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Trade Marketing Director, South Cluster

Requisition ID:  12186

Who We Are

Suntory Beverage & Food strives to be the most locally beloved beverage company in every market we serve. Guided by our founding principles of "Growing for Good," "Yatte Minahare" (the spirit of bold ambition), and "Giving Back to Society", we pursue sustainable growth, bold innovation, and meaningful social impact. Across the Asia region, we proudly offer trusted brands including Ribena®, Lucozade Sport™, BRAND'S® Essence of Chicken, Tea+, BOSS Coffee, V Energy - delivering quality products that honor our commitment to harmony with people and nature.

At Suntory Beverage & Health Enrichment, we are proud to be part of the global Suntory Group, a Japanese multinational renowned for its unwavering commitment to health, wellness, and enriching lives. With a legacy deeply rooted in innovation and natural science, we deliver high-quality health enrichment and functional beverages tailored to the needs of Malaysian consumers.

Guided by our mission to “Inspire the Brilliance of Life”, we blend cutting-edge research with a profound respect for nature to support holistic well-being — from the inside out.

We are the proud brand owner of several iconic products with strong cultural heritage and consumer trust:

  • Ribena – the beloved blackcurrant drink rich in Vitamin C.
  • BRAND’S® – a trusted name in health supplements, including the renowned BRAND’S® Essence of Chicken.
  • C.C. Lemon – a refreshing lemon-flavored drink packed with Vitamin C, offering a zesty boost for your daily wellness.

About your role

The Trade Marketing Director is responsible for driving commercial success by translating brand strategy into winning go-to-market execution across all channels. This role leads the development of channel strategies, trade activation, and in-store excellence to maximize visibility, shopper engagement, and sales performance.

As a key commercial leader, you will bridge Marketing and Sales to ensure integrated planning and execution, delivering sustainable growth and strengthening the company’s competitive position in the market.

You are a strategic and commercially driven leader with deep expertise in trade marketing and a strong understanding of shopper behavior. You will lead the development of channel and category strategies while ensuring best-in-class execution in-store and across customer touchpoints.

You will collaborate closely with Marketing, Sales, and other cross-functional teams to ensure brand plans are effectively translated into impactful trade initiatives that deliver measurable business results.

Role Type: People Manager
Reporting Line Manager: General Manager, South Cluster

Compensation and Benefits:

    • Starts with 17 days Annual Leave
    • 16% Employer EPF contribution
    • Medical and insurance coverage (covered direct family members)
    • Optical and dental coverage

What You'll Do

Trade & Channel Strategy

  • Lead the development of trade marketing and channel strategies aligned with overall business objectives
  • Define clear channel roles, segmentation, and growth priorities
  • Drive category and shopper-focused strategies to unlock growth opportunities


Execution Excellence

  • Translate brand and marketing plans into effective trade activations and campaigns
  • Ensure best-in-class in-store visibility, merchandising, and promotion execution
  • Optimize assortment, pricing, and promotional strategies across channels


Customer & Commercial Partnership

  • Partner closely with Sales and Key Account teams to strengthen customer engagement
  • Support Joint Business Planning (JBP) with key customers
  • Build strong relationships with distributors, retailers, and partners


Performance & Insights

  • Monitor market trends, shopper insights, and competitor activities
  • Drive data-driven decision-making to improve ROI and trade effectiveness
  • Track KPIs and continuously optimize performance across channels


Leadership & Capability Building

  • Lead, coach, and develop the Trade Marketing team
  • Build trade marketing capabilities and best practices across the organization
  • Foster a collaborative, high-performance culture

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What's in it for you

 

  • Opportunity to shape channel and trade strategy at a senior leadership level
  • High visibility role partnering with Sales and Marketing leadership teams
  • Dynamic FMCG environment with strong growth and innovation focus
  • Opportunities for regional exposure and career progression
  • Competitive rewards aligned with business performance

What You need to be successful

Experience & Knowledge

  • Experience in trade marketing, category management, sales, or related commercial roles. F
  • Understanding of channel strategy, shopper insights, in-market execution and way of working with modern trade, general trade and key accounts. 
  • Familiarity with FMCG or relevant industries is beneficial but not mandatory


Skills

  • Ability to translate strategy into practical execution
  • Strong collaboration and communication skills
  • Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and generate insights
  • Problem-solving and decision-making capabilities


Ways of Working

  • Demonstrates accountability and a proactive approach to work
  • Comfortable working in a fast-paced and evolving environment
  • Open to diverse perspectives and ideas
  • Committed to continuous learning and improvement

Our DEI Commitment

At Suntory, we recognize that diverse knowledge, perspectives, and backgrounds contribute to our collective success. We are committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace where all individuals can bring their whole selves to work every day, regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, or any other protected characteristic.

 

Our recruitment and selection processes are designed to highlight what Suntory offers as an employer while allowing candidates to share their unique skills and experiences. We understand that career trajectories vary, and if you believe your experience/background can benefit our team, we encourage you to apply. We endeavor to make our interview process as inclusive as possible and offer reasonable accommodations as needed. Together, we can cultivate a workplace where everyone can thrive and propel our mission of Growing for Good.

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