Head of Strategic Marketing (Pharma Ingredients)

About the role

Croda is a purpose-led FTSE 100 organisation, delivering smart science to improve lives. As we continue to strengthen our position across our core markets, we are seeking a Head of Strategic Marketing to play a pivotal role in shaping the future growth of one of our key business segments. This is a senior, global leadership role operating at the centre of the organisation aligning Marketing, R&D and Commercial teams to ensure our innovation and portfolio decisions are truly market-led and deliver long-term value.

Responsibilities

• Define and lead the strategic marketing agenda, aligning market insight, portfolio direction and innovation priorities to business strategy
• Shape and evolve the global product portfolio, ensuring an effective balance across short, medium and long-term horizons
• Own the governance and prioritisation of the innovation pipeline, ensuring disciplined investment decisions and delivery of commercially viable outcomes
• Translate unmet customer and market needs into clear, differentiated value propositions that drive revenue and margin growth
• Act as the voice of the customer and market within the business, influencing strategic and investment decisions
• Partner closely with R&D, Sales and regional teams to ensure technical capability is fully aligned to market opportunity
• Establish and embed structured portfolio planning and performance visibility, identifying gaps and future growth opportunities
• Leverage market insight, competitive intelligence and emerging tools (including digital and AI-enabled approaches) to strengthen decision-making
• Lead and develop a high-performing marketing team, building capability in strategic marketing, portfolio management and insight-led growth
• Influence across the organisation to ensure consistent execution of strategy and innovation priorities

Qualifications

• Proven experience in strategic marketing and/or portfolio management within a global B2B environment, ideally in speciality chemicals, life sciences or pharmaceutical markets
• Strong track record of shaping and managing complex product and innovation portfolios, translating market insight into clear, actionable strategies that drive differentiation, growth and margin expansion
• Able to coach and develop a high performing team through authentic leadership, fostering collaboration, curiosity and a culture of accountability
• Able to apply data-driven marketing principles, with a clear focus on delivering measurable business outcomes and return on investment
• Authentic, low-ego and collaborative leader, able to influence and align stakeholders across a complex, global matrix organisation
• Resilient and adaptable, comfortable operating in ambiguous, evolving environments while maintaining focus on long-term value creation
• Curious and commercially minded, with strong business acumen and a consistent focus on driving sustainable growth

Benefits

Croda recognizes employees as our strength and the diversity they bring to our workforce are directly linked to our ongoing success. We are an equal opportunity employer and place a high value on diversity and inclusion at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including age, race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. In accordance with applicable law, we make reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as any mental health or physical disability needs.