Head of Trade Marketing

Career Guide

A Head of Trade Marketing leads marketing activities that support retailers, distributors, and sales teams. The goal is to increase product visibility, improve in-store and online shelf performance, and drive sales through strong partnerships, effective promotions, and consistent execution across channels.

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Key Responsibilities

Set the trade marketing strategy aligned to revenue goals and brand priorities
Plan and manage promotional calendars across retailers and distributors
Partner with Sales to build joint business plans with key accounts
Develop in-store visibility programs such as displays and merchandising guidance
Oversee shopper marketing campaigns across retail and ecommerce
Own trade marketing budgets and track return on spend
Lead pricing and promotion effectiveness reviews with Finance and Sales
Coordinate product launches with Sales, Brand, and Supply Chain
Manage agencies and vendors for creative, printing, and activation
Build and coach a trade marketing team and set performance standards
Monitor competitor activity and recommend counter actions
Ensure consistent execution across regions and channels

Top Skills for Success

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Negotiation

Strategic Planning

Budget Management

Communication

Retail Fundamentals

Key Account Planning

Category Management

Merchandising

Promotion Planning

Trade Spend Management

Sales Forecasting

Performance Measurement

Shopper Insights

Retail Media Strategy

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Trade Marketing Director

Commercial Director

Sales Director

Head of Shopper Marketing

Head of Revenue Growth Management

Transition Opportunities

General Manager Vice President of Sales Vice President of Marketing Chief Commercial Officer

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Trade Spend GovernanceIncrementality MeasurementRetail Media MeasurementForecast Accuracy ImprovementSales and Marketing AlignmentPricing StrategyCross Functional Operating Rhythm

Development SuggestionsBuild a consistent measurement approach for promotions and retail media, strengthen trade spend controls, and create simple planning routines with Sales and Finance. Prioritize a small set of performance metrics and use post event reviews to improve future planning.

Market Intelligence Report

Head of Trade Marketing is part of the DevOps & Reliability Engineering category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

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Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry LevelUSD 110,000 to 150,000

Mid LevelUSD 150,000 to 200,000

Senior LevelUSD 200,000 to 280,000

Growth Trend

Stable to growing demand, driven by retailer media growth, ecommerce expansion, and increased pressure to prove promotion effectiveness and measurable sales impact.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Procter and GambleUnileverPepsiCoThe Coca-Cola CompanyNestleL'OrealDiageoAB InBevMondelez InternationalColgate-PalmoliveKraft HeinzReckitt

Industry Sectors

Consumer packaged goodsFood and beverageBeauty and personal careHousehold productsAlcohol and spiritsHealth and wellnessConsumer electronicsRetail and ecommerce brands

Recommended Next Steps

Create a trade marketing scorecard that tracks sales lift, margin impact, and execution quality

Audit last year promotions and identify the top three drivers of strong results

Set clear guidelines for trade spend approvals and performance reporting

Strengthen retailer plans by aligning objectives, calendars, and measurement with key accounts

Build a 90 day plan covering people, priorities, budget, and execution standards

Develop a playbook for launches, displays, and retailer media to improve consistency