Senior Manager Premium Chocolate

The Hershey Company • Lower Swatara Township, PA

8d

About The Position

The Senior Manager – Premium Chocolate leads the marketing and product strategy for Hershey’s premium chocolate segment in the U.S. This segment includes the higher-end chocolate offerings that typically command premium pricing or target more sophisticated adult palates. It may encompass both Hershey-owned premium brands and premium sub-lines of core brands (for example, initiatives like a single-origin Hershey’s bar, the Reserve line, or an acquired premium brand like Scharffen Berger or BarkThins if in portfolio). The Sr. Manager’s mission is to grow Hershey’s presence in the premium chocolate category, which faces competition from gourmet chocolatiers and upmarket brands, by leveraging Hershey’s strengths while elevating quality perceptions. They manage product development (flavor innovations, packaging elevating, sourcing stories), brand positioning, and marketing programs to attract consumers willing to pay more for indulgent or better-quality chocolate experiences. Essentially, this role treats premium chocolate as a distinct business within Hershey’s portfolio, requiring a blend of entrepreneurial drive and alignment with Hershey’s broader brand strategy.

Requirements

• Category Insight – Premium Confections: Deep understanding of what drives the premium chocolate consumer. The Sr. Manager should know how factors like cacao percentage, origin, ethical sourcing, packaging aesthetics, and brand prestige influence purchase decisions. They must keep a pulse on trends like single-origin, bean-to-bar movement, health claims (e.g., 85% dark for low sugar), and flavor innovations (like exotic spice infusions) in the high-end chocolate space.​
• Product Development & Sensory Acumen: A strong sense for product quality and taste. This competency means the Sr. Manager can collaborate effectively with food scientists, weigh in on flavor profiles and textures, and maintain high standards. Essentially, they need a bit of the “chocolatier’s palate” to ensure their products can stand up in quality to premium competitors. Experience or knowledge in food science or prior work on premium food products can be very useful here.​
• Marketing Segmentation & Storytelling: Ability to craft tailored marketing for a specific segment of consumers distinct from the mass market. They should excel at storytelling – creating a narrative of luxury or authenticity that resonates. Also, an ability to identify and target niche customer segments (e.g., “foodie moms,” “millennial urban professionals who enjoy indulgences”) and reach them efficiently, implying strength in segmentation and targeted marketing budget allocation.​
• Entrepreneurial Mindset: Growing a premium segment within a large company can be like running a small business. The Sr. Manager should be entrepreneurial – proactive, creative, and willing to try non-traditional approaches. They may need to advocate for their segment internally to get resources and might experiment with small-scale pilots (like launching a flavor online-only to test demand) more than a typical brand manager.​
• Analytical & Financial Skills: Comfort with analyzing a business that might have different metrics than core volume drivers. The Sr. Manager needs to understand price elasticity in the premium context, manage product cost structures (perhaps higher ingredient costs), and ensure profitability while not sacrificing quality. They should be adept at scenario planning – e.g., if we switch to fair-trade cocoa (increasing cost), can we raise price or will volume suffer? The competency includes making data-driven decisions and recommendations to senior management about investing in or scaling back parts of the premium portfolio.
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or Food Science is required.
• The candidate should have 7+ years of brand management or marketing experience, with a significant part of that in premium or luxury consumer products (not necessarily chocolate, but ideally food/beverage or gourmet categories).
• They should have hands-on experience with product development cycles and launching new products to market.
• A track record of successful marketing campaigns or brand growth in a niche segment should be demonstrated.
• Since this role involves cross-functional work and possibly managing one or more junior team members, prior experience leading projects and mentoring is expected.
• Lastly, genuine passion for chocolate and confectionery can greatly benefit, as it lends authenticity and enthusiasm when championing these products both internally and externally.

Nice To Haves

• An MBA or a specialization in luxury marketing or similar field would be a plus.
• Experience building or managing a premium sub-brand, or working at a premium foods company, would be highly relevant.

Responsibilities

• Premium Portfolio Strategy: Define the strategy for Hershey’s premium chocolate portfolio. The Sr. Manager analyses the premium segment – its size, growth, key players (like Lindt, Ghirardelli, etc.) – and identifies where Hershey’s opportunities lie. They clarify the role of each premium product or brand: e.g., is it about rich cocoa content, unique flavors, organic/fair trade positioning, or exclusive formats? This strategy includes pricing guidelines (premium relative to regular Hershey’s), placement (maybe more specialty retailers or e-commerce focus), and how to differentiate Hershey’s premium offerings from mass products while still benefiting from Hershey’s brand recognition.​
• Product Innovation & Quality Management: Lead the development of new premium chocolate products and upgrades to existing ones. This involves working with R&D on recipes (perhaps higher cocoa percentages, exotic ingredients, or proprietary roasting techniques) and with Procurement on sourcing (like Single Origin cacao beans from a specific country, or Rainforest Alliance certified cocoa). The Sr. Manager may spearhead launches of new flavors or formats aimed at the premium market – for example, a line of artisanal chocolate bars with nuts and fruits, or holiday premium gift boxes. They also ensure that packaging designs communicate premium cues (e.g., elegant designs, matte finishes, storytelling on wrappers). Maintaining consistent high quality (taste, texture, appearance) is paramount, so they might implement improved quality assurance standards for this segment.​
• Brand Building & Storytelling: Develop the brand positioning and storytelling for premium chocolate products. If Hershey Reserve or another sub-brand exists, the Sr. Manager crafts its narrative – perhaps focusing on Hershey’s heritage combined with modern artistry, or sustainability and bean-to-bar stories. They create marketing content that educates and intrigues consumers about what makes these chocolates special (such as videos about the craftsmanship or the farmers behind the cacao). In essence, this role must give consumers reasons beyond taste to justify the premium price, weaving in messaging about quality, ethics (if applicable), craftsmanship, or limited availability.​
• Marketing & Channel Activation: Plan and execute marketing programs specifically targeted at reaching premium chocolate buyers. The Sr. Manager might adjust media strategy to focus more on digital channels where foodie or gourmet audiences are present, use influencer marketing (like partnering with chefs or chocolate sommeliers), and attend or sponsor foodie events/festivals for sampling. They strategize on distribution channels: ensuring premium products appear in fine-food aisles of grocery, or perhaps in non-traditional channels like bookstores, coffee shops, or online gifting platforms. They also guide the Sales team on how to pitch premium lines to retailers (possibly different buyers than everyday candy buyers) and may create specialized displays or fixtures that separate premium chocolates from the regular candy aisle to reinforce the upscale positioning.​
• Performance Tracking & Course Correction: Manage the business performance of the premium segment, including tracking sales, profit margins (which might be higher per unit but lower volume), and market share within the premium sub-category. The Sr. Manager monitors metrics like velocity in high-end grocery or specialty stores, repeat purchase rates, and customer feedback (which might come from reviews or direct inquiries given passionate consumers in this space). They compare Hershey’s performance vs. premium competitors – e.g., are we gaining share in dark chocolate above 70% cacao? Based on insights, they adjust tactics: for instance, if one flavor is underperforming, they may phase it out, or if a competitor’s campaign is resonating (like emphasis on organic), they might accelerate similar attributes promotion on Hershey’s side. They are responsible for the P&L of their products – ensuring that the cost of making premium chocolate (often higher) is justified by pricing and that the segment contributes positively to Hershey’s financials.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level