Manager, Brand Activation Planning SEA

Role Purpose

This position is responsible for strengthening the brand’s market presence by owning brand planning and improving the marketing investment approach in line with strategic priorities. The role ensures consistent campaign planning and execution standards, and acts as a key coordination point for activation functions, calendar alignment, financial planning, and storytelling.

Key Responsibilities

Annual Planning: Go-To-Market and Marketing Investment

• Lead multi-year MAEX planning across all channels, ensuring it supports SEA strategic goals.
• Partner with finance and brand stakeholders to shape the MAEX plan and deliver against yearly KPI targets.
• Manage in-season MAEX updates, keep plans aligned to forecasts, and provide periodic updates to senior leadership.
• Drive MAEX allocation recommendations and simplify the end-to-end decision-making process.
• Own the MAEX operating rhythm, including timely content submissions, milestone reporting, and preparation for review meetings.
• Prepare and share clear communications on MAEX progress, outcomes, and next steps.

Omnichannel Calendar Planning and Communications Architecture

• Build the annual One SEA Brand Calendar Framework with a consumer-first approach and strengthen the brand communications structure.
• Shape the seasonal calendar together with BU/category plans, brand priorities, and market requirements in collaboration with Brand Leadership.
• Use BU strategy inputs to develop a cross-category calendar that serves as a shared reference for BU/category engagement.
• Keep stakeholders informed of key calendar revisions and campaign changes to maintain alignment throughout the year.
• Ensure campaign planning remains consistent across all country clusters.

Brand Operations

• Improve the brand’s impact locally and globally by defining and maintaining high-quality campaign planning processes.
• Coordinate closely across BU, Activation, Newsroom, Omni, Digital, PR, Brand Partners, and other relevant functions at local, cluster, global, and hub levels to deliver a seamless consumer experience.
• Plan and manage campaign milestones to support synchronized execution across country clusters.
• Support standardization efforts before and during season cycles.
• Run milestone planning and tracking in Smartsheet to support on-time delivery and team productivity.
• Encourage adoption of tools and platforms such as the campaign portal for effective cross-team use.
• Lead process-improvement initiatives to strengthen collaboration and internal efficiency.
• Continuously evaluate workflows and introduce better ways of working for maximum effectiveness.

Key Relationships

• SEA Cluster Brand
• SEA Cluster Finance
• Country Brand teams across SEA
• Country Finance teams across SEA

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong analytical thinking with the ability to convert data into concise, insight-led presentations for senior leaders.
• Understanding of brand investment principles and financial reporting.
• Excellent communication skills across all levels, with the ability to distill complex information into clear recommendations.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including balancing market and HQ priorities to reach workable solutions.
• Fluency in English.
• Advanced project management capability.
• Advanced Microsoft Office skills, especially Excel.

Education and Experience

• University degree in business, ideally with a focus on Marketing, Sales, or Finance; an equivalent professional background is also acceptable.
• 5 to 8 years of relevant cross-functional experience, preferably in Marketing, Planning, Sales, or Finance.

Equal Opportunity and Inclusion

The employer promotes diversity and inclusion, supports individual expression, and does not tolerate harassment or discrimination. This is an equal opportunity workplace.