Senior Brand Manager

Job Category: Brand Marketing
Job Type: Full Time
Job Location: Providence - RI US - Remote

UNFI

The Senior Manager Brand is responsible for driving profitable brand growth in support of the UNFI Brands+ business in the US and abroad. The Senior Manager will plan, direct, and implement the US marketing strategy of the essential brand(s). Responsible for working cross-functionally with Sales, Sales Operations, Merchandising, Product Development, Product Business Management, and Finance to meet goals and attain metrics. Innovation is critical and the Senior Brand Manager must understand how to move with speed in developing new products and renovating old ones.

Job Responsibilities:

Strategic Planning (20%)

  • Understand the strategic vision of the company and marketing team to align the brand portfolio to those visions.
  • Develop strategic brand plans for priority brands that utilize consumer insights and cross-functional input from key stakeholders on the Brands+ team and UNFI.
  • Develop long-term, broad stroke 3+ year initiatives that expand the brand presence, increase, and diversify revenue streams, and improve margins/ profitability.
  • Responsible for exclusive private label and national dynamics within the portfolio to create a winning strategy and reason for each.

Innovation (25%)

  • Guides the development of new products from concept to launch. Utilize category and consumer insights to identify growth opportunities to drive new product development.
  • Establishes and executes multi-year innovation pipeline from concept to commercialization.
  • Develop new products and manage category white space based on trends and consumer insights including leading concept presentations.
  • Manage product and category lifecycle process including brand portfolio activity, brand investments, and/or sunset plans.
  • Recommend and partner with cross functional groups on SKU rationalization, sales, contribution to category, and profitability.

Business Leadership (25%)

  • Leads, updates, and optimizes integrated product, price, promotion, and packaging strategies to drive sales growth and EBITDA expansion.
  • Provide insight on promotion timing, pricing, and tactics to improve sales and profitability for the brand. Identify what is working at a retailer and what is not and provide recommendations on how to improve performance.
  • Able to do assortment analysis to recommend the optimal assortment a retailer should carry.
  • Oversees market research and analysis including buying trends, competitor analysis, and consumer insights. Generates deep category, customer, consumer, and competitor insights from multiple sources including primary research, secondary data sources and customer interactions.
  • Monitors and analyzes market and competitor performance/activities.
  • Prepares for and attends monthly financial and S&OP Meetings, explaining the business drivers.
  • Develop compelling selling stories for key customers to help secure new product listings and support key initiatives.
  • Develop insights based on ad hoc analyses utilizing Nielsen’s syndicated data. These will include, but are not limited to, the following:
  • Brand and category sales trends
  • Category and pricing segmentations
  • Brand innovation/renovation; New product sales measurement

Team Leadership & Communication (20%)

  • Serve as the “Brand Steward” and ensure all products, communications, promotions, and initiatives align with the brand.
  • Peer-leadership of a cross-functional team to create alignment and smooth release of products and projects including strategic initiatives, pricing, and sales initiatives.
  • Be a professional, excellent communicator, exceptional listener, and provide consistent follow-up and updates.
  • Publisher and creator of period brand performance reports and owner of brands for quarterly business reviews
  • Hires, trains, and develops a Marketing Specialist.

Project Management (10%)

  • Responsible for project management duties related to product launches, product improvement, and product rationalization initiatives and ensuring targeted milestones are met on time.
  • Create brand plan calendar and timelines to ensure on-time deliverables by planning and being a strong contributor.
  • Performs other relevant job duties as required.

Job Requirements:

Education/ Certifications/or Equivalent combination of education training and experience:

  • Bachelor’s degree in marketing or business preferred or equivalent related experience and training.
  • MBA preferred.

Experience:

  • 5-10 years of relevant work experience, preferably at a consumer-packaged goods company in brand management,
  • Proven experience turning ideas into reality, starting with strategy to executing tactics.
  • Action-oriented with exceptional project management and organizational skills; able to manage multiple, often accelerated projects at once.
  • Proven ability to analyze and interpret data and provide data-driven recommendations in line with business objectives.
  • Use of syndicated (Nielsen, IRI, SPINS) consumption and HH panel data and consumer research.
  • Strong knowledge of promotion techniques, pricing policies, and distribution channels.
  • Thorough understanding of utilizing insights and trends to create strategy, tactics, and goals.
  • Curious mindset and passion for growing the brand and business.
  • P&L and ROI basics.
  • Sales analytics.

Knowledge/ Skills/ Abilities:

  • Excellent oral, and written communication and excellent interpersonal skills
  • Strong sense of urgency and project management skills.
  • Team player and working leader.
  • Highly motivated / self-starter.
  • Strong quantitative analysis skills.
  • Ability to prioritize a multitude of tasks.
  • Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage various projects at the same time.
  • Meticulous attention to detail.
  • Strong proficiency with Excel & PowerPoint.
  • Flexible and adaptable to learning and understanding new technologies.
  • Some travel may be required.

 

Apply Now