This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Country Manager based in Canada.
As Country Manager, you will lead the growth strategy for a high-potential consumer market and play a pivotal role in building long-term category leadership across Canada. You will translate successful North American strategies into locally relevant commercial plans that accelerate volume, distribution, and household penetration. The role combines strategic leadership with hands-on execution across retail, distribution, brand, and partnerships. You will work closely with distributors, brokers, retailers, and internal stakeholders to strengthen market performance and unlock new opportunities. As a senior market leader, you will represent the brand externally while championing sustainability, community impact, and a winning culture. This is an entrepreneurial environment where curiosity, collaboration, and decisive action are highly valued.
Accountabilities
- Define and execute the Canadian market strategy, ensuring strong alignment with broader business objectives and growth priorities.
- Own the go-to-market roadmap, including market launches, expansion initiatives, retail programs, distribution growth, and operational execution.
- Translate insights and learnings from the U.S. market into tailored Canadian strategies focused on volume growth, household penetration, and category leadership.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with brokers, distributors, retailers, suppliers, and community partners, ensuring effective collaboration and commercial execution.
- Monitor key performance indicators across sales, distribution, pricing, retail execution, and other commercial metrics, identifying gaps and opportunities for improvement.
- Lead and coordinate marketing and category management activities, directly or through cross-functional and dotted-line leadership structures.
- Serve as a senior ambassador for the brand in Canada, representing its values, sustainability commitments, community focus, and growth ambition.
- Partner with headquarters and regional stakeholders to share market insights, refine strategies, and continuously improve performance.
- Take a hands-on approach to execution, from retail activations and strategic partnerships to distributor-led initiatives and market expansion programs.
Requirements
- 10+ years of leadership experience in the Canadian CPG market, with a strong understanding of the local consumer, retail, distribution, and broker landscape.
- Established relationships with key Canadian distributors, retailers, brokers, or other strategic commercial partners.
- Demonstrated experience developing and executing go-to-market strategies that deliver measurable commercial growth.
- Experience managing marketing and category management teams, either directly or through dotted-line leadership structures.
- Strong commercial and analytical capabilities, with the ability to interpret performance data and turn insights into actionable strategies.
- Hands-on, entrepreneurial leadership style with a proven ability to move quickly from strategy to execution.
- Strong relationship-building, communication, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
- Collaborative and people-oriented leadership approach, with experience building, mentoring, and empowering high-performing teams.
- Experience with distributor-led launches in developed markets is an advantage.
- Passion for sustainability, community impact, responsible business practices, and creating positive team environments.
- Fluent English is required; French proficiency is highly desirable for engagement across the Quebec market.
- Must live and work in the Toronto market.
- A valid driver's license, clean driving record, and access to a vehicle for daily use are required for the role.
Benefits
- Senior leadership opportunity with significant ownership of Canadian market growth and strategy.
- Opportunity to shape market expansion, distribution, retail partnerships, and long-term category leadership.
- Entrepreneurial and fast-paced environment that encourages creativity, experimentation, and decisive action.
- Exposure to cross-functional and international teams, with the opportunity to influence broader commercial strategy.
- Purpose-driven culture focused on sustainability, community impact, collaboration, and responsible growth.
- Strong opportunity to develop strategic leadership, commercial, and market-building capabilities.
- Compensation and additional benefits are determined by the hiring company and will be discussed during the recruitment process.
- Candidates are encouraged to apply even if they do not meet every listed requirement, particularly those who bring strong curiosity, growth orientation, and a desire to make an impact.