Strategic Demand & Innovation Leader

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

Benefits offered by this job

Mars University programs

Industry-competitive salary

Company bonus

Job summary

Mars Incorporated in the United States seeks a Senior Manager, Strategic Demand Leadership (SDL) - Innovation to bridge R&D, Innovation Marketing, Revenue Growth Management and Sales, turning bold product concepts into market-leading launches.

You will own the innovation strategy, develop omni-channel launch plans, and manage channel profitability while translating market trends into reliable demand signals for sustained growth.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of experience in CPG marketing, innovation, commercial strategy, category management, or demand planning.
• Proven track record launching new products within a fast-paced CPG environment.
• Deep understanding of innovation pipelines, customer activation, and omni-channel execution.
• Consultant-style analytical toolkit with strong structured problem-solving skills and agility across strategy and execution.
• Demonstrated experience building customer-centric growth plans, AMPS strategies, and promotional plans.
• Proven ability to influence, align, and lead multi-disciplinary teams without direct authority, backed by presentation and communication skills.
• Strong acumen in analyzing market performance metrics to extract actionable insights.
• Nice-to-have: S&OP and SRM/RGM knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Innovation Strategy & Development: Partner with Innovation Marketing, Consumer Insights, and R&D to identify needs and opportunities, shaping pipelines and commercialization strategies.
• Innovation Launch Excellence: Develop omni-channel launch strategies that maximize awareness, trial, and sustainable adoption.
• Sales Plan Execution: Drive the annual sales strategy to deliver net sales and operating profit goals across channels.
• Channel & Customer Leadership: Own the AMPS strategy, co-creating pack and channel solutions with cross-functional partners.
• Trend & Competitive Intelligence: Maintain intelligence on industry trends, shopper behaviors, and competitor actions.
• Innovation Performance Management: Track innovation health and translate learnings into future programs.
• Demand Forecasting & RGM: Translate market trends into reliable demand signals and launch forecasts.
• Delivering Results: Drive volume, share, and profit while managing marketing budgets.

Skills

CPG marketing

Innovation

Go-to-Market

Data-driven

Strategic problem solving

Cross-functional leadership

Influence without authority

Forecasting

Education

Bachelor's in business or related field

Tools

CRM systems

Analytics tools

Job description

Mars Incorporated in the United States seeks a Senior Manager, Strategic Demand Leadership (SDL) - Innovation to bridge R&D, Innovation Marketing, Revenue Growth Management and Sales, turning bold product concepts into market-leading launches.

You will own the innovation strategy, develop omni-channel launch plans, and manage channel profitability while translating market trends into reliable demand signals for sustained growth.