Brand Manager

SPANGLER CANDY COMPANY•Bryan, OH

20h

About The Position

Spangler is looking for an experienced Brand Manager to lead Sweethearts® conversation hearts and Bit‑O‑Honey®, two iconic, 100+ year old brands with meaningful growth potential in the candy industry. The ideal candidate will bring energy and strategic thinking to Sweethearts, a brand at the center of Valentine’s Day culture, keeping it fresh and relevant through timely messaging, smart partnerships, and expansion into additional moments beyond the holiday. The ideal candidate will also help accelerate Bit‑O‑Honey’s momentum, building on its one‑of‑a‑kind taste and rapidly growing consumer appeal through focused brand strategy and execution across retail, digital, and e‑commerce. This role plays a key part by serving as a strong internal brand leader and primary manager of external creative agencies, guiding high‑visibility executions that the reflect the growth potential of the brands.

Requirements

Good vision, color vision hearing and speaking ability and finger dexterity.
Ability to sit, stand, walk, stoop, reach, pull, use personal computer, lift and/or carry up to approximately 20 lbs.
Highly attentive to details.
Values accuracy and a precise approach to work tasks.
Strong innovative, analytical skills and creativity to develop new ways to problem-solve.
Must be able to be flexible to adapt to a rapidly changing distribution channel.
Successful candidate will possess a positive, supportive and team-oriented attitude.
Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing or Business Management.
Minimum of three (3) years CPG Brand Management experience.
Strong computer skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

Develop brand strategy for Sweethearts and Bit-O-Honey translating business objectives into executable brand plans
Serve as the primary manager of external creative agencies for assigned brands, collaborating with the VP of Marketing on agency selection and strategic alignment.
Lead seasonal and everyday portfolio planning, including Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, Holiday, and limited‑time programs
Independently manage brand input for product launches, line extensions, flavor innovations, and packaging refreshes
Partner with the Product Development team to jointly lead outbound licensing for Sweethearts and Bit-O-Honey, coordinating with external licensing agencies and internal stakeholders to bring licensed products to market that align with brand strategy, quality standards, and consumer relevance.
Translate consumer insights, trend analysis, and performance data into clear brand recommendations and action plans
Partner cross‑functionally with product development, operations, quality, and supply chain to ensure brand standards are delivered consistently in product experience
Plan and execute integrated marketing and shopper campaigns across retail, digital, social, and in‑store channels
Collaborate closely with the e‑commerce and digital commerce teams to optimize brand presence, content, and performance across retailer.com, DTC, and marketplace platforms, including product detail pages, seasonal storefronts, and online promotions
Collaborate closely with sales to support retail sell‑in, promotions, planograms, and customer-specific needs
Analyze syndicated data (POS, household panel data), promotional performance, and brand health metrics to optimize decisions
Ensure brand consistency across all consumer and customer touchpoints, including displays, merchandising, and licensed or co‑branded executions
Act as a brand steward by enforcing guidelines while enabling speed and creativity across internal and external partners
Identify risks to brand reputation (quality issues, supply disruptions, consumer feedback) and proactively recommend mitigation actions
Prepare and present data‑driven updates, post‑launch reviews, and strategic recommendations to leadership and cross‑functional stakeholders
Plan for and attend key industry trade shows, partnering with sales, agencies, and internal teams to develop brand‑specific messaging, displays, and experiences that support brand visibility and retailer engagement.