Category & Brand Assistant Manager

Join our Marketing Team

Marketing is where our brands show up in culture and stay there.

This is where creativity meets insight. We take a deep understanding of people, culture and trends and turn it into ideas that spark conversation and shape how our brands are experienced around the world.

From defining brand strategy to launching campaigns that people remember, the work here influences how we show up in the moments that matter.

You’ll be part of a team that’s curious, collaborative and always looking ahead, reimagining our brands for today while building what comes next.

About this role

The Assistant Brand Manager supports Brand Managers in translating category and brand strategies into high-quality market execution. The role combines consumer and category understanding, analytical problem solving, strong project management and cross-functional collaboration to deliver priority growth initiatives and measurable business outcomes.

The role is expected to proactively identify opportunities and performance gaps, recommend actions, and drive assigned projects end-to-end in collaboration with internal and external partners.

You will be responsible for:

• Support Brand Managers in translating category and brand strategies and priority growth drivers into clear market activity plans and execution priorities.
• Analyse brand and category performance across business, market and brand health KPIs to identify opportunities, diagnose performance gaps and recommend actions.
• Lead day-to-day end-to-end project management of assigned priority initiatives, ensuring clear milestones, stakeholder alignment, budget discipline and on-time delivery.
• Develop and execute integrated consumer, shopper and trade activities, ensuring consistency with brand strategy and relevance across channels and customer environments.
• Work closely with Brand Managers and coordinate with Commercial, Shopper, Supply, Finance, agencies and regional/global teams to ensure execution readiness and resolve delivery issues.
• Manage day-to-day A&P tracking and activity budgets, monitor agreed KPIs, conduct post-activity evaluation and translate learnings into recommendations for future plans.
• Work flexibly across priority brands and initiatives within the category based on business priorities and growth opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with Diageo Marketing Code, legal, data privacy and other relevant standards.
• Lead day-to-day execution of assigned brand activities and priority growth initiatives across multiple channels.
• Develop briefs and coordinate agencies, suppliers and internal teams to deliver high-quality creative and execution on time.
• Coordinate and collaborate with regional/global teams and Centres of Excellence to adapt and deploy relevant strategies, assets and toolkits for Japan.
• Partner with Commercial and relevant cross-functional teams to ensure activities are executable and relevant across customer and channel environments.
• Manage assigned A&P budgets, purchase processes, tracking and reporting with strong financial discipline.
• Monitor business, market and brand performance against agreed KPIs, identify performance gaps and provide analysis and recommendations to Brand Managers.
• Conduct post-activity reviews and codify learnings to improve future activities.
• Ensure compliance with marketing standards, legal requirements and internal governance.

The required qualifications for this role are:

• Proven experience in brand marketing, consumer marketing, integrated marketing communications or related roles within FMCG, consumer goods, premium/luxury brands, or marketing/creative agencies.
• Strong consumer and brand-building understanding.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate data into actionable business recommendations.
• Strong end-to-end project management skills and ability to manage multiple stakeholders and priorities.
• Experience in developing and executing consumer-facing marketing initiatives across multiple touchpoints.
• Exposure to P&L, budget management and/or commercial performance is preferred.
• Experience in FMCG, beverage alcohol or premium consumer goods is preferred.
• For candidates from agency backgrounds, experience in consumer-led strategic planning, integrated campaign development and end-to-end project/client management is preferred.
• Fluent Japanese and business-level English, with the ability to collaborate effectively with regional and global stakeholders.
• Previous experience working with regional/global stakeholders is preferred.

Working with Us

Flexibility is key to our success. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you so that you’re supported to manage your wellbeing and balance your priorities from day one.

Our purpose is crafting iconic drinks chosen for life’s moments. And it’s our people, with their different experiences, perspectives and talents, who make that possible.

We value diversity in its broadest sense and want everyone to feel they can belong, contribute and strive for their personal best. You’ll work alongside people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives — challenging, supporting and learning from one another as one outstanding team.

Together, we’re constantly learning and improving, combining the strength of our people, capabilities and iconic brands to raise the bar, grow and win. Wherever you join us, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute, make an impact and play your part in making life’s moments mean a little more.

Ready to bring your best? This could be your opportunity.

If you require a reasonable adjustment, please ensure that you capture this information when you submit your application.

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