Sr. Manager, Innovation- Strategic Demand KIND

Mars (New); Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 134,000 - 185,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Benefits package

Job summary

Mars (New) is seeking a Senior Manager, Strategic Demand Leadership (SDL) – Innovation to drive growth across iconic brands. You will bridge R&D, Innovation Marketing, and Sales to turn concepts into market-leading launches for a portfolio up to $800M NSV, shaping category strategy and go-to-market plans.

The role demands a consultant-style mindset with strong analytics, customer focus, and influence across multifunctional teams.

Qualifications

• Experience: 5+ years in CPG marketing, innovation, commercial strategy, category management, or demand planning.
• Commercialization leadership: launched new products in a fast-paced CPG env.
• Go-to-market: strong understanding of innovation pipelines, activations, and omni-channel execution.
• Strategic problem solving: consultant-style toolkit with structured analysis.
• Customer & shopper strategy: develop growth plans, promotions, and AMPS strategies.

Responsibilities

• Shape innovation strategy with Marketing, Insights, and R&D to identify whitespace and trends.
• Develop omni-channel launch strategies to maximize awareness, trial, and adoption.
• Drive annual sales strategy to hit net sales and profit goals; identify risks/opportunities.
• Own AMPS strategy (Availability, Merchandising, Pricing, Space) with cross-functional partners.
• Monitor trends, shopper behavior, and competitor actions to keep pipelines relevant.
• Track innovation performance across lifecycle and translate learnings into future programs.
• Translate market trends into reliable demand signals and launch forecasts with Finance.
• Manage budgets to ensure ROI on marketing activities.

Skills

Go-to-Market

Cross-functional leadership

Strategic problem solving

Customer & shopper strategy

Data-driven decisions

AMPS & SRM knowledge

Job description

Job Description:

Are you ready to shape the future of our categories and drive high-impact growth for some of the world’s most iconic brands? As the Senior Manager, Strategic Demand Leadership (SDL) – Innovation, you will sit at the dynamic intersection of commercial strategy, customer collaboration, and marketplace execution. Managing a portfolio scope of up to $800M NSV, you will serve as the strategic bridge between R&D, Innovation Marketing, Revenue Growth Management, and Sales—turning bold product concepts into commercially viable, market-leading launches. In this high-visibility role, you will champion the voice of the customer and shopper across omni-channel environments, crafting winning go-to-market strategies that drive trial, expand distribution, and secure sustainable profitability. If you are a collaborative leader with a consultant mindset who thrives on moving seamlessly between high-level vision and tactical execution, this role offers an exceptional platform to make a lasting commercial impact.

What are we looking for?

• Experience: Minimum 5 years of experience in CPG marketing, innovation, commercial strategy, category management, or demand planning.
• Commercialization Leadership: Proven track record leading the commercialization and launch of new products within a fast-paced CPG environment.
• Go-to-Market Expertise: Deep understanding of innovation pipelines, customer activation, and omni-channel commercial execution.
• Strategic Problem Solving: Consultant-style analytical toolkit with strong structured problem-solving skills and agility across strategy and execution.
• Customer & Shopper Strategy: Demonstrated experience building customer-centric growth plans, AMPS strategies, and promotional plans.
• Cross-Functional Influence: Proven ability to influence, align, and lead multi-disciplinary teams without direct authority, backed by exceptional presentation and communication skills.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Strong acumen in analyzing market performance metrics (velocity, distribution, trial/repeat) to extract actionable insights.
• Nice-to-Have: Working knowledge of Sales & Operations Planning (SOP) and Strategic Revenue Management (SRM) / Revenue Growth Management principles.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Innovation Strategy & Development: Partner closely with Innovation Marketing, Consumer Insights, and R&D to identify consumer needs, whitespace opportunities, and category trends, shaping pipelines and commercialization strategies that deliver meaningful growth.
• Innovation Launch Excellence: Develop and execute omni-channel launch strategies that maximize awareness, trial, and sustainable adoption, ensuring selling stories and launch tactics are optimized across key customers.
• Sales Plan Execution: Drive the annual sales strategy to deliver net sales and operating profit goals, proactively identifying risks and opportunities across go-to-market channels to balance the business.
• Channel & Customer Leadership: Own the AMPS strategy (Availability, Merchandising, Pricing, Space), serving as the voice of the customer to co-create pack and channel solutions with cross-functional partners.
• Trend & Competitive Intelligence: Maintain continuous intelligence on industry trends, shopper behaviors, and competitor actions to ensure innovation pipelines remain differentiated and commercially relevant.
• Innovation Performance Management: Track and evaluate innovation health throughout the lifecycle (sales, velocity, distribution, repeat, financial ROI) and translate post-launch learnings into future programs.
• Demand Forecasting & RGM: Collaborate with Sales, Demand Planning, and Finance to translate market trends into reliable demand signals and accurate launch forecasts.
• Delivering Results: Drive volume, share, and profit results that contribute to divisional financial targets while managing marketing budgets to ensure expected return on investment.

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. Best-in-class 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.

#KINDjobs Suggestions

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

Mars is a family-owned business with more than $35 billion in global sales. We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL®, and COCOAVIA®. Alongside our consumer brands, we proudly take care of half of the world’s pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses such as Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, AniCura, VCA™ and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our 140,000 Associates into taking action every day towards creating the world we want tomorrow.