Brand Strategy Manager

Reser's•Beaverton, OR

About The Position

The Brand Manager is responsible for driving brand growth within the assigned categories and serves as the representative for Main Street Bistro, overseeing the Sides and Entree portfolio. This role leads the development of short- and long-term marketing strategies, annual marketing plans, and the execution of initiatives that support growth and deliver results.

Requirements

7-10 years of experience in Brand Marketing. Consumer packaged goods industry is preferred.
Bachelor’s Degree is required; MBA is preferred.
Strategic thinking and analytical skills. Ability to process complex data, organize the information and make simple and clear business recommendations
Leadership ability to motivate and manage cross-functional teams across a matrix organization
Consumer understanding, skills in developing and understanding consumer insights to develop hypotheses, and use research to develop and confirm marketing strategies
Creative and conceptual thinking ability to set a vision, identify new opportunities, develop new ways of working, pinpoint solutions to complex problems and overcome obstacles
Experience and understanding across breadth of core marketing fundamentals with the ability to think 360 degrees.
NPD development and launch experience
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail
Computer Proficiency Skills to include Microsoft Office 365 and virtual meetings/presentations
Nielsen or IRI experience required.
Ability to take initiative, to work well both autonomously and as part of a team.

Responsibilities

Overall accountability for category and brand volume and share objectives.
Collaborates and leads cross-functionally to ensure the brands remain relevant to consumers, drives profitable corporate growth, and ensures that all activities support the brand position.
Leads the development of brand positioning. Utilizing consumer insights, a deep understanding of the category and competitive landscape, company goals, and relevant operational factors, develops the long-term marketing strategy for assigned category and all associated brands.
Leads the strategy for consumer-relevant, annual marketing plans for all brands within assigned category which contribute to topline sales, margin and brand health objectives while remaining tightly aligned with brand position and guardrails.
Responsible for all elements of the annual marketing plans, including pricing strategy, merchandising recommendations, promotional plans, packaging development, direction for consumer programming, new product development, direction for consumer communications (including traditional and digital media, PR, etc), direction for trade marketing support, identification of focus geographies (including specific plan development/execution), and other customer support.
Leads the lifecycle strategy of new and existing products, working closely with sales, regulatory, R&D, manufacturing, and financial teams.
Leverages working knowledge of consumer, category and brand and continually identifies and recommends business-building initiatives which deliver against the company's business and marketing objectives.
Leads regular analyses of the brands, key initiatives, competition, category, customer, and consumer. Synthesizes key findings and indications which enhance brand and company performance and adjusts plans accordingly.
Leads insight gathering research that collects consumer and competitive knowledge that can be utilized to enhance and evolve the brand's competitive position through product development, promotional acceptance, and communication evolution, among others.
Maintains a thorough understanding of internal brand metrics, such as sales and margin, and contributes to sales projections and financial planning.
Responsible for managing portfolio to include SKU rationalization, mix strategies and margin optimization.
Evaluates product portfolio and the marketplace and makes recommendations for new product launches and product improvements to ensure Reser’s category growth and brand relevance in the marketplace.
Analyzes market potential on an ongoing basis for key areas of opportunity, including existing and new products, and develops competitive concepts to ensure the long-term, profitable growth of the Reser’s brands
Analyzes viability and margin/sales potential for new geographies, categories, and consumers.
Develops and implements strategies and plans to maximize the profitability of assigned products / product categories while maintaining consistent quality standards.
Drives new product development from ideation and concept to launch by working closely with project management, R&D, Operations, Creative and Production. Secures and engages cross functional support to meet required deliverables in a timely manner.
Communicates regularly with Sales, Customer Marketing and Trade Marketing to ensure that marketing programs are properly implemented.
Active sales collaboration, including attendance at sales calls (as needed), development of category, competitive, brand, and item insights, reports, and presentations.