Sr. Brand Director, Kerrygold

Ornua Co-operative Limited•Evanston, IL

9d•$165,150 - $201,850•Hybrid

About The Position

Ornua Foods North America is seeking a Senior Director of Brand Marketing to lead brand marketing and innovation teams and drive profitable, sustainable growth for Kerrygold and the broader portfolio. Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, Americas, this role is accountable for brand strategy, portfolio performance, the innovation agenda, brand and portfolio P&L performance, market share, and brand equity. The Senior Director sets annual and long-range growth plans, directs marketing and innovation investments, and leads Brand Marketing and Innovation leaders and their teams. In partnership with Sales, Finance, Insights, R&D, Supply Chain, PMO, and global colleagues, the role makes strategic tradeoffs, aligns priorities, and ensures brand plans and the innovation pipeline deliver measurable business outcomes. The position also develops a LATAM expansion playbook and supports its marketing execution. The role is based in Evanston, Illinois, with a hybrid work arrangement of three days per week in the office and a two-week-per-year Work From Anywhere option. Standard business hours and flexible hours are supported. Domestic and international travel of up to 20% is required. The position is full-time and offers a salary range of $165,150–$201,850, plus an annual bonus opportunity and comprehensive benefits.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field.
At least 12 years of progressive CPG brand management, marketing, innovation, or commercial leadership experience, including substantive responsibility across brand marketing and innovation.
At least five years of people leadership, including leading managers or functional leaders and developing multidisciplinary teams.
Demonstrated accountability for brand, category, or portfolio P&L performance, with a record of growing sales, improving profitability, and building brand equity.
Proven success taking consumer-led innovation from strategy through commercialization and delivering integrated brand plans for consumer products sold through U.S. retail channels.
Experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives and influencing executive stakeholders in a matrix organization.
Willingness to travel domestically and internationally up to 20%.
Authorization to work for any employer in the United States.
Strategic and commercial judgment connecting consumer needs and brand equity to profitable growth, including making portfolio and investment choices.
Fluency in consumer-led innovation methods, including Design Thinking, concept testing, and disciplined new product development, with a deep understanding of the U.S. retail environment.
Strong financial and analytical capability across P&L management, business cases, margin, forecasting, and ROI, using syndicated data, research, and performance analytics.
Executive communication, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
Ability to lead through other leaders, set direction amid ambiguity, and build a collaborative culture with high performance, learning, and accountability.
Passion for high-quality food and brands, with judgment in balancing U.S. opportunities, brand integrity, and Ornua Group priorities.

Nice To Haves

MBA or other relevant advanced degree.
Food and beverage experience, particularly in dairy or premium consumer brands.
Experience leading across multiple categories or channels and adapting global brand and innovation platforms for the U.S. market.
Experience strengthening team capabilities, innovation governance, and marketing effectiveness in a growing business.

Responsibilities

Lead development and implementation of comprehensive brand strategies aligned with annual and long-range business objectives.
Lead annual brand planning and support long-range portfolio planning, including growth roadmaps, resource allocation, and measurable action plans.
Analyze category, shopper, consumer, customer, and competitive information to identify trends, unmet needs, and profitable growth opportunities.
Develop and execute portfolio strategy, including product mix, innovation priorities, lifecycle management, packaging, assortment, and renovation opportunities.
Align brand strategy with distribution, customer, channel, and expansion priorities in partnership with Sales and commercial teams.
Develop a LATAM expansion playbook that prioritizes where to play, how to win, and the sequencing of initiatives.
Own brand performance across revenue, margin, market share, growth objectives, and overall business health.
Lead pricing, packaging, promotional, and assortment strategy in partnership with Finance, Sales, Category Management, and Customer teams.
Lead go-to-market planning and sell-in for new products, define success metrics, align commercial teams, and adjust tactics to deliver results.
Manage brand budgets, marketing investments, and resource allocation to maximize ROI and long-term business impact.
Establish and monitor business, brand, consumer, and marketing effectiveness metrics; develop dashboards, reporting, and governance routines; and provide performance updates and recommendations to senior leadership.
Manage innovation priorities, pipeline investments, and budgets, and monitor innovation and portfolio performance against success criteria.
Execute LATAM marketing by adapting OFA and Global Marketing tools for brand awareness, commercial and retail materials, innovation, and social and digital support with a low-cost, high-ROI approach.
Develop and lead a consumer-insight-driven innovation strategy aligned with consumer needs, market dynamics, competitive trends, brand priorities, and financial objectives.
Lead end-to-end innovation and commercialization, from strategy and concept development through product design, channel strategy, pricing, packaging, forecasting, and launch execution.
Collaborate with the Global Innovation Team to prioritize, scale, and localize innovation while adapting global platforms and ideas for U.S. market needs.
Direct stage-gate governance and investment decisions, evaluating strategic fit, market opportunity, demand, competition, sales potential, profitability, risk, resources, and timing.
Partner cross-functionally to move innovation from insight through commercialization with clear ownership and strong execution.
Provide innovation support for key customers and translate customer and market needs into growth opportunities.
Work with internal and external stakeholders, including Sales, Finance, R&D, Supply Chain, Category/Insights, PMO, agencies, and executive leadership, to align priorities and drive initiatives.
Lead, coach, mentor, and develop direct reports and broader team members; build team capabilities and a collaborative, high-performance culture.
Create processes, systems, and performance measures that improve execution, prioritization, and accountability.
Lead executive communications and manage stakeholders across OFNA and the wider Ornua Group.