About the job
We're looking for a Trade Marketing Manager EMEA to build and lead our trade marketing capability across more than 50 distributor-led markets. In this newly created role, you will connect regional brand strategy with in-market execution by developing best-in-class trade marketing toolkits, pricing recommendations, category management standards and digital shelf excellence. Working closely with marketing, sales, finance and distributor partners, you will help drive growth, strengthen execution and ensure Sunstar brands win both in-store and online across the EMEA region.
Mission
EMEA Trade Marketing produces the execution toolkit that our Market Development Managers and distributor partners use to win at the shelf: sales fundamentals, pricing, category management and digital. You are the link between regional brand marketing and what actually happens in store, in 50 markets' worth of pharmacies, retailers and online stores. You focus on portfolio management, sales fundamentals guidelines and digital capabilities.
Key responsibilities
Build and own the three guideline sets
- Sales fundamentals — Assortment standard (Power SKUs and full-range listing targets by channel), eye-level planogram standard per channel with Power-SKU push rules and photo-audit compliance, and merchandising / in-store activation standards synced to the campaign calendar.
- Pricing recommendation & rework — Build the pricing architecture across pharmacy, mass and online, harmonize where needed, and deliver a pricing recommendation for every market, prioritized by margin opportunity.
- Category management (mass) & digital — Codify our proven category-management approach for mass retail and set the digital-shelf standard — content, SEO-optimised listings and the KPIs to track them.
Run the function
- Toolkit localization — Transform the regional toolkit and proxy recipes into distributor-ready material; adapt guidelines to the markets and feed the sales.
- Local pricing & activation — Accountable for local pricing recommendations vs. competition and for campaign execution through distributors (MDMs responsible in-market); customise the activation plan for the region.
- Land every launch — Build and apply the NPD landing standard (in-market within 90 days of launch) for every initiative — concept-sell material and trade guidelines.
- Campaign calendar — Co-build the annual campaign calendar with regional marketing; one integrated campaign per market activated in pharma and mass simultaneously, localised within guardrails.
- Measurement — Define and track photo-audit compliance, on-shelf availability and digital-shelf KPIs in the 5P dashboard so prominence is measured, not assumed.
What we’re looking for
Qualifications
- Master’s degree in economics / marketing
- Fluent English required; additional language a plus
Experience
- Experience — 5–8+ years in trade marketing, category management or shopper marketing within FMCG, consumer health or OTC; distributor-market experience a strong plus.
- Builder profile — Comfortable standing a function up from zero — producing standards, packs and playbooks rather than inheriting them; works from proxy evidence to re-applicable tools.
- Pricing & analytics — Solid RGM (Revenue Growth Management) / pricing-architecture grounding; can quantify a margin fix per market and defend it commercially.
- Digital shelf — Hands-on with e-commerce content, SEO listings and marketplace mechanics (Amazon EU or similar); treats online as a channel, not an afterthought.
- Collaboration — Works through others — equips MDMs and distributor teams and links regional marketing to the shelf without owning the relationship.
What makes you successful in this role
- An entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to build new capabilities, processes and standards from the ground up
- Strong commercial acumen and analytical skills, with the ability to turn data into actionable business recommendations
- Excellence in developing strategies and translating them into effective execution and measurable results
- Creative and innovative thinking to solve complex market and commercial challenges
- A results-oriented approach with a strong sense of ownership and accountability
- Excellent stakeholder management, influencing and negotiation skills, enabling you to build strong relationships across markets and functions
- A collaborative and adaptable mindset, thriving in a multicultural and distributor-led environment
- Willingness to travel across the EMEA region as required
Why join Sunstar?
- Purpose-driven company focused on health and wellbeing
- Unique Swiss-Japanese heritage with a truly global footprint, serving customers in more than 90 countries
- Exciting transformation journey creating opportunities to make a tangible impact
- Collaborative, inclusive, and multicultural environment
- Strong commitment to learning, development, and career growth
- Culture of ownership, innovation, and continuous improvement
- Hybrid working model supporting flexibility and work-life balance
- Attractive pension and insurance schemes, wellness initiatives, and employee discounts on Sunstar products
- Easy access by public transport and parking facilities on site
Location: Etoy, Switzerland (Hybrid)
Employment Type: Full-time, Permanent
Travel: Approximately 30-50% travel across EMEA
Excited by this opportunity? We'd love to learn more about you. Apply today and help us drive meaningful impact at Sunstar.
Due to the high volume of applications, we are only able to contact shortlisted candidates. If you apply and do not hear from us within three weeks of the job posting date, please understand that we will not be progressing with your application.