Sr. Director - Retail Capabilities & Integrated Ecosystems

Mars • Chicago, IL

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Sr. Director - Retail Capabilities & Integrated Ecosystems Mars Snacking is undertaking a transformation to develop best-in-class products and experiences, bringing our iconic brands to customers and consumers in new ways. In this pivotal role, you will be the strategic technology co-pilot to our brand portfolio leaders, shaping the future of consumer experience across all digital and physical touchpoints. You will act as the central orchestrator, seamlessly integrating capabilities across personalized engagement, connected commerce, sales execution, and retail to deliver cohesive, brand-specific consumer journeys with no dead ends. You will partner with our iconic brands to embed technology foresight into their 3-5 year growth strategies, translating emerging trends in AI, data, and digital into tangible portfolio opportunities. With a relentless focus on exploiting data and technology, you will challenge and inspire colleagues across Mars Snacking to build cutting-edge capabilities that differentiate our brands and win the consumer journey.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field; advanced degree preferred
• 10-15 years of experience in digital strategy, transformation, or technology consulting within CPG or related B2B industries
• Minimum 5 years in senior leadership roles driving technology strategy and innovation
• Deep expertise in CPG and Retail digital ecosystems, including e-commerce, digital marketing, data analytics, and emerging technologies such as AI/Gen-AI
• Proven ability to act as a strategic technology partner to business leaders, translating complex technical concepts into actionable business strategies
• Strong leadership skills with experience mentoring and developing cross-functional teams and building digital literacy
• Exceptional communication and data storytelling skills to influence stakeholders at all levels
• Commercial acumen with negotiation experience in IT contracts and vendor management

Nice To Haves

• Experience with AI platform integration and retail technology innovation such as AR, personalization engines, or modern POS systems

Responsibilities

• Global Retail and Omnichannel Experience Global Retail Technology Leadership: Lead the global M&M's retail technology organization, defining and executing the end-to-end technology strategy for all physical stores worldwide, from flagship locations to pop-up experiences.
• Cross-Brand Synergy & Partnership: Act as the technology liaison for the Hotel Chocolat DT organization, partnering with them to identify synergistic technology solutions that enable multiple retail businesses to move at pace where necessary and benefit from scale where warranted.
• Omnichannel Experience Architecture: Architect and deliver a seamless, unified consumer journey that bridges the physical and digital worlds. Ensure consistent and engaging brand experience across our retail stores, e-commerce platforms, mobile apps, and social media channels.
• In-Store Innovation: Drive the innovation roadmap for our physical retail locations. Champion the exploration and implementation of cutting-edge technologies (e.g., interactive displays, personalization engines, AR experiences, modern POS, and inventory management systems) to create unforgettable in-store moments.
• Retail Operations & Scalability: Ensure the operational excellence, stability, and scalability of all retail technology systems, from in-store POS and back-office systems to global e-commerce platforms.
• Strategic Brand & Portfolio Co-Piloting Strategic Partnership & Vision: Act as the primary technology co-pilot and trusted advisor to Global Brand Portfolio Leaders. Embed a forward-looking technology perspective directly into their 3-5 year growth strategies, shaping portfolio ambitions with digital innovation.
• Future-Back Strategy & Innovation: Serve as the thought leader for the portfolio's digital future. Translate emerging technology and AI trends into tangible opportunities, using foresight modeling and scenario planning to challenge and inspire new paths to growth.
• Integrated Roadmap & Data Orchestration: Orchestrate a single, cohesive technology and data roadmap that connects brand, shopper, innovation, and commercial insights. Champion data storytelling to illuminate opportunities and guide strategic investment decisions.
• Technology Translation & Advocacy: Own the overarching technology narrative for the portfolio. Translate complex technical topics into simple, business-relevant language to gain stakeholder buy-in and drive alignment.
• AI Integration: Lead the exploration, selection, and implementation of AI-driven platforms. Collaborate with Marketing, Data Science, and DT teams to integrate AI into business processes, enhancing consumer insights and marketing effectiveness.
• Leadership & Partnership: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of technology professionals. Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders and partners to translate business needs into effective, scalable solutions.
• Operational Excellence: Sponsor initiatives to reduce technical debt and improve system reliability. Manage strategic partnerships with technology vendors, ensuring alignment with business objectives.

Benefits

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

What This Job Offers

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