Specialist, Category and Brand Development

Aramark; Mississauga; Hybrid; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading food services company in Mississauga is seeking a Specialist in Category and Brand Development. This role involves developing brand strategies, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and managing category innovations. Candidates should possess a Bachelor’s degree, with 1-3 years of experience in product development and excellent communication skills. The position involves both office work and travel, ensuring a dynamic work environment aimed at enhancing brand success.

Qualifications

• 1-3 years in Product or Program Development in Food Service.
• Experience building marketing capacity in a complex marketing environment.
• Strong project management experience leading cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Support the development of category & brand strategies.
• Gather and analyze consumer and competitive insights.
• Create and manage focus menu categories and proprietary brands.

Skills

Project management

Interpersonal communication

Strong writing

Presentation skills

Design skills

Field marketing

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Adobe Design Suite

Canva

Job description

Title: Specialist, Category and Brand Development

Requisition #: 622851

Location: Mississauga, ON, CA, L4W 5G2

Career Area: Professional & Management

Job Description

As a key member of the Marketing & Culinary team, this position supports the development of category & proprietary brand innovation for retail, residence dining, and catering channels. Responsibilities include implementation of program development and activation support for retail, residence dining, catering, convenience, and other services with a strong focus on developing and executing an end-to-end solution. This position will gather feedback pre- and post- program development from key internal stakeholders to refine tools and resources to ensure program success.

Typical office environment and travel across Canada to support operations with proprietary brands. Anticipate 60% in office, 40% travel.

A valid driver’s license and access to a personal vehicle are strongly preferred.

Job Responsibilities

• Strategy/Planning: Support the development of Aramark category & brand strategies for retail, residence dining, and catering channels translating insights to innovation. This position would support in the planning of an annual marketing plan with strategies and tactics to refine and enhance focus categories and proprietary brands to drive continuous improvement and innovation.
• Insights: Identify consumer, competitive, category, business unit, and operator insights to assess the opportunity for Aramark’s proprietary branded offering. Work in conjunction with the Aramark Insights Team to field consumer and other insights work. Leverage a variety of data-gathering tools and information assets—trends, consumer segmentation, market structure, consumer wants/behavior/attitudes, qualitative research, competitive benchmarking, sales and retention outcomes/forensics and personal observation. Utilize insights and analytics ongoing for management, continuous improvement and innovation.
• Category & Proprietary Brand Development: Support the creation, repositioning, and/or refresh of focus menu category and proprietary brands, including implementation resources, menu, pricing, packaging, equipment, trade dress, digital marketing content, etc. Support the management of all aspects of the development and on-going management with field marketing, growth, and hospitality excellence including initial sales materials, operator training materials, roll-out plans, and tools development.
• Project & Program Management: Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including product development/menu, field marketing, supply chain, sustainability / health & wellness, operations, hospitality excellence, sales/retention etc. to develop, launch, assess, and continuously improve focus categories and brands. Support key programs, quarterly marketing kits, and other related projects, as well as ongoing yearly activation programs that support focus categories and proprietary brands.
• Operations Support: Support field marketing, operations, growth, and hospitality excellence with proprietary brand resources and provide on-site support, when required. Work collaboratively with cross functional teams to provide tools and resources to support the success of the brands.
• Measurement: Gather data to support proprietary brand KPIs and success measures to drive profitable growth. Report initiative results against brand objectives that lead to strategy refinement where needed to attain required operating results, while managing the budget and other project management duties.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 1-3 Years in Product or Program Development in Food Service
• Experience building marketing capacity and tools in a complex marketing / sales environment.
• Strong project management experience leading cross-functional teams in a matrix organization.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills including strong writing and presentation skills.
• Proficient design skills – Adobe Design Suite preferred, Canva at minimum
• Field marketing experience is an asset

About Aramark

At Aramark, we empower our people to create moments that matter through exceptional hospitality experiences. We serve more than a dozen industries with pride and passion, building community, connection and careers all across the world.

You’ll be surrounded by some of the most innovative minds in the industry and powered by our shared mission to pursue what matters. Here, you’ll have the opportunity to do great things for our people, our planet, our partners and our communities. We believe a career should develop your talents, fuel your passions and enable your growth. Supported by committed leadership, you’ll be empowered to try new things and find solutions to tough problems. No matter what you’re pursuing - a new challenge, a sense of belonging, or just a great place to work - our focus is to help you reach your full potential and pursue what matters.

Accommodation Statement

Accommodations for job applicants with disabilities are available upon request.