Sr Brand Manager

Jack Link's Protein Snacks; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 150,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

Life and disability insurance

401k participation

Paid holidays and time off

Job summary

A leading snack food company is seeking a Senior Brand Manager to oversee the Better‑For‑You segment. This role includes owning strategic planning, managing P&L, and leading cross-functional teams to drive innovation and growth. The ideal candidate will have 6–10+ years in CPG brand management within the food/beverage industry, with strong leadership skills and a hands-on approach. This position offers an annual salary ranging from $150,000 to $165,000 and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• 6–10+ years of progressive CPG brand management experience in food/beverage.
• Proven experience in new product development and brand management.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, cross-functional projects.

Responsibilities

• Own annual strategic plan for Jack Link’s Better‑For‑You segment.
• Steward P&L—optimize brand budgets and recommend actions.
• Lead commercialization through launch and post‑launch evaluation.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic thinking

Financial acumen

Consumer insight interpretation

Creative problem-solving

Analytical capability

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing

MBA preferred

Tools

Nielsen/Circana data

Job description

At Link Snacks, we show up hungry, roll up our sleeves, plaid or otherwise, and dive straight into the hard work. We don’t hide from challenges; we hunt them down. We push harder, move faster, and take the kinds of big swings that built this business in the North Woods of Wisconsin four decades ago.

We’re everyday people who deliver extraordinary results. Innovation, creativity, and urgency aren’t buzzwords, they’re expectations. And just like the real protein snacks we make across our global house of brands—Jack Link’s®, Lorissa’s Kitchen®, Golden Island®, BiFi®, and Peperami® and KOOEE!® to name a few—there’s nothing artificial about us. What you see is exactly what you get: humble, gritty, passionate people who show up every day ready to not just be a participant in the meat snack industry that the Link Family created, but to move faster, innovate harder and keep raising the bar so high, the rest of the world needs a ladder just to see it.

Dominating this space across the world takes a team. A team that runs together, succeeds together, and celebrates together. A team that’s full of relentless energy and spirit that can only be fueled by one thing: a fist full of our delicious meat snacks.

Real Meat Protein. Real People. Real Results. THAT is Link Snacks.

Job Description

As a Senior Brand Manager, you will act as a true general manager of your business—developing and managing strategy, financial performance, the innovation pipeline, and the cross‑functional leadership required to drive Jack Link’s continued category leadership. In our fast‑moving, entrepreneurial‑spirited organization, you’ll be a proactive self‑starter who leads through influence and drives meaningful impact across the business.

This role is ideal for a business‑minded marketer who is equally strong in strategic and creative thinking, financial acumen, consumer insight interpretation, and cross‑functional leadership. We have a hunger to grow—and have fun while doing it—and we’re looking for someone excited to help expand our iconic legacy in protein snacking.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the annual and long‑range strategic plan for Jack Link’s Better‑For‑You segment—defining positioning, pricing/pack strategy, and portfolio roadmaps; aligning stakeholders; and tracking performance to deliver short‑and long‑term goals.
• Steward the P&L—understand forecasts, optimize mix, manage brand budgets, and recommend PPA actions to support profitable growth.
• Lead commercialization (renovation & expansion) from concept through launch and post‑launch evaluation; partner with R&D, Insights, Trade, Supply Chain, Finance, Sales, Packaging, and FSQ through stage‑gate.
• Build brand equity—ensure a distinctive, consistent identity and voice across touchpoints; protect and grow long‑term brand health through a consumer‑led lens.
• Support integrated activation by authoring clear briefs, setting objectives, and providing strategic guidance to internal and external agency partners; support executional oversight and track in‑market performance to identify optimization opportunities.
• Partner with Sales & Trade to develop compelling selling stories, retailer‑specific plans, and channel strategies that drive distribution, velocity, and incremental growth.
• Translate data into action—synthesize consumption, consumer, customer, category, and competitive insights into clear recommendations that inform strategy, activation, and the renovation/expansion pipeline.
• Navigate a matrix with influence—align internal and external partners, drive clarity and accountability, and keep work moving quickly to stay ahead of the category.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing required; MBA preferred.
• 6–10+ years of progressive CPG brand management experience in food/beverage; experience in Natural or better‑for‑you category required.
• Proven experience in new product development, growth strategy planning/execution, P&L and budget stewardship, and integrated marketing.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex, cross‑functional commercialization projects.
• Strong leadership through influence—skilled in cross‑functional alignment, conflict resolution, and creative problem‑solving.
• Proficiency with Nielsen/Circana syndicated data required.
• Experience partnering with creative and media agencies preferred.
• Exceptional communication skills—storytelling, presenting, deck development, and the ability to engage stakeholders at all levels.
• A general manager mindset—hands‑on, solutions‑oriented, eager to learn, adaptable, and comfortable wearing multiple hats.
• Strong analytical capability with a results‑driven approach and agility in responding to changing market dynamics.
• Highly organized with excellent time‑management and deadline‑driven execution.
• Self‑starter with demonstrated ability to operate independently.

Additional Information

The salary range for this role is $150,000 – $165,000 (Annually). Actual salaries will vary based on several factors, including but not limited to external market data, internal equity, location, and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Jack Link’s Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program‑specific awards. Jack Link’s provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members, including medical, dental and vision benefits, life and disability insurance, 401k participation, paid holidays, and paid time off.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Jack Link’s provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic that is protected by federal, state or local law.

E-VERIFY

Jack Link’s is participant in the federal E‑Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For information about the E‑Verify program, please visit: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.