Brand Manager

Mizkan America•Schaumburg, IL

12d•$118,900 - $164,400•Onsite

About The Position

The Brand Manager provides strategic leadership for the Bertolli pasta sauce portfolio and acts as the general manager of the business. This role is responsible for delivering net sales, operating income, share growth, and consumption targets while driving both brand equity and innovation. This role will lead the development and execution of the marketing and communications strategy supporting consistent growth and plan delivery while enhancing brand equity. In addition, the position will be responsible for commercialization, project management, innovation, portfolio strategy, category management, communications and managing the Bertolli global license. A successful Brand Manager demonstrates strong leadership, partnership, strategic thinking, and alignment with Mizkan values, fostering a culture of collaboration and high performance.

Requirements

Strong business and financial acumen, analytical capability, and strategic thinking.
Ownership mindset with a drive for results.
High sense of urgency; self‑starter with strong initiative.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
Experience leading cross‑functional teams and agency partners.
High proficiency in syndicated data tools (IRI, Circana).
Consumer‑centric mindset with ability to translate insights into action.
Skilled at determining root causes using data, experience, and judgment.
Highly organized; able to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
Strong coaching and mentorship capability.
Resourceful and hands‑on with a passion for innovation.
Comfortable challenging established norms constructively.
Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred or equivalent experience.
6+ years of classical brand marketing or marketing communications experience, preferably within CPG food and with a well‑known brand.
Experience managing one or more brands.
Demonstrated success in brand strategy development and execution.
Prior P&L ownership and A&P budget management.
Limited travel required.

Responsibilities

Serve as the central point of coordination (“hub of the wheel”) for all brand‑related and cross‑functional activities that influence the 4Ps.
Act as a business owner by developing and executing a comprehensive brand plan to achieve growth and profitability objectives.
Refine brand positioning and consumer targets; ensure all activations and communications align with the brand strategy.
Lead business analytics—consumption, gross sales, and marketing budget—providing insights and clear action plans.
Manage syndicated data sources and prepare performance reports and analyses.
Collaborate with Trade Marketing to define and support pricing strategies and guidelines.
Partner with Sales to strengthen channel strategy and expand physical availability across retail channels.
Maintain and evolve brand guidelines and masterbrand principles to ensure cohesive positioning across all licensed categories.
Coach and mentor Associate Brand Manager(s) to support their development and performance.
Lead the development and execution of consumer‑facing content and communications.
Define, align, and track key brand performance metrics annually.
Develop campaign platforms, write agency briefs, and lead the Integrated Marketing Team (IMT) from idea to activation.
Establish campaign KPIs and performance measurement frameworks.
Apply category and consumer insights to identify growth opportunities.
Work with Connected Commerce to build and activate omni‑channel marketing plans—including retailer media, e‑commerce, and in‑store initiatives.
Partner with Sales Planning to support trade development and execution.
Lead development and execution of innovation and renovation strategies through cross‑functional collaboration.
Partner with the Innovation Lead to build and maintain a 3–5 year innovation pipeline.
Develop commercialization project plans to support new product launches and renovations.
Manage the marketing budget and brand P&L.
Recommend initiatives that drive stronger ROI and improved resource allocation.
Ensure brand plans meet or exceed financial targets.
Identify and implement cost‑reduction opportunities that protect or enhance gross margin.
Oversee relationships with Bertolli brand licensees, ensuring adherence to brand guidelines.
Act as the primary point of contact for licensed partners and facilitate communication across teams.
Lead global brand summits to drive consistency and leverage shared opportunities.
Oversee day‑to‑day agency management.
Regular, predictable, in-person attendance on the business days the Company requires in-person attendance at this facility.