European Sales

Job Description:

More than 50 years of Health Nutrition for Cats and Dogs

Since 1968 Royal Canin has been committed to its purpose of transforming the health of cats and dogs through nutrition, in partnership with veterinarians, breeders and specialist pet retailers.  The European region operates across 28 countries with 1800 direct Associates. 

It is a 1.8b Euro business, delivering one-third of Royal Canin global NSV and 50% of its Earnings. The business continues to have significant growth potential, feeding only 6% of the pet population in Europe today, by accelerating the delivery of personalized health recommendations at scale via partners as well as direct to pet owners. There is a trajectory towards 3b Euros by 2030.  The business also has significant opportunity to become easier to work with and easier to work for by transforming its end-to-end processes, platforms, and capabilities.

The job of the European Sales & Marketing VP is to accelerate and steer the quality growth agenda while co-leading the business’s health, digital core, and digital growth transformations and strengthening associate talent, engagement, and requisite capabilities.

As part of the European leadership team, the role has shared accountability for the strategic direction and performance of Europe, with specific influence over Growth, Trade Expenditure, A&CP, MAC improvements and Demand Overheads.  The successful candidate will be the major co-pilot of our accelerated growth agenda in Europe with the following responsibilities.

Focused and Scaled

• Lead the development/deployment of Strategic Growth plans in line with Global Petcare/Royal Canin OGSM, Growth Model, Royal Canin EU Ambition and Annual Demand Planning and in partnership with Global Teams, Regional Directs, and Country Unit leadership teams, across multi-year and in-year AEP time horizons, specifically:

  • Provide input to Global Demand strategies to ensure they meet market needs

  • Develop and deploy Pet Professional, Pet Speciality Retailing, and Brand Direct to Pet Owner (VCMs) specific plans, transformations and activations across the Region inclusive but not limited to brand activation, category/sales fundamentals, education, sampling and portfolio roll-out

  • Lead the Demand community through the Regional and Unit VCM Leaders to execute with excellence

• Lead the Strategic Revenue Management program for the Region that is responsible for 650MM Euro budget across 28 markets on Pricing, Promotion, Trade Terms, Mix driving step-change in ROI

• Allocate 100MM Euro A&P budget dynamically across the Region for the highest ROI and strategic opportunities driving clarity on the investments that have the greatest health and growth impact

• Embed Selective distribution principles (Clinical Alliance), prepare Elective distribution principles and identify/prepare customer Whitespace opportunities

• Quarterback the direct to pet owner capabilities (e.g., media, content, D&A, CRM), D2C flagship store platform, and B2B digital demand platforms (Vet Services, Royal Start, Webshop) for the Region in partnership with Global COEs and the local Units

• Support local key business transformations and identify market opportunities and plans by Value Creation Model by Market (Pet Professional, Retail, B&PO)

• Partner in the EOS Digital Core end-to-end business transformation

• Scorecard the business to determine performance drivers, where to reinvest and divest

Human, Capable, and Connected

• Build, develop and engage a diverse and effective European Sales & Marketing team (5 direct reports, total team size of 27)

• Actively participate and lead within the Global Demand Leadership Team Plus and European Leadership Team

• Diagnose Demand capability needs and lead the capabilities and skills development of the Demand community

• Drive Enterprise Effectiveness in terms of digital demand platform effectiveness, purposeful choices and Ways of Working into the business

• Lead the functional communities in planning, capability building and best practice sharing

Petcare OGSM/Ecosystem

• Facilitate Mars Petcare ecosystem pilots and scale ups e.g., vet nursing program in Anicura

• Engage with Mars Petcare Growth Digital Platforms to secure requisite digital services and products

Skills, Capabilities & Experience

• Love and advocacy for pets and the role nutrition plays in health

• Knowledge and experience in professional recommendation (business to business) model e.g., pharma, beauty

• 10+ years experience in Sales and Marketing roles

• Demonstrated capability in driving data-driven digital growth and MAB and SRM ROI

• Demonstrated ability to build teams, collaborate effectively and influence in a multinational, matrix environment

• Transformational change leader

• GM and multi-national experience

The role will be based in Airmagues, France or London, UK.  Please contact Sandra Manolescu (hiring manager) or Anke Penninx for any questions.

Mars is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request.