Senior Manager, Brand Strategy & Innovation - Nathans Brand

Smithfield Foods, Inc.; Smithfield (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 163,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation package available

In-office role

Competitive benefits package

Job summary

Smithfield Fresh Meats Sales Corp. seeks a Senior Manager, Brand Strategy & Innovation to lead brand plans, driver profitable growth, and guide packaging, product development and retail activation across Nathan's Famous retail.

You will align consumer insights with business goals, manage a high-performance team, and partner with agency networks to deliver breakthrough marketing in a dynamic consumer environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or related field with 8+ years of experience.
• 2+ years of team management or project leadership.
• 8+ years in brand management/marketing in CPG, food, or restaurant.
• Proven track record in innovation, strategy, and commercial results.
• Experience with annual brand planning and long-range growth.
• Strong cross-functional leadership and influencing skills.
• Excellent communication, storytelling, and presentation skills.
• Experience with brand management disciplines, media, and selling dynamics.
• Proficiency in Power BI, SAP and PMDM.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of annual and long-range brand plans.
• Drive consumer insights into growth strategies and product innovation.
• Collaborate with Sales, Finance, and Ops to execute retail plans.
• Oversee advertising, packaging, and brand communications.

Skills

Brand strategy

Leadership

Consumer insights

Innovation

P&L management

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Storytelling

Financial acumen

Brand partnerships

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or related field

Tools

Power BI

SAP

PMDM

Job description

THE VALUE YOU’LL BRING

The position summary states the general nature and purpose of the job. Overall accountabilities are defined in this section. The Senior Manager, Brand Strategy & Innovation, will serve as the strategic business leader responsible for driving profitable growth, brand equity, innovation and commercialization across the Nathan's Famous retail portfolio. This role will lead marketing strategy development with a keen focus on product innovation, packaging development, retail promotion, advertising and creative production, and brand partnerships to drive brand relevance, consideration and conversion. This role will lead the development and execution of annual and long-range brand plans, ensuring all initiatives are rooted in consumer insights, aligned with business objectives, and designed to win at retail. As a key member of the Marketing Team, you will work cross-functionally with Business Management, Sales, Finance, R&D, Supply Chain, Legal, Shopper Marketing and external agency partners to deliver breakthrough innovation, compelling consumer communications, and best-in-class commercial execution. Given the unique nature of the Nathan’s business, this role may also partner with Nathan’s licensing and franchise stakeholders to identify opportunities that leverage the iconic restaurant heritage of the brand, ensuring consistency and alignment across consumer touchpoints.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Brand Strategy & Business Leadership: Lead development of annual brand plans and long-range strategic growth initiatives that drive sustainable sales, profit and market share growth. Own brand P&L performance and partner closely with Finance, Business Management and Sales to deliver business objectives. Analyze category, consumer, customer and competitive trends to identify growth opportunities and business risks. Establish clear brand positioning, strategic priorities and performance metrics that guide decision-making across the organization. Present recommendations and business updates to senior leadership and business partners with confidence and influence.
• Consumer Insights & Innovation: Champion a consumer-first mindset across all aspects of the business. Translate consumer insights, market trends and emerging food culture into actionable growth strategies. Lead innovation pipeline development from ideation through commercialization, including new products, packaging, flavor platforms and brand experience. Partner with R&D, Operations, Sales and Shopper teams to bring innovation concepts to market successfully, as well as to optimize / renovate existing products as needed. Ensure innovation initiatives align with consumer needs, retailer priorities and financial objectives while protecting Nathan’s brand health and positioning.
• Commercialization & Retail Excellence: Partner with Sales, Category Management, Shopper and Customer teams to develop compelling retail activation strategies. Ensure brand plans translate effectively into customer selling stories, merchandising programs and retail execution. Collaborate on customer presentations, retailer-specific opportunities, and commercialization plans.
• Nathan’s Brand Stewardship & Franchise Collaboration: Serve as steward of the Nathan’s brand, ensuring consistency across all consumer-facing touchpoints. Collaborate with Nathan’s licensing partners and franchise stakeholders to identify opportunities that leverage restaurant equity and iconic brand heritage. Partner with franchise and foodservice teams to understand restaurant operations, menu innovation, consumer trends and back-of-house considerations that may influence retail opportunities. Evaluate opportunities to strengthen connections between the retail and restaurant experiences to drive brand growth.
• Team Leadership & Talent Development: Manage and develop direct reports, providing coaching, feedback and career development support. Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement. Lead efforts to modernize and elevate the Nathan’s brand with younger consumers while preserving and leveraging the brand’s iconic heritage, authenticity and restaurant equity. Develop organizational capability by mentoring junior marketers and cross-functional team members. Lead with a growth mindset and contribute positively to Smithfield Foods’ high-performance culture. Work with leadership and agency partners to develop the annual marketing plan and create sales tools (imagery, videos, sell sheets, POS). Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure accurate, consistent product information and reduce errors.
• Sales Support & Leadership: Lead legal approval of materials and customized sales presentations. Drive strategic initiatives in meetings with Business Management and Sales. Enhanced understanding of P&L and its impact on marketing, while attending customer presentations to foster a customer-focused approach.
• Advertising and Promotional Management: Lead development and execution of integrated marketing campaigns that build brand equity, drive consumer engagement and deliver measurable business results. Develop annual communications strategies and consumer marketing plans aligned with brand objectives, growth initiatives, and key selling seasons. Partner with internal and external agency teams to create breakthrough creative campaigns across paid, owned, earned and shopper marketing channels. Manage agency relationships, including creative, media, public relations, social, experiential and influencer partners. Oversee development of advertising assets, promotional programs, packaging communications, and content that reinforce the Nathan’s brand positioning and drive consumer consideration. Collaborate with Sales and Shopper Marketing teams to develop customer-specific activation programs that translate brand strategy into retail execution. Identify and manage potential partnerships to support brand growth.
• Leadership: Drives a positive employee experience through leadership by way of employee development and coaching.

WHAT WE’RE SEEKING

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Marketing or related field and 8+ years of relevant experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.
• 2+ years of demonstrated experience in team management/development or project leadership is required.
• 8+ years of progressive brand management or marketing experience within a CPG, Food Manufacturer or QSR / Restaurant organization.
• Demonstrated success leading brands, innovation initiatives, and commercial business results.
• Experience developing annual brand plans and long-range strategic growth plans.
• Strong cross-functional leadership and influencing skills.
• Proven ability to analyze complex business issues and develop actionable recommendations.
• Experience managing and developing people.
• Strong financial acumen and understanding of P&L management.
• Excellent communication, presentation and storytelling skills.
• B-B or B-C marketing experience with a food manufacturer, CPG company or agency.
• Understanding of brand & associated product management disciplines, key marketing strategies, media and selling dynamics.
• Familiar with Power BI, SAP and PMDM.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Power point and Excel, required.

OTHER SKILLS THAT MAKE YOU STAND OUT

• Strong communication (verbal and written) and interpersonal skills required.
• Superior project management and process improvement skills.
• Ability to prioritize projects, organize resources and direct projects efficiently to produce high quality and quantity outputs that adds value to the company, required.
• Ability to manage multiple projects at a time.
• Ability to maintain a keen attention to detail, multitask and work well under pressure.
• Ability to work well with others in fast paced, dynamic environment.
• Ability to be respectful, approachable and team oriented while building strong working relationships and a positive work environment.
• Experience in food, beverage or protein categories.
• Experience working with licensed brands, franchise organizations, or restaurant-related businesses.
• Experience leading innovation commercialization from concept through launch.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

Directly manages one or more marketing professionals, including Associate Brand Managers, Brand Managers, interns or other team members assigned. Provides ongoing coaching, performance feedback, and career development support to direct reports. Establishes clear objectives, priorities and development plans aligned with individual and business goals. Conducts performance evaluations and supports talent planning, succession planning and organizational development initiatives. Acts as a business leader for the Nathan’s brand, effectively influencing stakeholders at all levels of the organization and driving alignment across multiple functions to achieve strategic business objectives.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS & WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those an employee should possess to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee may encounter while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. This is a full-time in-office position. The ability to work in an office environment is required. Ability to lift up to 25 pounds. Travel for work is required, with an estimate of 20-25% travel based on business needs and seasonality.

The expected pay range for this position is $120,000 - $162,500 annually. Smithfield Foods provides pay ranges that reflect its good faith estimate of the salary or hourly wage the company reasonably expects to pay for a position at the time of hire. Individual compensation will be determined based on several factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the role, location of the position, the candidate’s qualifications and experience, internal equity, external market pay for comparable positions and budget considerations. At Smithfield Foods, base pay represents only one aspect of the comprehensive total rewards package. Learn more about our benefits package here. Relocation Package Available Yes

EEO INFORMATION

Smithfield is an equal opportunity employer committed to workplace diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, gender identity, protected veterans status, status as a disabled individual or any other protected group status or non-job characteristic as directed by law. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment selection process, please call us at 757-357-1595.

At Smithfield, good food starts with good people. "Good food. Responsibly." is more than just our tagline; it's what we do. We provide good jobs. We take good care of our animals. We are good stewards of the environment. We do good in our local communities. Smithfield is proud to offer robust, flexible and affordable benefit plans and programs to support our team members and their loved ones, and with out-of-pocket costs, on average, 20 percent less than plans offered by other employers. Beyond our medical plans, our Be Well programs offer tools and resources to enhance your quality of life, at no additional cost. These programs are uniquely tailored to our Smithfield team and provide support for elective surgeries, weight loss, mental health, cancer, kidney disease, diabetes, smoking cessation, asthma, maternity management and more. Our company invests in your future. We offer comprehensive training and professional development programs designed to help you reach your full potential. Through LinkedIn Learning, employees can access on-demand courses, professional certificates, and skill-based training to build capabilities aligned with career and business needs. Our partnership with Guild supports your continuing education with tuition assistance covering English language learning, high school completion, and degree programs, while our leadership development initiatives nurture high-potential talent. We also offer unique benefits like our Smithfield Scholarship Program for employees’ children.

BEING A PART OF OUR FAMILY

Headquartered in Smithfield, Virginia, since 1936, Smithfield Foods, Inc. is an American food company with a leading position in packaged meats and fresh pork products. With a diverse brand portfolio and strong relationships with U.S. farmers and customers, we responsibly meet demand for quality protein around the world. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com. We believe in the power of protein to end food insecurity and have donated hundreds of millions of food servings to our communities. Smithfield boasts a portfolio of high-quality iconic brands, such as Smithfield, Eckrich and Nathan's Famous, among many others. For more information, visit www.smithfieldfoods.com and connect with us on Facebook, X, formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn, and Instagram.