Brand Manager, Marcom Japan
Apple’s Marketing Communications group, or Marcom, is the creatively-led global team that oversees Apple’s consumer facing marketing. We ensure the flawless development and execution of world-class communications across all medias and platforms in support of Apple’s business goals! Every day, hundreds of millions of Apple customers around the world interact with our products. We drive the strategy and creative work that provide both new and existing customers with simple, engaging and inspiring marketing experiences.
We are seeking an extraordinary individual who can operate successfully in our dynamic and exciting environment, to be a Brand Manager!
The role would be a great fit for a self-motivated, flexible individual with strong communication skills, someone who is a strong strategic thinker with the capability to see the bigger picture and the ability to influence from the middle to orchestrate projects to that end. Also someone who will constantly challenge the status quo and seek new and better ways of communicating both internally and externally.
Key responsibilities of the brand manager will be to synchronize various functions in support of Apple’s product launches, sustaining marketing efforts, and locally originated communications in Japan. The role will collaborate closely across a range of Marcom functional teams including Advertising, Interactive, Channel, Apple Retail, and others.
The person in this role will need to be fluent in a variety of media including print, digital, and video/motion graphics, with deep knowledge of the creative process behind those deliverables, and how it fits and integrates across touch-points over a sophisticated customer journey.
Detailed Responsibilities include:
- Lead and drive all local market communication activities around the launch and sustain periods of our products as well as local seasonal opportunities
- Be responsible for locally driven Geo Origination work and integrated campaigns
- Work closely with the Geo Marcom Lead, Product Marketing, and the Worldwide (WW) Marcom team to establish goals and product strategies for the Japanese market
- Be the primary point of contact for the WW Marcom Brand team responsible for collecting and sharing insights as it pertains to the Japan market
- Share regular planning updates and insights with WW and Geo teams on the local Apple business, including sales performance, market share, competitive information, industry happenings, and competitive trends to help guide, advise, and improve our global communications plans and efforts
- Provide critical communications input and guidance to all functional areas, including Interactive, Channel, Advertising, and Retail
- Maintain close relationships with members of the larger Marketing organization that includes Product Marketing, PR and Buzz, as well as those in the Sales, Sales Operations, and Finance organizations
- Collaborate closely with local agency partners to ensure that all deliverables are aligned and accurately implemented, meeting Apple’s outstandingly high-quality standards
- Proficiency in Japanese and English, written and spoken
- 12+ years of consumer marketing communications experience in a creatively driven agency or client organization
- Experience in leading the development and execution of marketing communications plans
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Deep experience and understanding of the creative development process
- Attention-to-detail and results-minded
- Project management skills and the ability to lead project management discussions
- Ability to multitask and deliver under tight timelines
- Meaningful experience in the local market with a consistent record of developing marketing communications.
- Collaborative and proactive in takes ownership of assigned tasks
- Ability to work both at a strategic and executional level, often within the same hour
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience