senior specialist, Product

senior specialist, Product Location: Hong Kong Support Center Job Family: Product & Marketing Now Brewing – Talent Seekers! #tobeapartner From the beginning, Starbucks set out to be a different kind of company. One that not only celebrated coffee but also connection. We are a neighborhood gathering place, a part of your daily routine. Get to know us and you will see: we are so much more than what we brew. We call our employees partners because we are all partners in shared success. We are known to develop and support partners who are guided by the passion of providing service to others. We make sure everything we do is through the lens of humanity—from our commitment to the highest-quality coffee in the world, to the way we engage with our customers and communities to do business responsibly. Our Mission: With every cup, with every conversation, with every community - we nurture the limitless possibilities of human connection. The Hong Kong Support Center (HKSC) is the regional corporate hub for the 15 markets in the Asia Pacific region - Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong/Macau, India, Indonesia, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. With over 5,600 stores, the region is a key growth driver for the organization. Job Summary and Mission This position contributes to Starbucks Asia Pacific regional success by supporting the development and implementation of strategic marketing and product plans across the different product categories (coffee, tea, food and/or lobby merchandise) that focus on increasing sales, supporting company growth and creating local value and applicability for the Starbucks brand. Summary of Key Responsibilities Responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following: Project management and market facing • Independently leads gatekeeping process for innovations / renovations and follows up on actions. • Leads and drives conversations on the different product categories as well as alignment with responsible markets. Works closely with retail, field partners and business units to facilitate communication and ensure project integration. • Prepares written communications such as meeting recaps, follow up actions and recommendations. • Responds to a variety of requests and inquiries from markets, cross functions, and global support centres on program execution. • Fosters cross-functional relationships with multiple business units and partners. Provides product expertise to cross-functional teams. Business analysis and tracking • Develops an understanding on overall product performance and the environment in which Starbucks operates. • Leads in analyzing market tracking data and report findings to support category strategy development. Provides meaningful insights and recommends action plans to address variances in performance. • Assists with the development of business plans, promotional recaps, project briefs and presentation to senior leadership. • Participates in providing input on markets business reviews (Quarterly Business Reviews, Mid-Year Reviews, Strategic Plans and AOPs), as well as ongoing program planning. • Manages best practice sharing, consumer trends, competitive movements, post-promo evaluations and coordinates distribution to the field and relevant departments. Regional product innovation / program management • Possesses an in-depth understanding and becomes an expert in different product categories. • Builds a holistic understanding of consumers. Discover insights and turns them into growth opportunities. • Contributes in developing relevant concepts based on consumer insights, flavor trends and evaluates the ideas with partners and consumers. • Works closely with cross functional teams to convert innovative ideas into a scalable launch. • Maintains up-to-date operational knowledge of in-store preparations and operations standards. • Works with marketing team and/or creative agency to develop regionally-relevant programs, campaigns and tools as appropriate to support AP business needs. Others • Leads activities for a specific business area and ensures effective communication of its products and programs. • Develops, manages and recaps giving programs in conjunction with team members from other business units. • Proactively synthesizes business updates and key issues with recommendation on follow up discussion with managers. • Coordinates consumer researches and annual product & marketing conference measures. Summary of Experience • Brand or retail marketing and management - 4 years • Project management in a cross-functional environment - 2 years Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities • Excellent command of English; another Asian language proficiency is a plus. • Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and writing. • Working knowledge of marketing and communications fundamentals with business acumen. • Ability to manage and organize data with analysis to provide meaningful insights and business projections. • Ability to lead or assist leadership on cross-functional projects and teams. • Ability to balance multiple priorities and meet deadlines. • Ability to work both independently and as a proactive team player. • Experience in consumer research is a plus. • Problem-solving and troubleshooting skills. • Self motivated, well organized, strong sense of responsibility.