EMEA Head of Professional brand & Sikkens/Trade brands

Preferred location for this position is Amsterdam, NL however open to all candidates

EMEA Head of Professional brand & Sikkens/Trade brands

At AkzoNobel, we bring color to people’s lives and protect what matters most - guided by our purpose of “painting a colourful future together.”

The EMEA Head of Professional Brand & Category and Sikkens/Trade Brands will play an important role in shaping the marketing future of AkzoNobel Decorative Paints across EMEA. This role will be responsible for building stronger, more purposeful brands, driving sustainable, competitive, and profitable growth, and inspiring the next generation of marketeers to embrace the Future of Marketing.

The EMEA Head of Brand & Category leads the strategic growth agenda for the Professional target group, shaping the future of the Professional business through brand and category strategy that delivers profitable, sustainable growth by stronger brands and innovations across EMEA. In addition this role has responsibility for the lead Sikkens / Trade brands for Professional. Responsible for the Professional Brand and branding guidelines, architecture and increase development of (new, regional) value propositions.

The role defines and supports a three-year growth strategy that integrates innovation, communication, and sustainability as core drivers of Professional painters’ preference and competitive advantage.

Working closely with country marketing teams and cross-functional partners, this role ensures strategic decision making, robust execution and roadmaps, and measurable business impact in the Professional market — turning the professional brand strategy and innovation into market success.

The role is a key member of the regional marketing leadership team, shaping the strategic agenda and ensuring strong collaboration across functions and markets.

Winning locally by leveraging scale.

Brand health (esp.brand preference) for Sikkens/Trade brands among the Professional Brands, market share, category growth & profitablility, innovation funnel (ITO),CO2 reduction, VOICES for the team

About the role

Brand x Category strategy

• Accountable for the strategic marketing plan for the Professionals target group based on the (local) situational analysis  (i.e. where to play & how to win in countries, brands, channels, productcategories).
• Acccountable for the brandportfolio strategy for the Professionals target group.
• Accountable for Strategy brief and roadmap brief to CU/countries for the Professional target group.
• Shape the Professinoal channel strategy (incl. e-commerce/omni-channel) with clarity on Where to Play and How to Win strategies.
• Accountable for defining the Professional Pricing Strategy by Brand&Category with specific SPI (Strategic Price Index) in terms of where-to-play choices and monitoring API (Applied Price Index) .in the markets, for necessary interventions to ensure NRR (Net Revenue Realisation) and NMR (Net Margin Realisation) as part of agreed execution plans with markets.
• Direct the asset development and product roadmap, translating strategy into a clear, time-bound plan that orchestrates innovation and communication priorities across the region in the Professional market.
• The role is a key member of the regional marketing leadership team (MLT), shaping the strategic agenda and ensuring strong collaboration across functions and markets.

Innovation & concepts

• Accountable for the innovation funnel and productroadmap for the Professional targetgroup.
• Lead development of NPI (new to range) from briefing, recipe, artwork & packaging to master asset production.
• Lead NPI Product development plan based on validated concepts (together with the category managers) taking sustainability and regulatory into consideration (by consulting PM).
• Lead cross-functional ideation and concept development to commercialization , including professional research together with professional insights manager (to research untapped needs or campaign insights).
• Create concepts/value propostions for the Professional brands , ensuring sustainability and purposeful innovation principles are embedded in product and packaging development, value propositions, and claims.

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Brand stewardship, comms & equity growth

• Accountable for the Assetroadmap and the A&P budget allocated to the Professional target group.
• Develop and own portfolio, brand architecture and marketing mix for the Professional brand and translate (for the relevant sector) the global  brand architecture for EMEA as well as aligning and giving input into the lead brand (e.g. Sikkens / Trade brands) brand architecture.
• Creative Packaging design to support brand and specific product introductions/enhancing architecture.  
• Creative development and production of central marketing assets and guide content & activation strategy to enhance asset creation and lifting between Professional markets.
• Develop toolboxes and activation plans for new concepts and value propositions.
• Develop brand campaigns with clear objectives.
• Evaluate campaigns and NPI's to further improve and understand their ROI.
• Drive digital-enabled innovation opportunities including services, digital color tools, and enhanced customer solutions.
• Make sustainability attributes and messaging core to brand positioning and communications.

People Management

• Lead, coach, and inspire a team of four Brand Builders to deliver category and brand growth objectives.
• Build team capabilities in Professional brand strategy development, innovation management, communication excellence, and data-driven marketing.
• Set clear direction, priorities, and success measures aligned with the overall Professional category strategy and roadmap.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, empowerment, and continuous learning, enabling talent growth and cross-market mobility.
• Ensure alignment, knowledge sharing, and best practice exchange across markets and functions.

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Performance management

• Influence senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to secure commitment & resources for strategic priorities and Professional category strategies to be linked to target letters.
• Track and evaluate business and brand KPIs (category growth & profitability, share, equity/preference and innovation turnover), using insights to drive decision-making, portfolio optimization, and continuous improvement. 

About You

• Educated to BA/BSc degree level or equivalent to Master’s degree in Marketing, business or similar field.
• 15+ years of progressive marketing leadership experience in FMCG (professional customers), consumer goods (B2B), or paints/coatings industries.
• Proven track record in building strong (Professional) brands and delivering business growth across complex, multi-country environments.
• Demonstrated success in leading marketing transformation — including digitalization, data-driven marketing, and innovation.
• Strong commercial acumen and strategic influence at senior levels.
• Exceptional (team) leadership skills, with the ability to inspire, coach, and mobilize teams across geographies and cultures.
• Significant experience of marketing or specialist functional area in a FMCG (professional customers), consumer goods, or paints/coatings market or unit – to understand complexities in managing a professional category / brand / market in a particular area.
• 5+ Years of experience in leading a local marketing team.
• Strong pragmatic marketeer with natural interest in CU perspective on market situations (i.e. being close to the market) – so they can develop & deliver relevant solutions within a dynamic environment.
• Demonstrate ability to balance creativity and a data-driven approach to drive effectiveness in development and execution of Professional marketing programs.
• Proven project management, analytical and organisational skills to structure the work with sufficient detail & accuracy, alongside a high level of interpersonal skill – to be able to negotiate and influence to get the work done whilst maintaining strong relationships.
• Advanced written and oral communication skills in English.