Customer Strategy Manager

Mars•Chicago, IL

1d•$86,720 - $119,240•Onsite

About The Position

The Customer Strategy Manager for the Tasty Bite brand in Mars Food & Nutrition serves as the central architect of our customer‑facing commercial strategy. In this role, you will translate brand ambition, consumer insights, and marketplace dynamics into actionable plans that empower our sales organization and unlock growth across key customers and channels. You will be the strategic hub connecting our sales, marketing, and supply chain functions—ensuring our go‑to‑market approach is cohesive, data‑driven, and tailored to customer needs. You will lead the development and customization of customer‑ready selling stories, tools, and resources; shape portfolio and assortment strategies; and drive communication that equips the field to win. This role is both strategic and hands‑on, requiring a blend of sales and commercial acumen, cross‑functional leadership, and the ability to turn insights into compelling, customer‑centric solutions. The Customer Strategy Manager works at the intersection of sales, marketing, and operations, ensuring that customer plans are aligned, insight‑driven, and executed seamlessly. The role collaborates closely with cross‑functional partners to translate brand and business priorities into customer‑ready strategies, tools, and programs. Operating in a fast‑moving, highly collaborative environment, this position influences without authority, anticipates needs, and serves as a key connector who keeps teams aligned and equipped to win in the marketplace.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required (Business, Marketing, Analytics, or related field)
At least 5 years of experience in the CPG industry in a sales or marketing capacity working with major retailers
Minimum 5 years of experience in the CPG industry in a sales, marketing, category management, or customer strategy role supporting major retailers.
Proficiency with syndicated data tools (e.g., Nielsen, IRI, Circana) and the ability to translate insights into actionable recommendations.
Demonstrated success leading cross‑functional initiatives from concept through execution, influencing teams without direct authority.
Experience developing customer‑ready materials, selling stories, or channel‑specific programs.
Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and shape strategy.
Comfort operating in a fast‑paced, highly collaborative environment, managing multiple priorities and stakeholders.
Ability to travel as needed for customer meetings and trade shows.

Nice To Haves

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Responsibilities

Lead the go‑to‑market strategy for the Tasty Bite brand, guiding initiatives from early strategic development through final execution across distribution, merchandising, pricing, and promotions.
Serve as an internal co‑pilot to identify and activate new growth opportunities, with a particular focus on the club and the natural and specialty channels.
Act as the primary liaison between sales and marketing, ensuring customer strategies, brand plans, and commercial priorities are aligned and translated into actionable, customer‑ready programs.
Develop customized, insight‑driven solutions including channel‑specific items, displays, selling stories, and sales materials that elevate our presence with key customers and drive incremental growth.
Represent the brand externally by leading major trade shows, supporting customer meetings, and delivering compelling, insight‑based narratives that position Tasty Bite as a category thought leader.
Translate data into strategy, leveraging syndicated data, shopper insights, and customer performance metrics to diagnose opportunities, shape recommendations, and drive cross‑functional action.
Support customer planning and annual commercial cycles, contributing customer‑specific insights, portfolio recommendations, and strategic inputs that strengthen joint business plans and long‑range brand strategies.
Maintain and enhance sales enablement tools and systems, ensuring the field has timely, accurate, and actionable resources to win with customers.
Facilitate cross‑functional alignment to ensure seamless execution of customer initiatives and consistent communication across teams.
Provide customer‑driven demand signals to support forecasting, innovation planning, and supply chain coordination, ensuring customer needs are reflected in operational decisions.
Contribute to innovation and portfolio strategy by bringing forward customer and channel insights that inform new product development, renovation priorities, and long‑term brand growth.
Lead post‑promotion and post‑initiative analysis to evaluate performance, assess ROI, and apply learnings to future planning and execution.
Create, lead, or support special projects that advance our brands and unlock strategic opportunities.