Brand Manager

Kepak Group; Kirkham; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company Pension

Further Education support

Bike to Work Scheme

Long Service Awards

GroceryAid Employee Assistance Program

Corporate gym membership

BUPA Cash plan

Job summary

Kepak Foods Division in Kirkham/Bamberbridge is hiring a commercially-minded Brand Manager to drive growth across the sandwich category and accelerate private label propositions. You will shape new brands and consumer-led innovations, reporting to the Consumer Foods Marketing Controller to turn opportunities into profitable commercial outcomes.

The role blends strong marketing fundamentals with commercial instinct, focusing on market trends, business cases, and customer-facing pitches to win

Qualifications

• 3+ years' experience in Brand Manager/Innovation/Commercial Marketing in FMCG.
• Proven track record of delivering measurable commercial growth.
• Strong understanding of brand strategy, positioning, consumer insight, and activation.

Responsibilities

• Develop category growth strategies for the sandwich category.
• Identify market opportunities and build sell-in stories for customers.
• Shape the private label pipeline with NPD and category teams.
• Lead brand concepts from idea to launch and go-to-market strategies.
• Turn insights into actionable business cases and recommendations.

Skills

Brand management experience

Growth marketing

Category insights

Job description

Kepak Foods Division have developed a portfolio of brands that are successful in the chilled convenience and frozen meat categories in the UK, Ireland and chosen European markets for both Retail and Foodservice Customers. We have 5 Manufacturing Sites supported by shared services, with over 800 people supporting our vision to become a transformed, future proofed, profitable €0.5bn Food Business by 2030.

We're looking for a commercially-minded, entrepreneurial Brand Manager for our team in Kirkham/ Bamberbridge who thrives on creating growth, identifying opportunities, and bringing new propositions to life.

This isn't a traditional brand management role. It's an opportunity to shape the future of our business by leading growth across our sandwich category, accelerating our private label proposition, and developing exciting new brands and consumer-led innovations.

If you're equally comfortable analysing market trends, building compelling business cases, influencing customers, and launching new products, this could be the perfect next step in your career. Reporting to the Consumer Foods Marketing Controller, you'll play a pivotal role in identifying where we can win, creating standout propositions, and turning opportunities into profitable commercial success.

What You'll Be Doing

Drive Growth in Our Sandwich Business

• Develop and execute category growth strategies
• Spot trends, consumer behaviours and market opportunities
• Build compelling customer propositions and sell-in stories
• Shape innovation pipelines alongside NPD and Category teams
• Identify new routes to market and maximise commercial performance
• Create long-term growth plans that deliver sustainable results

Shape the Future of Private Label

• Identify whitespace opportunities and emerging customer needs
• Develop insight-led propositions for existing and prospective customers
• Support high-profile tenders, pitches and range reviews
• Develop a robust pipeline of customer-led innovation opportunities

Create and Launch New Brands & Concepts

• Develop new brand concepts from idea through to launch
• Build compelling business cases and commercial recommendations
• Lead proposition development, positioning and go-to-market strategies
• Test, validate and refine concepts using consumer insight

Requirements

We are looking for a commercially ambitious marketer who wants to build businesses, not simply manage brands.

The successful candidate will combine excellent marketing fundamentals with commercial instinct, intellectual curiosity and the pace and resourcefulness associated with successful challenger brands.

Essential Experience & Capabilities

• 3+ years experience in a Brand Manager, Innovation, Commercial Marketing or equivalent role within FMCG
• Demonstrable track record of delivering measurable commercial growth
• Good understanding of brand strategy, positioning, consumer insight, innovation and activation
• Commercially confident and comfortable working with revenue, volume, margin, pricing, distribution and business cases
• Experience developing and launching new products or propositions
• Good analytical skills with the ability to turn complex market and performance information into clear actions

Benefits

What can we offer you?

• Company Pension
• Further Education support
• Bike to Work Scheme - You can buy a bike and safety equipment through a salary sacrifice scheme which reduces your taxable income - meaning you pay less tax!
• Long Service Awards - We recognise, acknowledge and award the dedication and valuable contribution of long serving employees
• GroceryAid Employee Assistance Program - help with a wide range of topics including mental health and wellbeing support, family and relationship advice, debt management, back to work support, and counselling for all Kepak colleagues and their families.
• Corporate gym membership at Ribby Hall Village
• BUPA Cash plan free of charge

#IND