Trade Marketing Manager

Company overview

Designer Parfums is a fast-expanding global fragrance business operating in the perfume and cosmetics sector. Headquartered in London, the company sells across roughly 70 international markets and is built on a family-owned foundation with a portfolio that spans both heritage names and celebrity-led fragrances.

The brand portfolio includes ownership and licensing rights for GHOST, JENNIFER LOPEZ, HAWAIIAN TROPIC, CERRUTI, PLAYBOY and JEAN LOUIS SCHERRER, and distribution partnerships for ARIANA GRANDE, GUY LAROCHE, PILOMA PICASSO, AIGNER and GANT.

The business places strong value on authenticity, agility and approachability, and aims to create a workplace where people can be themselves while contributing to ambitious commercial goals.

This is a full-time, permanent position with a hybrid working pattern of 4 days in the office in Watford and 1 day working from home.

Role purpose

The organisation is looking for an experienced and driven Trade Marketing Manager to take ownership of UK trade marketing activity across its fragrance brand portfolio. The role is focused on strengthening brand relevance, building demand, and shaping campaigns that connect with millennial and Gen Z audiences in a highly competitive market.

You will work across retail and distribution channels, partnering with major customers such as Boots, Superdrug and The Perfume Shop, while reviewing campaign performance, planning activations, and managing budgets for both new and established brands.

The ideal candidate will bring a background in fragrance, FMCG beauty, personal care or cosmetics, along with a commercial mindset and experience driving demand across wholesale and retail environments.

Key responsibilities

• Create and implement trade marketing plans that strengthen brand presence and stimulate demand across retail and distribution channels.
• Partner with sales, marketing and brand teams to ensure UK growth plans, promotional activity and brand objectives are fully aligned.
• Own the UK trade marketing calendar, ensuring brand launches, activation plans and artwork requirements are delivered accurately and on schedule.
• Handle regular communication with retailer buying and marketing teams.
• Lead presentations in key customer meetings and provide informed recommendations on promotional and marketing support.
• Contribute fresh, imaginative and commercially relevant ideas for consumer engagement.
• Review and assess promotional activity to improve return on investment and sales outcomes across channels.
• Line manage the Visual Merchandising and Events Manager, ensuring trade events are executed on time and in line with brand standards.
• Oversee the trade marketing budget and use sell-out and performance data to improve results.
• Monitor competitor launches and retailer activity to keep the brand competitive within the fragrance market.
• Work with the Visual Merchandising and Events Manager to build strong in-store brand presence, support sampling plans and maximise activation opportunities.
• Protect and enforce visual presentation standards by coordinating with the UK brand team across all customer touchpoints.
• Communicate trade marketing activity and brand news clearly to retail operations, sales, warehousing, customer service and management stakeholders.
• Support the Senior UK Marketing Manager in presenting the UK marketing programme and equip Sales Managers with relevant marketing tools.
• Carry out regular store visits to gather market intelligence and stay current on category developments.
• Work with Sales Managers to ensure forecasts reflect promotional plans and that all activity is shared early enough to support supply planning.
• Manage brand assets and distribute them on time to external retail marketing and digital teams, as well as internal marketing and VM teams.
• Respond promptly to questions and follow-up requests from brand, sales and account teams.
• Assist with administrative tasks in the UK Marketing team, including purchase orders, internal approvals and trade invoice processing.

Requirements

• At least 2 years of experience in trade marketing, sales or marketing within a leading FMCG business.
• Hands-on experience in fragrance, personal care, beauty or cosmetics is essential; exposure to beauty-focused B2B environments is an advantage.
• A proven track record of managing key accounts from a trade marketing perspective.
• A marketing qualification or degree, preferably in a business-related field.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office tools, particularly PowerPoint, Excel, SharePoint and Outlook.
• Genuine enthusiasm for the beauty category.
• Self-driven and highly motivated, with the ability to work independently and meet demanding deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, combined with careful attention to detail for copy, creative and design work.
• Clear understanding of how sales and marketing interact within retail, brand or trade marketing roles.
• Working knowledge of the UK trade environment, ideally within beauty.

Work setup

This role is based in the London area and follows a hybrid pattern: 4 days in the office in Watford and 1 day from home.

Additional information

The company is a privately owned business with a family-oriented culture and an emphasis on being authentic, agile and approachable. The role sits within a fast-moving category with frequent new launches, so the successful candidate should be comfortable working in a dynamic environment and helping shape ways of working within the trade marketing function.