As a technology leader with strong brands (i.e. VARTA® and OPTIMA®), Clarios is producing the world’s best batteries, essential for the evolving future of transportation. Our advanced, low-voltage batteries and smart solutions power nearly every type of vehicle and are found in 1 of 3 cars on the road today. Ready to direct your talent and coordination expertise towards shaping the future of our global standards at Clarios? Then take on the challenge and become part of our Aftermarket team!
Power your future with Clarios and explore the possibilities with us.
What you will do
Lead the strategic positioning, activation and continuous development of the global VARTA brand and further Aftermarket product brands, including OPTIMA and second-line brands, in a highly competitive market environment.
Translate brand strategy into emotionally compelling, commercially relevant and market-ready activation concepts that strengthen brand preference, differentiation and business impact across Europe.
Lead and develop a team of three brand and activation professionals, with clear responsibilities across Events, Training Initiatives, and Brand Strategy & Campaigns, combining strategic direction with hands-on operational excellence, creativity and strong business orientation.
Act as a key interface between Aftermarket Marketing, the Global Team, Corporate Communications, European Marketing Managers and cross-functional partners, actively building alliances to drive alignment and impact.
The position will be based in our Clarios EMEA office in Hannover, Germany.
How you will do it
Define, refine and operationalize the brand strategy and positioning for VARTA globally and for additional Aftermarket product brands such as OPTIMA and second-line brands, ensuring clear differentiation, relevance and consistency across markets.
Lead the strategic repositioning, relaunch and activation of VARTA, ensuring that the brand is modernized, emotionally strengthened and translated into a compelling global brand platform with clear market activation guidance.
Develop brand narratives, value propositions, messaging frameworks and activation toolkits that help create emotional connection with customers while supporting business growth in a competitive automotive Aftermarket environment.
Drive integrated brand activation campaigns across Europe, including campaign strategy, creative briefing, agency steering, market adaptation, launch planning and performance follow-up.
Own and oversee trademark-related topics for the relevant Aftermarket product brands, ensuring close alignment with Corporate Communications, Legal and other internal stakeholders on brand usage, protection and governance.
Work closely with Corporate Communications to ensure strong alignment between Clarios brand strategy, brand governance, communication standards and external brand expression.
Work closely with the Global Team to align global brand direction, market needs and activation priorities, proactively seeking alliances across functions and regions to strengthen brand consistency, strategic influence and executional impact.
Partner closely with European Marketing Managers to translate global brand direction into locally relevant activation plans, ensuring market needs, customer insights and commercial priorities are reflected.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Product Management, Digital, CX, Sales, Trade Marketing and other internal stakeholders to ensure that brand strategy is embedded across touchpoints, propositions and customer journeys.
Lead qualitative and quantitative research initiatives, including brand tracking, customer insights, competitor analysis and market research, and translate findings into actionable brand and activation recommendations.
Manage external agencies and internal creative resources to deliver high-quality campaigns, brand assets, toolkits and launch materials that are strategically sound, emotionally engaging and execution-ready.
Set priorities, guide the work of the team, manage budgets where applicable and ensure strong delivery discipline across strategic brand projects, campaign execution and market activation needs.
Ensure effective leadership and coordination of the three team members, with one team member responsible for Events, one for Training Initiatives, and one for Brand Strategy & Campaigns, while fostering strong collaboration and alignment across these areas.
What makes you a good fit
Degree in Marketing, Brand Management, Business Administration, Communication or a related field; additional qualifications in brand strategy, consumer insights or digital marketing are a plus.
Minimum of 8–10 years of relevant experience in brand strategy, product brand management, campaign activation or strategic marketing, ideally in an international matrix organization.
Proven leadership experience, ideally with responsibility for a small team; ability to lead, coach and develop a team of three while remaining operationally close to key projects.
Strong expertise in brand positioning, brand architecture, value proposition development, messaging, campaign strategy and go-to-market activation.
Strong affinity with the automotive Aftermarket or comparable competitive B2B/B2B2C environments; understanding of how brands create emotional relevance and commercial differentiation.
Experience in B2C brand building is highly desirable, including the ability to translate consumer, customer and market insights into emotionally engaging brand communication and activation.
Strong understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods, brand tracking, customer insights, competitor analysis and data-driven decision making.
Experience in developing, launching and optimizing integrated campaigns across digital, social, trade, retail, point-of-sale, events and other relevant activation channels.
Agency-side experience or strong experience in steering creative, media, research or brand agencies is highly beneficial.
Creative, collaborative and business-oriented mindset with the ability to combine strategic thinking, operational delivery, stakeholder management and commercial accountability.
Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively with Corporate Communications, European markets and cross-functional partners in an international matrix environment.
Fluent English is a must; additional European languages, especially German, are a plus.
What we offer you
As a technology leader, Clarios notably lives on the creativity, capability and satisfaction of its employees. Therefore, we offer people with drive and power many good reasons to join us:
Exciting professional tasks and challenges in a diverse international future-oriented environment with strong commitment to integrity, values, social engagement, and sustainability.
Arrange your working hours and breaks flexible via our flexible working hours model and combine your professional and private life even better according to our above average number of vacation days, mobile work policy and company kindergarten.
A competitive remuneration package, including additional payments as well as company pension scheme.
Your well-being is very important to us: Take advantage of our preventive health care offers such as fitness center, physiotherapist, modern office environment, healthy canteen, team and company events or hobby clubs.
Stay fit whilst at the same time positively contributing to our environment: Lease your company bike.
Our well-advanced onboarding process and buddy program supports you to quickly grow into the position and team. By using the offering in our Learning Academy, LinkedIn Learning and EMEA Mentoring Program you will be able to further grow professionally and personally.
Last, but not least we support you in relocating and finding an apartment in your work location, if applicable and depending on individual factors.
You want to learn more about the position and our EMEA region? Check out our regional page and get in touch with our recruiting team.
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About Clarios
Clarios is the global leader in advanced, low-voltage battery technologies for mobility. Our batteries and smart solutions power nearly every type of vehicle and are found in 1 of 3 cars on the road today. With around 18,000 employees in over 100 countries, we bring deep expertise to our Aftermarket and OEM partners, and reliability, safety and comfort to everyday lives. We answer to the planet with a rigorous sustainability focus – advancing best-in-class sustainability practices and advocating for them across our industry. We work to ensure 100% of our products sold are recyclable, and we recycle 8,000 batteries an hour in our network. You can find more information here (PDF).
To All Recruitment Agencies
Clarios does not accept unsolicited agency resumes/CVs. Please do not forward resumes/CVs to our careers email addresses, Clarios employees or any other company location. Clarios is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes/CVs.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Clarios, LLC is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, status as a qualified individual with a disability, or any other characteristic protected by law. For more information, please view EEO is the Law, EEO is the Law (supplement), and Pay Transparency Non-discrimination. If you are an individual with a disability and you require an accommodation during the application process, please email Special.Accommodations@Clarios.com.
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