Sr. Brand Manager, Candy Innovation

Mondelēz International•East Hanover, NJ

1d•$140,300 - $192,940•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Brand Manager, Candy Innovation, will lead the innovation strategy and pipeline development, management, and execution for Candy. Candy is a growing category with strong future potential and innovation is a critical driver of category growth. This leader will manage cross-functional project teams to ensure the ideation, development, and launch of successful innovations. This role involves driving recommendations and decisions while ensuring alignment among senior managers from various functions, including R&D, Manufacturing, Procurement, Consumer Insights, and Product Change Managers.

Requirements

Higher education degree, ideally in Marketing or a related field
10+ years of marketing experience
Proven experience in developing and marketing product innovations at a cross-country level
5+ years of experience in managing cross-functional teams
Extensive experience in innovation management
Experience working with design and innovation agencies
Fluency in English
Strong strategic agility
Excellent interpersonal skills
Results-driven mindset
Ability to motivate and inspire others
High level of creativity

Responsibilities

Leverage existing Candy and snacking trends, identify new ones, and lead the US Candy strategy.
Own the Candy innovation strategy and pipeline, including Sour Patch Kids and Swedish Fish
Identify new growth opportunities and translate them into successful product bundles.
Lead innovation projects from ideation through to post-launch analysis, ensuring maximum success potential.
Champion Innovation Excellence and best practices within Mondelez
Manage and develop 1 direct report
Drive Candy strategy and growth objectives by identifying new growth opportunities in Candy, leveraging market trends, consumer insights, and need-state analyses.
Develop a clear innovation, renovation, and portfolio strategy for Candy, aligning with brand strategies and business goals, while projecting future growth and scaling opportunities to inform long-term strategic decisions.
Define and manage the Candy innovation and renovation pipeline, ensuring alignment with category and brand strategies.
Contribute or lead idea generation, concept development, and qualification, collaborating with cross-functional teams and external partners.
Develop and scale innovation bundles, ensuring they meet consumer needs and are aligned with brand strategies, including product concepts, packaging, and pricing.
Foster strong engagement with regional and country stakeholders to maximize the scale of new innovations and integrate local requirements early in the process.
Coordinate post-launch evaluations and recommend corrective actions if necessary.
Inspire a passion for innovation across the organization and encourage "out of the box" thinking.
Demonstrate assertiveness and strong leadership while driving for speed and simplicity.
Foster alignment early in the process, aiming for fewer but bigger initiatives.
Seek simple, practical solutions and leverage best practices to drive innovation.
Capture trends, gather inspiration from competitors, and bring external insights into the organization.
Challenge the status quo and advocate for a "Play to Win" mindset.