Manager, Integrated Intelligence – Creative Excellence & Evaluation

Mars•Chicago, IL

4d•$108,160 - $148,720

About The Position

At Mars Snacking, we believe that world-class creative work is a key engine of brand growth. As the Manager, Creative Excellence & Evaluation, you will own the learning agenda and measurement strategies that enable our global brands to craft highly effective, distinctive, and distinctive consumer experiences. This net-new role is positioned within our newly restructured Global Center of Excellence (COE) within the Integrated Intelligence function. You will act as a strategic co-pilot to Brand Content, Media, and Regional Intelligence teams. You will lead the creative learning plan for your designated brands, using cutting-edge quantitative/qualitative methodologies and emerging AI-enabled research to evaluate campaign performance. By translating complex evidence into clear, commercially relevant decisions, you will empower our marketing leaders and agencies to build stronger, insight-driven relationships with consumers worldwide. Whether you are a seasoned insights professional looking to scale your impact across global brands, or an external leader passionate about CPG marketing excellence, this position offers a visible, highly collaborative platform to build organizational capability, champion test-and-learn cultures, and drive brand distinctiveness.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Consumer Insights, Market Research, Marketing, Media Analytics, Business Administration, or a closely related field.
A minimum of 5 years of progressive, professional experience in consumer insights, market research, creative effectiveness, media analytics, or a related discipline.
Demonstrated ownership of complex, cross-functional programs, including designing and interpreting qualitative and quantitative communication testing or campaign effectiveness studies.
Strong record of leading external research agencies, vendors, and analytics partners to deliver high-quality, actionable outputs on time.
Outstanding storytelling, facilitation, and executive-ready communication skills; proven ability to simplify analytical complexity and influence senior marketing stakeholders.
Working knowledge of digital marketing, cross-channel measurement, experimental thinking, and solid data quality principles.

Nice To Haves

Experience within the CPG (Consumer Packaged Goods), food, retail, or a related highly consumer-focused sector.
Experience operating within a highly matrixed or multi-market global organization.
Familiarity with emerging AI-enabled research tools and advanced creative analytics methodologies.
A Master’s degree or specialized certification in a related discipline is a plus.

Responsibilities

Own and Evolve the Agenda: Champion the creative excellence and evaluation agenda across priority Mars Snacking brands, markets, and channels, aligning learning priorities to overall business objectives.
Synthesize Growth Opportunities: Integrate multi-source evidence (consumer, shopper, cultural, behavioral, and campaign performance) to identify growth areas and guide creative strategies.
Commercially Relevant Guidance: Convert complex analytical findings into clear, direct, and actionable recommendations for senior marketing leaders and agency partners.
Campaign Evaluation: Lead the end-to-end design, commissioning, interpretation, and active rollout of communication testing and campaign learning programs.
Set Rigorous Standards: Establish fit-for-purpose measurement frameworks and methodological standards, constructively challenging study designs when evidence is insufficient.
Connect the Funnel: Link pre-market testing, in-market performance, and commercial brand outcomes to construct a comprehensive view of creative effectiveness.
Formulate Test-and-Learn Plans: Move beyond passive reporting to establish proactive test-and-learn plans that actively improve future briefs, creative development, and activation choices.
Co-Pilot Key Stakeholders: Serve as a trusted advisor to Brand Content & Experience, Marketing, Media, Integrated Intelligence, and regional insights leads globally.
Balanced Influence: Drive alignment with senior stakeholders through concise storytelling, constructive challenge, and practical choices that balance consumer insight with creative ambition.
Facilitate Action: Design and lead cross-functional workshops and readouts that drive alignment, clarify decisions, and accelerate team action.
Drive Partner Quality: Manage external research and measurement partners from scope and methodology through final delivery to ensure maximum ROI and actionable results.
Portfolio Prioritization: Direct concurrent projects, surface timeline risks early, and make clear trade-offs across scope, timing, and budget investments.
Responsible Stewardship: Partner with procurement and internal leads on vendor selection, capability evaluations, and responsible management of research budgets.
Scale Best Practices: Codify and scale benchmarks, templates, and reusable learnings across brands and regions to reduce duplication of effort.
Coach & Develop: Act as an informal coach and mentor, providing methodological guidance and development support to project team members.
Evaluate Emerging Tech: Test and adopt emerging research methodologies, including AI-enabled measurement tools, when they improve speed, scalability, or decision value.
Data Stewardship: Promote responsible, ethical use of consumer data, research standards, and evidence-based decision-making across the business.