CPG Marketing

Consumer Brand Manager

Ref. #0602

Are you a Brand Manager or Associate with strong CPG experience?  Want to be involved with all aspects of a brand?  Excited about a highly visible role with exposure to executive team and management growth opportunities?

Fortune 1000 packaged-goods firm in northern Chicago suburbs seeks Consumer Brand Manager—Grocery.  Role is most senior and visible brand manager in organization; a lot of interest, focus and attention on this area due to strong category opportunity.  Consumer division is not structured like a classical brand management department.  Opportunity to make a big difference in a smaller department and touch all pieces of the brand, not just one area.  High potential for growth for candidates who want the general management track.

Full-time.  Can commute via Metra; shuttle from station.  Reports to Director of Brand Marketing.

Qualifications:

5-7+ years’ experience, with minimum of 5 years as Assistant or Associate Brand Manager in customer-focused role.  Bachelor’s degree required, MBA preferred.  CPG and grocery/drug/mass experience are must-haves.

Demonstrated experience building and executing successful marketing plans. Excellent strategic, analytic, organizational and project management skills necessary. Top-notch verbal and written communication skills. Strong presentation skills.  Must have demonstrated experience presenting new products/programs to customers, be comfortable presenting to senior management.  Handle multiple concurrent projects, function well in entrepreneurial environment without a lot of oversight.  Be ready to jump in and help out on a colleague’s project when needed.  Successful candidate will be able to identify trends and suggest ways to grow business.

Responsibilities:

- Oversee two product lines.  Manage product portfolio, including SKUs, inventory management, new products and enhancements, and quality control.

- Lead projects from inception to completion, including new product development. Projects may be marketing initiated, or consumer-, trade- or manufacturing-driven.

- Recommend business strategy, forecasting and planning.  Use sales and other data to support business decisions.  Analyze data and report on health of brand to senior management. 

- With research department, maintain knowledge of competitors’ business and products.  Develop strong relationships with sales team to better understand customers and markets.

- Create national advertising strategy, plan and execute. Assist with internet marketing initiatives.

- Manage ad and promo agencies.  Work with internal designers and external vendors to create sales and marketing collateral, including sell sheets, direct mail, brochures, etc.

- Lead cross-functional teams.

- Some travel to key customers and markets as needed.

To apply:

Please forward your resume as a .doc, along with samples and a cover letter including salary information, and state how you fit the specs.  Send materials to BrandManager@lhazan.com, c/o Lynn Hazan, and call 312-863-5401 to follow-up.  We appreciate your follow up call.

Lynn Hazan & Associates—The Executive Search Firm for Communications and Marketing.   www.lhazan.com