My food & drink job: Rosalie De Bruin, senior brand manager, Danone

Name: Rosalie De Bruin

Age: 29

Job title: Senior brand manager essentials & indulgence across Oykos and Light & Free

Company & location: Danone UK & Ireland in Chiswick, London

Education: University of Sussex – BSc Business Management and Exeter University – MSc International Business.

As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? I was always really interested in psychology, and I was particularly interested in human behaviour and the mind, so knew I wanted to do something that tied into this area. There is a big link between psychology and business so it’s great to end up in a career that plays to my interests from when I was younger.

Why did you decide to go for a career in food & drink? I just love working in a fast-paced environment, and you can definitely find that working in food & drink. It’s extremely stimulating, very exciting and there’s always a lot going on. I also love how tangible the output is in this industry – we bring joy to people every single day and you can really see the purpose of what you do being brought to life, which is nice.

“If you have a strict career plan in place, you’re not going to be as open to new opportunities”

Explain your job to us in a sentence (or two): Danone’s mission is bringing health through food to as many people as possible, and I truly think that is a great way to articulate what we do day-to-day.

Looking at my specific role, I work in marketing in the dairy division of the business, where my role is to manage and grow the brands that I look after, Oykos and Light & Free. To do this, I really focus on putting the consumer at the heart of everything we do and work collaboratively with other functions to bring plans to life. I’m also currently working on something very new and exciting, but can’t share that information just yet!

What does a typical day look like for you? A key aspect of my job is to work across different departments internally, but also make sure that things run smoothly externally, managing a range of relationships from customers to agencies.

My days are very dynamic and varied, which is really what I love about my job. Being in marketing means I could be presenting brand plans to a retailer one day and reviewing factory forecasts the next. I’m actually also going to our research & development centre in France soon – I’ve never been before so I’m very excited to hear from the team over there.

Tell us how you went about applying for your job: I joined Danone’s graduate scheme programme after my Masters and there were around four stages. It started with a CV and cover letter, then an online test. I then had a video interview and attended an assessment centre – it was very thorough!

The assessment day was particularly challenging, though very interesting. We were given an example of a new product and had to build up a plan on how we’d launch it and present our communications strategy. Though it was quite a thorough process, it really sets you up for once you’re in the business.

What’s the best part about working for a food & drink company? It’s really going back to having that positive impact on people’s lives every day. I love Danone’s purpose and the fact it champions health through all stages of life. It’s really inspiring to know that our products are consumed by millions of people around the world every day.

Read more:

• Arla’s spot of Bovaer leaves Big Dairy crying over spilt milk

• Oatly bemoans court ruling reinforcing ban on use of dairy terms

• Danone’s Tom Kerr on spiders, rollercoasters and split trousers

And what’s the biggest misconception people have about working in food & drink? I would have to say it’s the level of innovation. Whenever I talk to my friends about my job, they are so surprised by how many innovation and renovation projects we have going on! We’re looking to meet the constantly changing needs of our consumers,, so there’s always something new going on.

What advice would you give to other young people looking to get into the food & drink industry? I think the most important thing is that your values align with the company that you’re applying to. I’d say you really need to connect with what you’re doing and the wider purpose – it has such an impact on your day-to-day motivation and happiness, so take time to research.

What’s your ultimate career dream? I believe that it’s really important to be open and take on opportunities as they arise. I feel like if you have a strict career plan in place, you’re not going to be as open to new opportunities. And you really don’t know where life can take you!

I started out in sales and category, which ultimately led me to be a better marketeer today, because I know the processes that they have to go through on a day-to-day basis. I want to make sure I’m continuously learning, that I’m always adding value, and, finally, always making sure I’m doing everything I can to reach my own potential.

Interested in finding out more about food & drink careers? Check out GrocerJobs for the latest vacancies