- Job Title: Head of Brand & Marketing, Vaseline North America
- Company: Unilever
- Location: Englewood Cliffs, NJ
- Job Type: Full-Time
- Category: Marketing
- Date Posted: April 4, 2025
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Leading the multi-year brand growth strategy for Vaseline North America
- Overseeing both innovation and demand creation teams
- Translating business strategy into actionable marketing plans
- Executing impactful brand communications and experiential activations
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver innovation and brand strategies
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic mindset, strong leadership skills, and a deep understanding of the beauty industry and consumer behavior.
📋 Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement the multi-year brand growth strategy for Vaseline North America, including identifying future growth spaces, defining the destination brand architecture, and planning the innovation/renovation roadmap.
- Brand Management: Act as the guardian of the brand equity, ensuring brand fundamentals are well understood by the full team – Brand Key, BCI, Distinctive Brand Assets/Memory Structures, Brand Guidelines, and Brand Worlds.
- Innovation: Lead the innovation team to translate the aligned brand growth strategy into a 12-quarter plan of winning innovation mixes to deliver future growth for the brand in the US and Canada.
- Marketing Strategy: Translate business strategy into actionable marketing plans, defining the communications and marketing strategy, and leading a team of internal and agency specialists to execute that strategy.
- Experiential Marketing: Bring Vaseline purpose and product to life through big-impact, unmissable, experiential activations across relevant communities.
- Team Leadership: Lead and inspire the full brand marketing team, acting as the guardian of the brand equity in North America and ensuring the brand fundamentals are well understood by the full team.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to inspire and manage a team of marketing professionals.
🎯 Required Qualifications
- Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field. An MBA is preferred but not required.
- Experience: 10+ years of marketing experience with increasing responsibility in innovation and demand creation, with a demonstrated track record of progressive leadership in beauty, delivering brand growth and social impact.
- Required Skills:
- Proven experience in brand strategy and management
- Strong leadership and team management skills
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Proficiency in marketing analytics and data-driven decision making
- Strong project management and organizational skills
- Ability to work effectively in a matrixed organization
- Preferred Skills:
- Experience with beauty and skincare brands
- Familiarity with the Vaseline brand and its competitive landscape
- Knowledge of the North American beauty market and consumer behavior
- Experience with social-first teams and marketing strategies
ASSUMPTION: A strong background in beauty marketing, brand strategy, and team leadership is essential for success in this role.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
- Salary Range: $210,600 to $421,200 per year (based on industry standards for a role of this level and location)
- Benefits:
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Retirement savings benefits
- Life insurance and disability benefits
- Parental leave, sick leave, and paid vacation and holidays
- Voluntary benefits
- Top-notch employee health and well-being benefits
- Every Voice Matters program promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion
- Global reach and career development opportunities
- Focus on sustainability and careers with purpose
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for a role of this level and location. The actual salary may vary based on the candidate's experience, qualifications, and other factors.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
- Industry: Consumer Goods, specifically Beauty & Wellbeing
- Company Size: 10,001+ employees (global)
- Founded: 1872 (global headquarters in London, UK)
- Company Description: Unilever is a global consumer goods company with a portfolio ranging from nutritionally balanced foods to indulgent ice creams, affordable soaps, luxurious shampoos, and everyday household care products. They produce world-leading brands including Lipton, Knorr, Dove, Axe, Hellmann’s, and Omo, alongside trusted local names and innovative-forward thinking brands like Ben & Jerry’s, The Dollar Shave Club, and Dermalogica.
- Company Specialties: Consumer Goods, Food, Home Care, Personal Care, Refreshments, Marketing & Advertising, Retail, Purpose, FMCG, Digital, Ice Cream, Nutrition, Sustainability, Beauty & Wellbeing, Innovation, and Careers
📊 Role Analysis
- Career Level: Senior leadership role with significant strategic and management responsibilities
- Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Chief Marketing Officer, Beauty & Wellbeing North America
- Work Arrangement: On-site, with travel up to 25%
- Growth Opportunities: Potential to grow within the brand, take on additional responsibilities, or transition to other roles within Unilever's global organization
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth opportunities for the right candidate, both within the brand and across Unilever's global organization.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
- Office Type: On-site, with a hybrid work arrangement available for some roles
- Office Location: Hoboken, NJ (with travel up to 25%)
- Geographic Context: The New York City metropolitan area, offering a diverse and vibrant work environment with easy access to cultural attractions, entertainment, and dining options
- Work Schedule: Full-time, with flexible hours and remote work options available for some roles
ASSUMPTION: The office location and work arrangement offer a dynamic and engaging work environment, with opportunities for flexibility and remote work.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
- Typical Process: Phone or video screen, followed by on-site or virtual interviews with the hiring manager and other stakeholders
- Key Assessment Areas: Strategic thinking, leadership skills, brand management experience, and cultural fit
- Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills
- Prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions focusing on leadership, strategic planning, and brand management
- Research the Vaseline brand and Unilever's beauty portfolio to demonstrate your understanding of the role and company
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Marketing analytics and data visualization tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Tableau, Power BI)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, JIRA)
- Social media management platforms (e.g., Hootsuite, Sprout Social, Buffer)
- CRM and marketing automation tools (e.g., Salesforce, Marketo, HubSpot)
ASSUMPTION: Proficiency in relevant marketing and project management tools is essential for success in this role.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
- Company Values: Unilever's values include integrity, respect, responsibility, and innovation. They promote a culture of diversity, inclusion, and collaboration.
- Work Style: Unilever fosters a dynamic and inclusive work environment, encouraging employees to bring their unique perspectives and ideas to the table. They value curiosity, big thinking, and a growth mindset.
- Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you align with Unilever's values, particularly in the context of this role?
- How do you approach leading and inspiring a team, especially in a matrixed organization?
- How do you balance innovation and practicality in a multi-stakeholder environment?
ASSUMPTION: Candidates who demonstrate a strong fit with Unilever's values and work style will be most successful in this role.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders, including internal teams, external agencies, and consumers
- Managing a team with diverse skills and backgrounds, requiring strong leadership and communication skills
- Navigating a complex, matrixed organization with multiple reporting lines
- Adapting to a fast-paced, dynamic work environment with changing priorities and deadlines
ASSUMPTION: Success in this role requires strong leadership, strategic thinking, and the ability to thrive in a complex, dynamic work environment.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Brand Manager, L'Oréal Paris: This role focuses more on day-to-day brand management and execution, with less strategic responsibility than the Head of Brand & Marketing, Vaseline North America.
- Senior Marketing Manager, Estée Lauder: This role involves more product marketing and launch management, with less focus on brand strategy and innovation than the Head of Brand & Marketing, Vaseline North America.
- Director of Marketing, The Body Shop: This role requires more retail and channel marketing experience, with less emphasis on brand strategy and innovation than the Head of Brand & Marketing, Vaseline North America.
ASSUMPTION: Each role in the beauty industry has its unique focus and requirements, and candidates should consider their skills, experience, and career goals when comparing roles.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and executing a successful brand relaunch campaign for Vaseline, including market research, consumer insights, and creative strategy
- Leading a cross-functional team to launch a new Vaseline product line, including innovation, marketing, and sales strategy
- Managing a team to create and execute a social media campaign that drives brand awareness and engagement, while also increasing sales and market share
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the strategic and leadership aspects of the Head of Brand & Marketing, Vaseline North America role.
💡 Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the biggest challenges facing the Vaseline brand in the North American market, and how can this role address them?
- How does this role collaborate with other teams and stakeholders within Unilever and the broader beauty industry?
- What opportunities exist for growth and innovation within the Vaseline brand and Unilever's beauty portfolio?
- How does Unilever support work-life balance and employee well-being, especially for employees in leadership roles?
- What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this role, and how will success be measured?
ASSUMPTION: Asking these questions demonstrates a proactive and strategic approach to the role and the company.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
- To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through the provided link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills
- Prepare for behavioral and situational interview questions focusing on leadership, strategic planning, and brand management
- Research the Vaseline brand and Unilever's beauty portfolio to demonstrate your understanding of the role and company
- Follow up with the hiring manager after your interview to express your interest in the role and reiterate your qualifications
⚠️ Disclaimer
This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
