📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Marketing Manager
🔹 Company: IFF
🔹 Location: Shanghai Hongqiao, China
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-05-22
🔹 Experience Level: 2-5 years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Developing and delivering local market insights through an outstanding customer experience
- Driving local engagement with customers through powerful storytelling and compelling ideas
- Providing market analysis and generating insights on markets, customers, and products
- Supporting proactive and reactive customer-driven projects to generate business opportunities
- Being a strategic partner for the company by bringing forward local insights, trends, and opportunities
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high level of customer focus, market understanding, and creativity to drive local engagement and business growth.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Drive local engagement with customers through powerful storytelling, compelling ideas, and meaningful ways to connect
✅ Provide market analysis and generate insights on markets, new potential customers, brands, food and beverage products, and flavors
✅ Support proactive and reactive customer-driven projects to significantly increase the chances of generating and/or winning business opportunities
✅ Be a strategic partner for the company by bringing forward local insights, trends, and relevant initiatives
✅ Deliver creative and impactful communication (internally and externally), supporting marketing communication and event management when needed
ASSUMPTION: This role requires strong communication, presentation, and project management skills to successfully drive local engagement and business growth.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, communication, or a related discipline.
Experience: A minimum of 3-5 years of marketing experience in the food ingredient industry or FMCG
Required Skills:
- Fluent in Chinese (native speaker) and English
- Strong communication and presentation skills
- Experience in market analysis, communication campaigns, concept development, and event management
- Ability to digest marketing information from various sources and apply it relevantly
- Ability to interact and influence multiple departments to ensure customer needs are met
- Capability to lead project execution at the local market level
- Can-do attitude, ambitious, proactive, and ready to embrace and deliver change
- Strong business acumen and ability to translate market and consumer insights into business opportunities
- Curious approach and enjoy difficult challenges
- Willingness to commit to travel
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in the food ingredient industry or FMCG
- Knowledge of the local market and customer base
ASSUMPTION: Given the role's focus on local engagement and market analysis, candidates with relevant industry experience and local market knowledge will be highly competitive.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: The salary range for this role is estimated to be between 350,000 - 500,000 RMB per year, based on industry standards for a Marketing Manager with 3-5 years of experience in the food ingredient industry or FMCG in China.
Benefits:
- Health insurance and retirement plans
- Employee assistance programs
- Tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities
- Generous vacation and holiday time
Working Hours: Full-time, Monday to Friday, with occasional travel required
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards and may vary depending on the candidate's experience and qualifications.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: IFF is a global leader in the flavor, fragrance, and food ingredient industry, with a strong presence in China.
Company Size: IFF has over 22,000 employees across 65 countries, making it a large, multinational corporation.
Founded: IFF was founded in 2000 through the merger of two leading flavor and fragrance houses, International Flavors & Fragrances Inc. and Frutarom Industries Ltd.
Company Description:
- IFF creates and manufactures a wide range of flavors, fragrances, and food ingredients for various industries, including food and beverage, home care, and personal care
- The company is committed to sustainability and has set ambitious targets to reduce its environmental impact and promote social responsibility
- IFF fosters a diverse and inclusive workplace, valuing the unique perspectives and backgrounds of its employees
Company Specialties:
- Flavors
- Fragrances
- Food ingredients
- Health and biosciences
- Research and development
- Market insights and trends
Company Website: www.iff.com
ASSUMPTION: IFF's large size and global presence offer opportunities for career growth and development within the company.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: This role is at the manager level, with opportunities for growth and progression within the marketing function or the broader organization.
Reporting Structure: The Marketing Manager will report directly to the local marketing director or a similar role.
Work Arrangement: This role is on-site, with occasional travel required to visit customers and attend industry events.
Growth Opportunities:
- Progression within the marketing function, such as senior marketing manager or marketing director roles
- Expansion into other areas of the business, such as sales, product development, or general management
- International assignments or relocation opportunities, given IFF's global presence
ASSUMPTION: Successful candidates will have a strong track record in marketing, with a proven ability to drive local engagement and business growth.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: IFF's Shanghai Hongqiao office is a modern, professional environment with collaborative workspaces and state-of-the-art facilities.
Office Location(s): Shanghai Hongqiao, China
Geographic Context:
- Shanghai is the largest city in China, with a population of over 24 million people
- The Hongqiao district is a major transportation hub, with easy access to the city's international airport and high-speed rail networks
- The area is home to many multinational corporations and offers a mix of urban and suburban living options
Work Schedule: The work schedule is Monday to Friday, with standard office hours. However, the role may require occasional travel and flexible working hours to accommodate customer needs.
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should be comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and be willing to adapt to changing priorities and workloads.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application and resume screening
- Phone or video interview with the hiring manager
- On-site interview with the local marketing team and other stakeholders
- Background check and offer extension
Key Assessment Areas:
- Communication and presentation skills
- Market analysis and insights generation
- Customer engagement and project management skills
- Cultural fit and alignment with IFF's values
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant marketing experience and skills
- Prepare examples of successful marketing campaigns or projects you've led
- Research IFF's business and industry trends to demonstrate your understanding of the company and market
- Practice your presentation skills and be ready to deliver a compelling pitch on your marketing approach
ATS Keywords: Marketing, customer engagement, market analysis, project management, communication, presentation, local market insights, business development, FMCG, food ingredient industry
ASSUMPTION: The interview process will focus on assessing the candidate's marketing skills, customer focus, and cultural fit with IFF.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software
- Market research and analysis tools (e.g., SPSS, R, Python)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, Microsoft Project)
- Presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint, Keynote)
- Social media management tools (e.g., Hootsuite, Buffer)
ASSUMPTION: Proficiency in relevant marketing tools and technologies is essential for success in this role.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Integrity
- Respect
- Excellence
- Accountability
- Collaboration
- Innovation
- Sustainability
Work Style:
- Fast-paced and dynamic
- Collaborative and team-oriented
- Results-driven and focused on delivering business impact
- Adaptable and open to change
- Customer-centric and committed to exceptional customer experiences
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you align with IFF's values, particularly in the context of this role?
- How comfortable are you working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment with changing priorities?
- How do you approach customer engagement and ensuring exceptional customer experiences?
ASSUMPTION: Successful candidates will demonstrate a strong cultural fit with IFF's values and work style, with a particular emphasis on customer focus, collaboration, and adaptability.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
- Working with diverse stakeholders, including customers, internal teams, and external partners
- Adapting to changing market conditions and customer needs
- Balancing local market insights with global strategic direction
- Occasional travel and flexible working hours to accommodate customer needs
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should be comfortable working in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and be willing to adapt to changing priorities and workloads.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Compared to other marketing manager roles in the food ingredient industry, this role places a greater emphasis on local market insights and customer engagement
- IFF's large size and global presence offer more opportunities for career growth and development than smaller companies
- This role requires a higher level of language proficiency in Chinese and English than some other marketing roles in the region
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should consider their career goals, language skills, and industry experience when comparing this role to similar positions in the market.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and executing a targeted marketing campaign to increase sales of a specific product line in the local market
- Conducting market research and analysis to identify trends and opportunities in the local food and beverage industry
- Creating and delivering a compelling presentation to a major customer, highlighting local market insights and tailored product solutions
ASSUMPTION: Successful candidates will have a strong track record of delivering impactful marketing projects and driving business growth.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 90 days?
- How does this role fit into the broader marketing strategy for the company in China?
- What are the most significant challenges facing the local marketing team, and how can this role help address them?
- How does IFF support the professional development and growth of its marketing employees?
- What is the company's approach to work-life balance, and how is it supported in this role?
ASSUMPTION: Asking thoughtful, insightful questions demonstrates your interest in the role and the company, and helps you make an informed decision about the opportunity.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through the IFF Careers portal
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant marketing experience and skills
- Prepare examples of successful marketing campaigns or projects you've led
- Research IFF's business and industry trends to demonstrate your understanding of the company and market
- Practice your presentation skills and be ready to deliver a compelling pitch on your marketing approach
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after your interview to express your continued interest in the role
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
