Claire Hale
Claire Hale
Senior Brand Manager
What does a normal day look like for you?
It can be cliché, however no two days are ever the same as it’s such a diverse role. A typical day can involve anything from working closely with our creative agencies and external partners to execute on-going brand plans, taking time to analyse performance of current brand campaigns & initiatives to identify areas for improvement and aid data-driven decisions to maximise investment, or coordinating with cross functional teams to progress product reformulation or packaging reduction projects aligned to the wider business sustainability agenda.
What do you enjoy most about your role at Dale Farm?
I get great fulfilment from the huge variety that my role gives me. I enjoy the challenge that comes with developing & implementing strategy, and the creative freedom in developing brand campaigns feeds my need for creativity, most likely something that comes from my interest in arts outside of work.
The dynamic nature of the FMCG marketing industry and the ever-changing consumer landscape means it’s important for me to continuously learn & adapt to changing market trends, consumer behaviour, and emerging marketing technologies. I enjoy having the opportunity to develop and expand my knowledge which in turn helps me adapt our brand strategies and remain relevant in our fast-paced market.
Ultimately though, it’s the collaborative environment at Dale Farm that I relish. I appreciate the opportunity to work cross-functionally across the business, with teams such as sales, procurement, technical & quality, and our sites. Working with such a range of experts helps me understand different perspectives, provide additional insights, and flag hurdles to better deliver on projects.
How did you get to where you are today?
In my third year, I joined Dale Farm as a Marketing Placement Student, where I supported the marketing team across a variety of projects and day-to-day tasks (and learnt how to make the best tea & coffee for meetings). It was a fantastic learning experience and introduction to the NI FMCG industry. Such a varied role showed me how the theory I had learnt in my first two years of uni could be applied. However, I also learnt that whilst theory is helpful, practical, real-world experience is hard to beat. After graduating with honours, I was lucky enough to return to Dale Farm as Marketing Assistant and haven’t looked back since then. It is through continuous development, dedication and managers who inspired me to take the next step, that I have been able to work through various roles within Dale Farm Marketing.