Head of Self-Gifting/Impulse - Sandra Toivo

Want to help us bring happiness to the world? Want to join an ambitious and fast growing global biscuits and confectionery business investing heavily in iconic global brands, infrastructure and people? Then this is the place for you.

As proud bakers and chocolatiers and custodians of iconic global brands, we don’t compromise on the quality of ingredients in our products or on the people we hire. We are looking for entrepreneurial spirits who share our passion for bringing happiness to our consumers and who embody our Winning Traits.

To succeed at pladis you need to be purpose-led , resilient and positive to succeed here because we expect pace and agility , we insist on collaboration and demand accountability. If that is your thing, then pladis offers global ambition, a clear Vision and roadmap for success, challenge, and unrivalled opportunities to learn and make an impact

Our values have deep personal meaning to us. They’re part of who we are and what we stand for as an employer.

Living our pladis values is a key part of success, look out for questions in your interview that link to these key pladis values.

Role Title: Head of Self Gifting & Everyday Premium (Maternity Cover)

Site Introduction

In 2021, pladis proudly opened the doors to our vibrant global hub, the MIU Campus. Located in the heart of Chiswick Park, West London. Just a short 5-minute walk from Gunnersbury Station, our campus is nestled within 33 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens, offering a welcoming and inspiring environment for all. Chiswick Park is home to both our UK and Global Corporate teams, bringing together diverse teams across the business.

What will this role achieve?

The Head of Self-Gifting & Everyday Premium (Maternity Cover) will lead one of Godiva’s most important strategic growth platforms, setting the direction for the global self-gifting portfolio and translating it into clear category, innovation and market priorities. The role is accountable for strengthening Godiva’s relevance across self-treat, impulse, sharing and everyday premium occasions, with a sharp focus on profitable category growth and consumer-led portfolio choices globally.

As the global lead for the category, the role will align global and regional stakeholders, direct the Marketing Manager and cross-functional teams, and ensure decisions move through Stage & Gate with pace, clarity and commercial rigour.

What will be your key deliverables?

• Set the global strategy and growth agenda for the Self-Gifting & Everyday Premium portfolio, defining long-term growth choices and annual priorities.
• Shape and scale priority platforms globally through a rigorous portfolio framework lens across formats, price points, markets and occasions, ensuring Godiva’s self-gifting platforms are distinctive, commercially scalable and locally relevant.
• Define the strategic direction of the multi-year innovation pipeline, setting portfolio investment priorities and allocating resources across growth platforms while balancing near-term delivery with the development of future growth opportunities, underpinned by consumer, shopper and category insight.
• Translate consumer, shopper, category and competitor evidence into clear portfolio decisions, investment priorities and business cases that drive penetration, frequency, relevance and profitability.
• Build alignment and commitment across global and regional stakeholders, establishing strategic guardrails while enabling markets to create locally relevant commercial activation plans.
• Lead the Marketing Manager and cross-functional teams through clear ownership, governance and RACI-led ways of working whilst championing Stage & Gate excellence

Bring your experience.

Essential

• Significant senior-level experience in FMCG marketing, category strategy, portfolio leadership or innovation, with a track record of delivering growth through consumer-led choices.
• Entrepreneurial and proactive in approach, with the ability to create clarity from ambiguity, mobilise stakeholders and relentlessly drive priorities forward to deliver business impact.
• Proven ability to lead global or multi-market platform strategies and translate long-term ambition into focused priorities, roadmaps and executable plans.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including category growth modelling, portfolio optimisation, business case development and investment prioritisation.
• Excellent strategic thinking and analytical capability, with the confidence to challenge assumptions and turn complex evidence into clear recommendations and decisions.
• Strong cross-functional leadership, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders without direct authority.
• Demonstrated people leadership, including setting direction, coaching talent, delegating effectively and creating clarity through RACI-led ways of working.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills, with the gravitas to align global and regional leadership around a compelling category and portfolio narrative.

Desirable

• Experience in premium chocolate, confectionery, snacking or adjacent premium consumer categories.
• Experience of innovation and renovation leadership from opportunity definition through Stage & Gate, launch readiness and in-market performance review.
• Experience scaling a hero brand or product platform across multiple channels, formats, price points and markets.
• Strong understanding of global category, consumer and shopper research methodologies and how to convert learning into strategic choices.
• Experience leading a significant relaunch or turnaround programme involving proposition, product, packaging and market execution.
• Comfort operating in a highly matrixed organisation, balancing global strategic consistency with regional commercial realities.

pladis is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to hiring a diverse workforce. All openings will be filled based on qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.

We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List. If you are a recruitment agency and wish to submit candidate to be considered for this vacancy, you must have agreed to, and signed, our terms of business.
We will not accept CVs from any other sources other than those currently on our PSL. We will not pay a fee for any candidate that has not been represented by a provider on our PSL.

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