Shopper Activation Manager

Job Description

Job Description:

Mars is a family-owned business that has been making products for people and their pets for more than 100 years. We’re behind some of the best loved brands in the world including MARS®, SNICKERS®, EXTRA®, ECLIPSE®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, DOLMIO®, BEN’S ORIGINAL ® MASTERFOODS ® and ROYAL CANIN® ORIJEN® ACANA® we are dedicated to making a positive impact on people and the planet.

Join us in building a sustainable future where people, communities, and the planet can truly thrive.

Role Title: Shopper Activation Mgr

Location: Sydney, NSW
Hours & Arrangement: Full-time, Hybrid
Reporting to: Integrated Brand Experience Lead

At Mars Food & Nutrition, we are dedicated to providing healthy, tasty, and easy-to-prepare meals that bring families together. Our portfolio features some of Australia's most loved and iconic household brands, including MasterFoods, Ben’s Original, and Dolmio.

Last year, we established our brand-new Integrated Brand Experience (IBE) team. It’s a dynamic, fresh, and proactive environment where we translate bold marketing strategies into incredible retail activations. As we continue to refine our ways of working, we are looking for a collaborative, high-energy professional to join us as our next Activation Manager and help bring our brands to life where it matters most: at the point of purchase.

As the Activation Manager, you will be the driving force behind turning our omnichannel marketing strategies into reality. This is a highly collaborative, hands-on, "on-the-tools" role where you will support our Sales and Marketing teams by executing flawless retail campaigns on time and on budget.

From managing shopper activations and point-of-sale (POS) creative design to driving eCommerce best practices on the digital shelf, you will ensure our brands maintain an exceptional, consistent voice both in-store and online.

What You Will Do:

• Go-To-Market Execution: Collaborate closely with Sales, Brand Marketing, and external stakeholders to develop and deploy outstanding go-to-market plans across our categories.
• Omnichannel Activation: Translate core brand codes into standout physical and digital retail executions, delivering memorable promotions, campaigns, and in-store experiences.
• Agency Management: Act as the lead relationship owner for our key partner shopper, design and digital agencies—crafting brilliant briefs and managing end-to-end deliverables.
• Digital Shelf Ownership: Serve as our internal champion for the Perfect Digital Store, ensuring our digital product assets (images, descriptions, nutritional info) are always optimized, accurate, and readily accessible.
• Stakeholder Management: Confidently navigate and manage requests from our Sales and Marketing teams (including prioritizing creative requests and mock-ups) while building trust as a key retail execution expert.
• Financial Management: Take full ownership of your activation budgets, including tracking expenditure and managing accruals

What You Will Bring:

• Ideally FMCG experience in shopper marketing, brand activation, or channel marketing within the FMCG sector
• Retailer Savvy: Solid understanding of the Australian grocery landscape. Experience working within the guidelines and ecosystems of Coles and Woolworths highly desirable
• You have a creative eye for design, a sharp attention to detail, and a comfortable grasp of budget management and analytics
• Strong Agency & Project Management Skills: Proven experience brief-writing, managing creative timelines, and overseeing multiple fast-moving agency projects simultaneously.
• Experience with digital shelf and asset management platforms (experience with Salsify is highly regarded)
• Exceptional Communication: Outstanding stakeholder influence skills, with the ability to confidently align cross-functional teams and present to key retail partners.
• Education: A tertiary qualification in Business, Marketing, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).

Why you’ll love working for Mars:

• Purpose: Help craft beloved brands with a legacy of over 100 years of local manufacturing making products that people and pets will love all while helping to build a more sustainable future.
• People: A culture that values your contributions, fosters leadership, and recognises the impact you make. Your work truly matters here.
• Development: Shape your career with personalised development and real opportunities to grow from day one.
• Enjoy a team and business environment that is invested in helping you manage and grow your energy for work and life.