Manager, Marketing (12-month contract)

McDonald's; Toronto; On-site; CAD 91,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

McDonald’s Canada is seeking a Category Strategy Manager, Beef, to lead the long-term strategy for the Beef category and partner with Marketing, Menu, Insights and Finance to drive growth. This role shapes portfolio priorities and anchors innovations aligned with consumer trends.

The ideal candidate brings 5+ years in marketing or category strategy, strong analytics, and a proven track record of leading cross-functional teams to deliver clear business impact.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in marketing, category management, strategy or related commercial discipline.
• Consumer-first mindset with passion for food and culture and translating shifts into opportunities.
• Sharp strategic and commercial instincts with execution focus.
• Strong analytical acumen, connecting consumer and business data to insights that drive decisions.
• Powerful storytelling and communication skills to build conviction around a point of view.
• Proven cross-functional leadership with ability to rally diverse teams behind a shared vision.

Responsibilities

• Lead the annual and long-term strategy for Beef, translating insights into a clear vision and roadmap for growth.
• Steward Beef portfolio and shape menu equities to maintain a distinctive role in the lineup.
• Turn consumer insights and market trends into actionable recommendations for leadership.

Skills

Market strategy

Category management

Marketing

Strategic thinking

Analytics

Cross-functional leadership

Job description

Job Description:

Company Description:

At McDonald's, we are committed to being the best, and that starts with finding the best people. We have built a team of extraordinary people from around the world. We are problem solvers, risk takers, innovators, and thought leaders that take our work seriously, but have fun doing it. We challenge ourselves to get smarter and sharper every day, we value personal and professional growth, and believe in rewarding and celebrating our successes.

The Opportunity

Few categories are as synonymous with McDonald’s as Beef. In this contract position, as Category Strategy Manager, Beef, you’ll have the opportunity to help shape the future of one of McDonald’s Canada’s most iconic and important businesses. You’ll be the strategic steward of the category, combining deep consumer understanding, commercial thinking and a passion for food to define where we go next and how we get there. This is a role for someone who sees beyond the next campaign or product launch. You’ll think about the category as a whole, what consumers will want tomorrow, how culture and competition are evolving, and the choices we need to make today to keep McDonald’s at the forefront for years to come.

Duties

Set the vision

• Lead the annual and long-term strategy for Beef, translating consumer, cultural, competitive and business insights into a clear vision and roadmap for growth.
• Identify the biggest opportunities for the category and set the choices and priorities required to capture them.
• Serve as the organization’s go-to expert on Beef, with a deep understanding of our consumers, competitors, portfolio and the broader category landscape.

Shape the future of the menu

• Steward McDonald’s most iconic menu equities and shape the Beef portfolio, ensuring our core products continue to play a strong and distinctive role within the lineup.
• Create the icons of tomorrow, partnering with Menu and Insights to shape innovation and limited-time offers and build a consumer-led pipeline against our biggest strategic priorities.

Turn insight into action

• Go beyond understanding what is happening to uncover why, and what McDonald’s should do about it.
• Connect consumer insight, business performance, competitive intelligence and cultural trends to identify where we can win.
• Turn complexity into clear, compelling recommendations that drive decisions.

Mobilize the organization

• Be the strategic quarterback for the category, bringing together Marketing, Menu, Insights, Finance, Operations, Supply Chain, Regional and agency partners behind a shared direction.
• Lead through influence, creating clarity, alignment and momentum across complex cross-functional initiatives.
• Bring a strong point of view and champion the category with senior leaders and key partners.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in marketing, category management, strategy, innovation or a related commercial discipline.
• A consumer-first mindset and passion for food and culture, with the ability to spot emerging shifts and translate them into meaningful opportunities for the category.
• Sharp strategic and commercial instincts, balancing big-picture thinking with a relentless focus on turning ambition into action.
• Strong analytical acumen, connecting consumer and business data to uncover insights that shape strategy and drive better decisions.
• Powerful storytelling and communication skills, with the ability to cut through complexity and build conviction around a clear point of view.
• Proven cross-functional leadership, with a track record of rallying diverse teams behind a shared vision and driving work forward.
• Curiosity, courage and conviction to challenge assumptions, ask hard questions and advocate for what will grow the business.

Salary Range

The expected salary range for this role is $91,000 - $130,000 per year
The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we may also consider your experience, and other job-related factors.

This posting is for an existing role.

Additional Information:

McDonald’s Canada and Owner/Operators are committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace for all. Our workplaces have a long-standing policy of providing fair, equitable, and accessible opportunities for all employees and prospective employees. Accommodations during the application process are available upon request.
We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) or automated tools to screen, assess, or select applicants during our recruitment process