Sr. Brand Manager

Come join us•Van Nuys, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

WHY Brands Inc., a parent company of Munchkin, Inc., focuses on creating, incubating, and growing the next generation of consumer lifestyle brands. Founded in 1990, Munchkin is the leading consumer product company and most loved baby lifestyle brand behind the innovative gear and products for children, mothers, and caregivers. Munchkin has sold billions of dollars of products through our key retail partners: Target, Walmart, and Amazon and has global distribution in over 50 countries. With over 375+ patents under our belt and over 250 +international product and brand design awards, we continue to create solutions that leave our customers asking, "how did I ever live without this?" Innovation is the core of our company DNA and has been driving our designs for over 30 years! Recognized as #8 on America’s Most Innovative Companies list by Fortune Magazine, innovation is the core of our company DNA and has been driving our designs for 30 years! We lead with our core values and believe that investing in the community is our responsibility. We create opportunities for every child’s potential and well-being through the Radiant Colors program, work to create a sustainable future, and in partnership with the International Fund for Animal Welfare have committed to animal conservation. There is no better time than now to join WHY Brands as we embark on our next and biggest growth journey, and you could be the next influential leader to play a key role in driving enormous customer-centered value and growth. Position Summary: Reporting directly to the Sr. Director, Product Marketing, the Senior Brand Manager - Maternal Health is responsible for shaping the portfolio strategy and future growth agenda across the Munchkin Maternal Health business, including breastfeeding accessories and lactation support and expanding subcategories within Maternal Health. This role combines category leadership, consumer and market intelligence, long-range planning, product strategy and innovation development to identify where Munchkin should play, how we can win and which products, platforms and brand equities will drive profitable growth. The role will lead three-year category and portfolio planning, uncover whitespace opportunities, recommend product concepts and features, and guide innovation from opportunity identification through commercialization in partnership with Product Development, Engineering, Compliance/Regulatory, Brand Marketing, Sales, Commercial Planning and Digital Commerce. The Senior Brand Manager will be expected to understand the business deeply, make clear strategic recommendations and translate the needs of mothers into a prioritized product roadmap, brand-building agenda and actionable plans. This role owns product and portfolio strategy; Brand Marketing owns brand/subbrand positioning, consumer demand generation, campaign development, and integrated communications.

Requirements

8+ years of prior brand management, product strategy, category management, innovation or related marketing experience, including demonstrated experience directly managing and developing high-performing team members.
Experience across durable products, consumables and medical devices strongly preferred, with the ability to navigate different development, compliance/regulatory and commercialization requirements.
Demonstrated experience building a brand or sub-brand within a larger masterbrand organization, including defining brand architecture, equity, positioning or a differentiated consumer proposition.
Demonstrated experience leading three-year planning, portfolio strategy, innovation pipelines or new product development from opportunity identification through launch.
Experience working cross-functionally with Product Development, Engineering, Design, Quality, Compliance/Regulatory, clinical or medical partners, Operations, contract manufacturers and external vendors.
Strong commercial and analytical skills, including the ability to use consumer research, market data, POS, competitive intelligence, financial inputs and trends to make decisions.
Experience developing product positioning, claims direction, pricing, pack architecture, channel strategy, business cases or commercialization recommendations.
Undergraduate university degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
Strong organizational, analytical, communication, presentation and writing skills.
Proven ability to manage and develop high performers, lead through influence and work independently in a lean, fast-moving environment.

Responsibilities

Own the three-year strategy and annual category plans for Maternal Health, translating enterprise growth objectives, consumer needs, market dynamics and business performance into clear portfolio priorities across breastfeeding, pumping, lactation and postpartum care.
Develop a deep understanding of women and mothers across the full maternal health journey, including pregnancy, breastfeeding, pumping, and postpartum recovery.
Use consumer research, social listening, professional and clinical perspectives, trend intelligence, retailer insights and category data to identify unmet needs and opportunities for growth.
Lead portfolio architecture and assortment strategy across durables, consumables and class I and II medical devices, including defining the role of each category, product line and platform; identifying gaps; and recommending where Munchkin should invest, renovate, extend or exit.
Identify, size and prioritize product and innovation opportunities.
Build compelling business cases that articulate the consumer problem, target user, market opportunity, competitive context, product proposition, financial potential, regulatory considerations, risks and strategic rationale.
Lead the innovation pipeline from opportunity identification through commercialization, partnering with Product Development, Engineering, Compliance/Regulatory, Operations, Sales, and suppliers to ensure concepts are desirable, feasible, differentiated, compliant, and commercially viable.
Define product strategy and requirements, including consumer benefit, product features, usability, claims direction, evidence needs, regulatory pathway, pricing architecture, pack configuration, channel strategy and success measures.
Ensure product decisions remain grounded in a clear consumer need and business opportunity.
Lead cross-functional stage-gate and project review processes for Maternal Health innovation.
Establish milestones, decision criteria, risks and owners; surface tradeoffs early; and maintain momentum from concept through launch readiness across products with different development and regulatory requirements.
Develop and recommend pricing, pack-price architecture, cost, margin and channel strategies in partnership with Commercial Planning, Finance, Sales and Operations.
Use these inputs to optimize portfolio productivity and profitable growth.
Build and strengthen a Maternal Health brand or sub-brand within the Munchkin masterbrand.
Define the role of the brand in the broader portfolio, clarify brand architecture and equity, and ensure product platforms and innovation reinforce a coherent, trusted and differentiated maternal health proposition.
Partner with Brand Marketing to translate product, portfolio and brand strategies into distinctive positioning, messaging, launch architecture and go-to-market plans.
Provide the strategic product and brand story while Brand Marketing leads demand generation and integrated campaigns.
Partner with Sales, Retail Marketing and Digital Commerce to ensure product strategies address retailer and channel needs, including assortment, distribution, shelf and digital shelf requirements, content needs and channel-specific opportunities across Walmart, Target, Amazon, DTC, TikTok Shop and other emerging channels.
Monitor business performance and competitive activity across the Maternal Health portfolio.
Diagnose changes in revenue, units, distribution, velocity, share, margin, reviews and channel performance, and recommend actions to improve portfolio health.
Manage external partners and vendors as appropriate, including research agencies, design partners, consultants, clinical or medical advisors, licensing partners, suppliers and contract manufacturers.
Establish clear objectives, manage budgets and timelines, and hold partners accountable for results.
Create clear, decision-ready presentations and recommendations for senior leadership.
Communicate complex consumer, product, regulatory and financial inputs with sound judgment, a clear point of view and an understanding of the implications for mothers, the portfolio and the business.
Manage, coach and develop direct report(s), including setting clear expectations, providing meaningful feedback, creating growth opportunities and retaining high-performing talent.
Lead cross-functional teams through influence, clarity, accountability and strong project leadership.
Other duties may be assigned.