Brand Manager - Special K, NutriGrain

Mars, Incorporated and its Affiliates; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 134,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Mars, Incorporated and its Affiliates is seeking a Brand Manager for Special K and Nutri-Grain to lead strategy, innovation, and full-funnel media across two iconic brands. You will translate consumer and financial insights into integrated plans, partnering with cross-functional teams and agencies to drive growth and strong in-market results.

The role requires guiding a multi-year plan, managing budgets, and mentoring a direct team, with a focus on consumer-led innovation and marketplace

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree required; MBA is an asset, focus on Marketing/ Business is a plus.
• 5+ years of CPG brand management, marketing, or other relevant CPG experience.
• Demonstrated track record of building, activating, and managing brand strategy to deliver consumer and business growth.
• Strong general management, analytical, and financial skills (including budget management).
• Demonstrated ability to leverage insights and analytics to inform investment choices, prioritize strategic objectives and maximize results.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and agency partners in a matrixed environment, aligning stakeholders and driving high-quality execution.
• Experience developing innovation pipelines and leading initiatives from insight and concept through commercialization and launch.
• Expertise with full-funnel media and integrated marketing strategy, including optimizing across channels, guiding creative development, and managing external stakeholders
• Bias for ownership and action, with sound judgment, comfort navigating ambiguity, and the ability to move work forward at pace.
• Passion and experience with people management is a benefit, including coaching and developing direct or indirect team members.

Responsibilities

• Set the vision: own annual plan and long range strategy for Special K and Nutri-Grain, using consumer, category, competitive, and financial insights to define priorities and deliver sustainable, profitable growth.
• Monitor brand health and business performance, diagnose opportunities and risks, and convert learning into decisive action and continuous improvement.
• Build and advance a consumer-led innovation and renovation pipeline, develop robust business cases, and lead cross-functional teams through commercialization and launch.
• Partner across org to develop and deliver integrated communications and media strategies across platforms; establish clear objectives and optimize based on results.
• Champion, protect and strengthen each brand’s positioning, identity, and distinctive assets while ensuring consistent, relevant execution across consumer and customer experiences.
• Manage brand performance, forecasts, budgets, and investment trade-offs in partnership with Brand leadership, Finance, Sales, Insights, Media, Supply, R&D and other key functions.
• Coach and develop team members and foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, inclusion, and high standards.

Skills

Brand management

Strategic thinking

Cross-functional leadership

Financial skills

Analytics

People management

Education

Undergraduate degree in Marketing/Business

MBA (asset)

Tools

Budget management

Job description

Job Description:

Who are we?

Accelerator, a global Division of Mars Snacking, is on the front line of unlocking growth across high-potential categories and brands to fuel what's next for Snacking. It's home to both emerging and enduring brands, including KIND, TRÜ FRÜ, NATURE'S BAKERY, RXBAR, EGGO, POP-TARTS and RICE KRISPIE TREATS. Combining the scale of Mars with the agility of a start-up, our Division has the ambition to accelerate the future of snacking by delivering products consumers love today, discovering category-shaping innovations for tomorrow and developing entrepreneurial teams whose impact will last for generations.

We're looking for passionate talent who dare to dream big, agile collaborators who talk straight and decide fast, and driven performers with a growth mindset. We're proudly part of Mars, while also building something boldly different. If this inspires and energizes you, you've found the right place where you can do cool things with fun people for one of the biggest snacking companies in the world!

What Are We Looking For?

The Brand Manager, Special K and Nutri-Grain, will lead the strategy and growth agenda for two iconic brands. This role is responsible for holistic strategy and execution across brand stewardship, general management, innovation strategy & execution, and full funnel media. The Brand Manager must be skilled at translating consumer, category, and business insights into integrated plans that build equity, accelerate innovation, and deliver in-market results. The Brand Manager will be responsible for leadership and partnership across cross-functional teams and external agencies as well as for the management and development of their direct team. The right candidate is a proactive, self-starter with a growth mindset, driven to deliver results for the consumer and the business.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree required; MBA is an asset, focus on Marketing/ Business is a plus.
• 5+ years of CPG brand management, marketing, or other relevant CPG experience.
• Demonstrated track record of building, activating, and managing brand strategy to deliver consumer and business growth.
• Strong general management, analytical, and financial skills (including budget management)
• Demonstrated ability to leverage insights and analytics to inform investment choices, prioritize strategic objectives and maximize results.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and agency partners in a matrixed environment, aligning stakeholders and driving high-quality execution.
• Experience developing innovation pipelines and leading initiatives from insight and concept through commercialization and launch.
• Expertise with full-funnel media and integrated marketing strategy, including optimizing across channels, guiding creative development, and managing external stakeholders
• Bias for ownership and action, with sound judgment, comfort navigating ambiguity, and the ability to move work forward at pace.
• Passion and experience with people management is a benefit, including coaching and developing direct or indirect team members.

Key Responsibilities

• Set the vision: own annual plan and long range strategy for Special K and Nutri-Grain, using consumer, category, competitive, and financial insights to define priorities and deliver sustainable, profitable growth.
• Monitor brand health and business performance, diagnose opportunities and risks, and convert learning into decisive action and continuous improvement
• Build and advance a consumer-led innovation and renovation pipeline, develop robust business cases, and lead cross-functional teams through commercialization and launch.
• Partner across org to develop and deliver integrated communications and media strategies across platforms (example: paid, owned, earned, social, influencer, shopper, and omni-channel) touchpoints; establish clear objectives and optimize based on results.
• Champion, protect and strengthen each brand’s positioning, identity, and distinctive assets while ensuring consistent, relevant execution across consumer and customer experiences.
• Manage brand performance, portfolio choices, forecasts, budgets, and investment trade-offs in partnership with Brand leadership, Finance, Sales, Insights, Media, Supply, R&D and other key functions.
• Coach and develop team members where applicable and foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, inclusion, and high standards.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we're striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

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The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits.Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.

The pay range shown is applicable to all US locations listed within the job posting:USD 134,400.00 - USD 184,800.00