BRAND ACTIVATION & MERCHANDISING MANAGER

Compass Group•New York, NY

2d•$90,000 - $95,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Bon Appétit is known for food made with care, and we're looking for a Brand Activation & Merchandising Manager who lives and breathes great food experiences. As a key member of the Image + Style team, you'll work closely with our regional team to bring the Bon Appétit brand to life, creating experiences that delight guests and clients, grow participation and revenue, and drive exceptional client partnerships. You'll be out in the field 3-4 days a week, partnering with on-site culinary and front-of-house teams to turn brand vision into something guests can see, taste, and feel. You'll guide others, and get hands-on yourself when a project calls for it. We live by "automate the predictable, so we can humanize the exceptional," and we'd love for you to help us do exactly that.

Requirements

Passion for great food and food experiences, basic culinary and hospitality knowledge, and an interest in sustainability
Minimum 4 years of experience in marketing, communications, or public relations, at an agency or in-house for a restaurant or foodservice operation
BA or BS in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, or Journalism preferred
Very strong writing skills, with a sharp eye for grammar and spelling
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Jira, Canva, Adobe Acrobat, and WordPress
Creative, strategic, and proactive in spotting and capturing growth opportunities
Excellent interpersonal and public speaking skills, and comfort working with clients
Organized, detail-oriented, and self-motivated, able to work independently and problem-solve
Experience managing the design process and reading web analytics tools is a plus
Valid driver's license (minimum Class C), and ability to travel by plane, rideshare, and rental car

Responsibilities

Activate our brand internally through people programs and externally through customer experience initiatives (WOWS)
Use our activation toolkit and manage small-scale design projects with our professional design team for account-specific needs
Collaborate with the Image + Style team on creative customer experience initiatives that build satisfaction, participation, and revenue
Visit accounts regularly and support on-site teams with brand activation initiatives and client needs, including account openings (some travel by plane outside your region and state)
Provide front-of-house and culinary support: unpack smallwares, create café diagrams, and train teams on correct café layouts
Partner with Merchandising to share trends and new ideas with the field and establish the "look" of the front of house in step with on-site culinary teams
Recommend fresh ideas to refresh on-site experiences and support account retention
Develop strategies and tactics to promote existing and new locations
Inspire units to bring Great Expectations 4 (GE4) brand standards to life
Guide accounts in building business plans, and help teams plan, execute, and report on results
Review on-site content for design, grammar, and Bon Appétit brand voice
Help prepare and present activation projects for client quarterly reviews
Surface opportunities for mass-level projects and help build smarter, more efficient systems