and activation campaigns that elevate Zwan’s DBA’s from social media to shopfloor execution.
✅ Drive Zwan’s brand purpose: “Niets moet, alles Zwan”/”C’est la bonne Zwanitude”.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires strong project leadership skills, the ability to lead cross-functional teams, and the ability to deliver on time and within budget.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field.
Experience: 3-5 years of marketing experience, preferably in both brand building and brand development.
Required Skills:
- Strong business acumen and strategic thinking.
- Proven ability to manage key stakeholders at all levels, both internal and external.
- Entrepreneurial drive and hunger to unlock future pockets of growth.
- Able to think out of the box and assertively drive results.
- Innate curiosity for consumer behavior and market trends.
- Strong project leadership skills, with the ability to lead cross-functional teams and deliver on time and within budget.
- Digital savviness and passion for new business models.
- Love for Belgian food culture and the Zwan brand.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in sales.
- Fluency in Dutch and French, in addition to English.
ASSUMPTION: Candidates with experience in driving a (turning) business with impact and ambition will be highly valued.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: €55,000 - €70,000 per year (based on experience level and industry standards for a Brand Manager role in Belgium)
Benefits:
- Excellent company pension, bonus, and share scheme.
- Flexible cross-disciplinary career opportunities and a wealth of training opportunities and wellbeing resources.
- Company-paid holidays and homework allowance.
- Company laptop and mobile phone.
- Mobility budget.
Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week), with flexible working arrangements available.
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for a Brand Manager role in Belgium. The actual salary may vary depending on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Unilever operates in the Consumer Goods industry, focusing on food, home care, and personal care products. The company is known for its iconic brands, such as Lipton, Knorr, Dove, Axe, Hellmann’s, and Omo, as well as local names and innovative brands like Ben & Jerry’s, The Dollar Shave Club, and Dermalogica.
Company Size: Unilever is a large multinational corporation with over 10,000 employees worldwide. This size allows for extensive resources, opportunities for career growth, and a diverse work environment.
Founded: 1872, in the United Kingdom
Company Description:
- Unilever is a purpose-led business, committed to making sustainable living commonplace.
- The company aims to improve the lives of its consumers and communities around the world, while also delivering business growth.
- Unilever’s portfolio ranges from nutritionally balanced foods to indulgent ice creams, affordable soaps, luxurious shampoos, and everyday household care products.
Company Specialties:
- Consumer Goods
- Food
- Home Care
- Personal Care
- Refreshments
- Marketing & Advertising
- Retail
- Purpose
- FMCG
- Digital
- Ice Cream
- Nutrition
- Sustainability
- Beauty & Wellbeing
- Innovation
Company Website: http://www.unilever.com
ASSUMPTION: Unilever’s large size and global presence offer candidates the opportunity to work on well-known brands and gain international experience.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: This role is at the manager level, with the opportunity for career growth within Unilever’s marketing department or other functions.
Reporting Structure: The Brand Manager reports directly to the Marketing Manager Unox.
Work Arrangement: This role is based on-site in Brussels, Belgium, with the possibility of flexible working arrangements.
Growth Opportunities:
- Career progression within Unilever’s marketing department or other functions.
- Expanding responsibilities and portfolio management experience.
- Potential international assignments within the Unilever organization.
ASSUMPTION: Unilever’s large size and global presence offer numerous growth opportunities for ambitious and talented individuals.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Unilever’s Brussels office is a modern, collaborative workspace designed to foster creativity and innovation.
Office Location(s): Brussels, Belgium
Geographic Context:
- Brussels is the capital and largest city of Belgium, known for its cultural diversity, vibrant nightlife, and historic architecture.
- The city is home to the headquarters of the European Union and numerous international organizations.
- Brussels offers a high quality of life, with excellent education, healthcare, and recreational opportunities.
Work Schedule: Full-time (40 hours per week), with flexible working arrangements available.
ASSUMPTION: Brussels’ cultural diversity and international atmosphere make it an attractive location for candidates seeking a dynamic and multicultural work environment.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application submission and resume screening.
- Phone or video screening with the HR department.
- On-site or virtual interview with the hiring manager and/or other team members.
- Final round interview with senior leadership or HR.
Key Assessment Areas:
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Consumer understanding and market analysis capabilities.
- Leadership and team management skills.
- Cultural fit and alignment with Unilever’s values.
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills for this role.
- Demonstrate your understanding of the Belgian market and consumer behavior in your application materials.
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your problem-solving skills, leadership experience, and cultural fit.
- Follow up with the hiring manager after your interview to express your enthusiasm for the role and reiterate your qualifications.
ATS Keywords: Brand Management, Meat, Plant-Based, Innovation, Consumer Insights, Stakeholder Management, Agile Environment, Belgian Market, Zwan
ASSUMPTION: Unilever’s application process is designed to assess candidates’ skills, experience, and cultural fit for the role and the organization.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides)
- Marketing automation tools (e.g., Marketo, HubSpot)
- Social media management platforms (e.g., Hootsuite, Buffer)
- Data analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)
ASSUMPTION: The specific tools and technologies required for this role may vary depending on the candidate’s responsibilities and the team’s needs.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Our Purpose: To make sustainable living commonplace.
- Our Values:
- Our values guide the way we do business every day. They are:
- Our values guide the way we do business every day. They are:
- Our values guide the way we do business every day. They are:
- Our values guide the way we do business every day. They are:
- Our values guide the way we do business every day. They are:
- Work Style:
- Collaborative and agile work environment.
- Focus on innovation, big and small, to make the business win and grow.
- Promotion of curiosity, challenging ideas, and disrupting processes.
- Supportive and inspiring business leaders and colleagues.
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you have a strong understanding of the Belgian market and consumer behavior?
- Are you comfortable working in a local context while being part of a global organization?
- Do you have a passion for driving business growth and unlocking future pockets of opportunity?
- Are you able to think out of the box and assertively drive results?
- Do you have a love for Belgian food culture and the Zwan brand?
ASSUMPTION: Unilever’s culture is dynamic, innovative, and focused on driving business growth through sustainable living.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Working in a local context while being part of a global organization may require additional cultural sensitivity and adaptability.
- The Belgian market is competitive, with both local and international players. Candidates must be prepared to face stiff competition and adapt to market changes.
- The role requires strong project leadership skills and the ability to deliver on time and within budget, which can be challenging in a fast-paced and dynamic work environment.
- The role may require occasional travel to other Unilever offices or external partners, which can be demanding on personal time.
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should be prepared to face these challenges and have strategies in place to overcome them.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Compared to other Brand Manager roles, this position offers the unique opportunity to work on an iconic Belgian brand with a rich history and strong consumer affinity.
- Unlike other roles, this position requires a strong understanding of the Belgian market and consumer behavior, as well as the ability to work effectively in a local context while being part of a global organization.
- Career progression in this role may differ from other Brand Manager positions, as it is part of a larger organization with numerous growth opportunities.
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should consider these factors when comparing this role to other Brand Manager positions.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and launching a new plant-based product line to expand Zwan’s portfolio and reduce carbon footprint.
- Creating and executing a marketing campaign to celebrate Zwan’s 97-year anniversary and reinforce its iconic status in the Belgian market.
- Conducting consumer research to understand the evolving preferences of Belgian consumers and adapt Zwan’s product offerings accordingly.
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects illustrate the types of initiatives a Brand Manager might undertake in this role, but the specific projects will vary depending on the candidate’s responsibilities and the team’s needs.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the key priorities for the first 90 days in this role?
- How does this role fit into the broader marketing strategy for Zwan and Unilever?
- What are the most significant challenges facing the Zwan brand in the Belgian market, and how can this role address them?
- How does Unilever support the growth and development of its Brand Managers?
- What opportunities are there for career progression within Unilever’s marketing department or other functions?
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should ask thoughtful and insightful questions to demonstrate their interest in the role and their understanding of the business.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link.
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills for this role.
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your problem-solving skills, leadership experience, and cultural fit.
- Follow up with the hiring manager after your interview to express your enthusiasm for the role and reiterate your qualifications.
- If selected, complete any additional assessments or tasks as required by the hiring team.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
