Skills

Communication Leadership Dynamics Marketing

Job Specifications

Interim Head of Brand - FMCG

Central London - 3 days office based / 2 days working from home

Circa £110,000 - £120,000k total package per annum on payroll (or day rate circa £500)

Start date - March 2026 - 5 month Fixed term contract

Please submit your CV via LinkedIn, we will review applications via LinkedIn only. Do please ensure to connect with Suzie Walker | LinkedIn and Jeandre Kairuz as we are only able to respond to 1st connections.

We are looking for a high energy Interim Head of Brand to be a commercial thought leader for our client, a fast growing FMCG business. You'll be leading the brand’s growth agenda - we're looking for a cheerleader and an energiser; culture and chemistry fit are top of our list.

The role itself is to drive the category leadership, deliver the brand vision and to build collaborations across the business.

This is an interim role, do please apply ONLY if you have FMCG experience and are able to start no later than 16th March 2026.

Interim Brand Lead

The Person

The successful candidate will be commercially minded with significant experience operating within a consumer-focused, fast-paced environment. You will have worked at a senior brand leadership level within FMCG and will have the ability to shape strategic direction while also ensuring high-quality execution and delivery. You are comfortable balancing long-term brand vision with short-term commercial performance and are confident influencing cross-functional stakeholders to deliver growth.

The Role

This is a senior interim position as Head of Brand is responsible for leading brand strategy and delivery during a key phase of growth and transformation.

You will play a central role in shaping and executing a clear growth agenda, working cross-functionally to identify new opportunities across channels, markets and product areas. The role requires both strategic oversight and hands-on leadership, from defining direction through to delivering initiatives into market.

You will collaborate closely with teams across commercial, category, innovation, and supply to ensure the brand remains competitive, relevant, and primed for sustainable growth.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the annual brand planning process, ensuring a robust, insight-led plan aligned to commercial objectives and market dynamics.
Champion brand positioning and long-term strategy, ensuring relevance with evolving consumer trends and category shifts.
Partner with innovation teams to develop and deliver differentiated products that drive competitive advantage.
Oversee brand identity and design principles, setting clear guidelines to ensure consistent and compelling execution.
Act as brand lead on complex innovation initiatives, including those involving operational or packaging considerations.
Serve as the brand voice within the commercial organisation, supporting strong customer engagement and sell-in narratives.
Embed belief in the marketing strategy internally, ensuring alignment and clarity across stakeholders.
Lead portfolio and range strategy development in collaboration with category and commercial teams.
Monitor in-market performance, driving a performance-focused culture and implementing effective tracking and evaluation tools.
Support broader sustainability and quality initiatives to ensure long-term brand resilience.

Requirements

Significant experience in brand management within FMCG.
Proven track record of leading annual planning cycles and contributing to multi-year strategic plans.
Strong commercial acumen, with experience managing brand performance and understanding key growth levers.
Demonstrated success delivering innovation projects from concept through to launch.
Experience working cross-functionally within complex organisations.
Strong communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to influence both internal stakeholders and external partners.
A proactive, growth-oriented mindset with the ability to operate at pace.
Strong understanding of consumer behaviour and market trends.
An appreciation for brand design and creative execution.
Experience working with high-growth brands is advantageous.
International market exposure is beneficial but not essential.

Suzie Walker Executive Search is a firm of specialist headhunters with an expert team recruiting senior interim and permanent senior leaders for B2B and B2C marketing and digital/tech roles in FTSE 350 and private equity-backed companies.

www.suziewalkerexecutivesearch.co.uk

About the Company

Suzie Walker Executive Search is a firm of specialist headhunters with an expert team recruiting interim and permanent senior leaders for B2C and B2B marketing, digital and technology roles in FTSE 350 and private equity-backed companies. We cover functional Senior Manager, Head of and Director to C-suite levels. Our unrivalled knowledge and expertise support companies in times of change with rigorous but timely recruitment for interim roles. We frequently recruit Chief Marketing Officer, Marketing Director, Head of Market... Know more