Senior Manager, Brand Management
About The Position
KitchenAid Small Appliances (KASA), a global leader and key growth engine within Whirlpool Corporation, is seeking a visionary, operationally savvy, and drive-oriented Senior Brand Manager to lead our Global Creative Strategy, Category Brand Management, and Master Brand campaigns. In this high-impact global leadership role, you will be the primary steward of the KitchenAid Small Appliances brand identity worldwide. You will serve as the strategic bridge between our internal creative agency (WOW Studios), our Global Category Centered Teams (CCTs), and our Regional Marketing Leads across North America, EMEA, LATAM, and APAC. You will lead, coach, and empower a high-performing team of 7 direct reports (5 Global Marketing Managers and 2 Senior Brand Analysts) while driving the voice of the brand across cross functional teams alongside Product, Project Management, and Consumer Insights, amongst others. Your ultimate mission is to ensure world-class, insight-driven brand campaigns and asset playbooks are delivered on strategy, on time, on budget, and with the operational agility required by a high-growth business.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field.
- 8+ years of progressive marketing experience spanning Brand Management, Creative Agency Management, Product Marketing, or Integrated Marketing Communications.
- Proven track record of direct team leadership and talent development.
- Demonstrated experience managing complex agency/creative relationships (internal agency model or external AOR), with a strong focus on workflow optimization, scoping, and production management.
- Willingness and ability to travel between Benton Harbor, MI and Chicago, IL as required by campaign and production lifecycles (< 20% broader travel).
Nice To Haves
- MBA or Master’s Degree in Marketing or Business.
- Consumer Goods / Durables / Small Appliance Industry Experience preferred.
- Operational Problem Solver: A natural bridge-builder who excels at solving process bottlenecks, negotiating commercial trade-offs, and instilling agility into creative operations.
- Matrix Influence: Proven ability to partner with and influence senior cross-functional peers (Product, Engineering, Insights, Regional Commercial Leads) without direct authority.
- Brand Passion: A passion for culinary culture, design-led product innovation, and premium consumer storytelling.
Responsibilities
- Lead agency partnerships: Act as the strategic executive liaison between KASA Global and WOW Studios, engaging in process improvement and reworking ways of working to drive operational excellence
- Manage asset playbooks: Oversee the delivery of Global Asset Playbooks across all appliance categories to ensure assets are on time and on budget
- Direct team leadership: Provide coaching, mentorship, and career development for a team of 7 marketers, fostering a high-performance culture.
- Drive Category Centered Team (CCT) governance: Partner with cross-functional leaders to maintain operational rigor and translate consumer insights into compelling product messaging.
- Steward global brand campaigns: Quarterback Master Brand activations, holiday campaigns, and evolution of core platforms like "Make More Than Meals."
- Manage financial performance: Oversee global campaign production budgets to ensure efficient marketing capital allocation and return on investment.
Benefits
- Generous benefits package
- Whirlpool employee discount
- fitness & educational reimbursement programs
- kitchenettes
- Beautiful, recently renovated office space
- Barista Bar
- biking/walking trails
- access to The Eddy - Early Childhood Center (depending upon availability - additional costs required)
- Always On Flexibility
- Two-Week Work from Anywhere
- Sabbatical - Four weeks paid leave after every five years of service.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
