Strategic Growth Manager, Cross Category Programs, North America

ACCO Brands; Kettering (OH); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical plans

4% 401(k) match

Competitive time off

Parental leave

Company-paid life and disability

Assistance programs

Job summary

ACCO Brands is seeking a Strategic Growth Manager to lead the development and execution of large-scale cross-category retail programs across North America. You will translate consumer and shopper insights, retail trends, and marketplace opportunities into differentiated growth platforms for ACCO Brands and its retail partners.

The role requires leading complex initiatives from concept through on-shelf and online execution, aligning teams to business, customer, and brand objectives while working

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or related field preferred.
• 8-11 years of experience in customer, product, retail, or shopper marketing; commercialization; program management; or related CPG/light durables.
• Experience developing and implementing insight-based retail strategies, product programs, assortments, and merchandising solutions.
• Leadership of large-scale cross-functional initiatives in a matrixed organization; ability to influence without direct authority.
• Strong understanding of mass retail, ecommerce, omnichannel, and/or specialty retail environments.
• Experience using consumer, shopper, market, competitive, and business performance data to shape recommendations.
• Experience developing point-of-sale concepts, in-store and online communications, and customer-facing program materials.
• Strong commercial acumen, strategic thinking, organization, and ability to turn complexity into executable plans.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills; ability to persuade stakeholders and drive decisions.
• Ability to work independently in fast-moving, ambiguous environments and make informed decisions.
• Experience in sourcing, vendor management, sales, channel management, and/or brand management is a strong plus.
• Ability to work a hybrid schedule with two days per week in the office.
• Willingness to travel up to 25%, including domestic and international travel for program needs, customer meetings, trade shows, and other business requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead large-scale, cross-category retail programs from strategy and concept development through commercialization and execution.
• Translate customer strategies, consumer and shopper insights, retail trends, and marketplace opportunities into actionable program strategies.
• Develop differentiated product, assortment, merchandising, and communication solutions that strengthen retailer relevance and shopper engagement.
• Define assortment requirements and new product opportunities; partner with Brand, Product, Creative and Content, and Merchandising on packaging direction and POS concepts.
• Use syndicated and consumption data, customer insights, and business performance indicators to develop recommendations and support decisions.
• Build program-level business cases and performance expectations, including sales, margin, share, and profitability, with Finance, Sales, and Product teams.
• Align multiple functions to resolve issues and deliver program objectives; manage complex timelines and dependencies.
• Present clear strategies and recommendations to build alignment and influence decisions at multiple levels.

Skills

Cross-functional initiatives

Hybrid schedule adaptability

Travel up to 25%

Strong communication & presentation

Data-driven decision making

Sourcing and vendor management

Strategic thinking & execution

Omnichannel retail understanding

Program management

Stakeholder influence

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business or related field

Job description

Strategic Growth Manager, Cross Category Programs, North America

A company with a pioneering past and a purposeful future.

At ACCO Brands, we are united by a common purpose, to empower our consumers to feel good when they work, learn, and play. For more than a century we have developed and nurtured brands that enable people to work with more productivity, learn with more confidence, and play with more enjoyment. We are passionate about a winning culture where we grow together, driving business, professional growth, and success. We invite you to be part of a team that is grounded in a history of category-leading brands and products and focused on positioning our company for the future.

Job Summary

ACCO Brands is seeking a Strategic Growth Manager to lead the development and execution of large-scale, cross-category retail programs across the North America Consumer and Office Products business. Reporting to the Vice President of Marketing, this role translates consumer and shopper insights, retail trends, customer strategies, and marketplace opportunities into differentiated, commercially viable growth platforms for ACCO Brands and its retail partners. The manager leads complex initiatives from concept through on-shelf and online execution, aligning teams to business, customer, and brand objectives.

Responsibilities

• Lead large-scale, cross-category retail programs from strategy and concept development through commercialization and execution.
• Translate customer strategies, consumer and shopper insights, retail trends, and marketplace opportunities into actionable program strategies that support business and brand objectives.
• Develop differentiated product, assortment, merchandising, and communication solutions that strengthen retailer relevance, shopper engagement, and in-store and online execution.
• Define assortment requirements and new product opportunities; partner with Brand, Product, Creative and Content, and Merchandising on packaging direction, content needs, point-of-sale concepts, and deliverables.
• Use syndicated and consumption data, customer insights, and business performance indicators to develop recommendations and support decisions.
• Build program-level business cases and performance expectations, including sales, margin, share, and profitability, with Finance, Sales, and Product teams.
• Align Sales, Brand, Product, Finance, Insights, Creative and Content, Merchandising, Sourcing, Supply Chain, Operations, external vendors, and retail partners to resolve issues and deliver program objectives.
• Manage complex timelines, decision points, deliverables, and cross-functional dependencies with speed, discipline, and accountability.
• Present clear, persuasive strategies and recommendations that build alignment and influence decisions at multiple levels.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field preferred.
• 8-11 years of experience in customer, product, retail, or shopper marketing; commercialization; program management; or a related consumer packaged goods or light durables role.
• Experience developing and implementing insight-based retail strategies, product programs, assortments, and merchandising solutions.
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale, cross-functional initiatives in a matrixed organization and influencing without direct authority.
• Strong understanding of mass retail, ecommerce, omnichannel, and/or specialty retail environments.
• Experience using consumer, shopper, market, competitive, and business performance data to shape recommendations.
• Experience developing point-of-sale concepts, in-store and online communications, and customer-facing program materials.
• Strong commercial acumen, strategic thinking, organization, and ability to turn complexity into executable plans.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to persuade stakeholders and drive decisions.
• Ability to work independently in fast-moving, ambiguous environments and make informed decisions.
• Experience in sourcing, vendor management, sales, channel management, and/or brand management is a strong plus.
• Ability to work a hybrid schedule with two days per week in the office.
• Willingness to travel up to 25%, including domestic and international travel for program needs, customer meetings, trade shows, and other business requirements.

About Us:

You know our brands. You love our brands. You just may not know they are ours.

If you have touched a PowerA® gaming controller, a Five Star® notebook, a Swingline® stapler, a Quartet® dry erase board, or a Kensington® computer mouse, you have touched part of ACCO Brands Corporation. With annual revenues of more than $1.5 Billion, ACCO Brands (NYSE: ACCO) designs, markets, manufactures, and sells branded academic, consumer, and business products globally. The power of our brands, our unmatched global customer reach, and our strategic market strengths put us in a position to achieve global leadership and growth. We're proud of our long history of industry leadership and innovation and are focused on delivering exceptional value to our customers by providing unique, cutting-edge, branded products.

What we offer:

• Comprehensive medical, prescription, dental, and vision plans
• 4% 401(k) match with immediate eligibility and vesting
• Competitive time off, available from the first day of employment
• Parental leave
• Company-paid life and disability benefits
• Critical illness, accident, and long-term care insurance options
• Employee and family assistance programs

Growing together is how we win.

With trusted brands, strong leadership, and a clear purpose, you’ll find opportunities to grow in your career, contribute to meaningful work, and be a part of a culture that values creativity and putting our consumers and customers first.

ACCO Brands has developed and maintains a written Aff…??

Equal Opportunity Employer

ACCO Brands is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. The company strives to create a winning culture with a leadership promise to provide equal access and opportunity for all to grow, succeed, and contribute to their full potential.

AODA

Accommodation for applicants with disabilities will be provided in all parts of the recruiting process as required under the ACCO Brands Canada AODA policy. Applicants are asked to make their needs known in advance.