Ferrero Group is looking for a Senior Brand Manager to serve as the Brand Portfolio Innovation lead for Kinder Chocolate in the US market. You will be responsible for identifying, developing, and executing new product innovation strategies to scale the Kinder brand footprint. This role involves long-range planning, influencing global and local stakeholders, and managing end-to-end innovation launches.
What You'll Do
- Define the long-term Kinder innovation vision and strategy to grow US share within Sweet Packaged Foods.
- Identify and expand the brand into new territories based on consumer insights, market trends, and competitive analysis.
- Act as a strong voice for brand initiatives with senior stakeholders in global headquarters and the local business unit.
- Educate the Global team on local context related to Category, Competition, Channels, Customers, and Consumer.
- Influence globally-led development of brand assets to ensure they fit with US consumer and legal requirements.
- Drive and manage all aspects of innovation from idea to launch, including insights, research, mix crafting, business case modeling, and launch execution.
- Build strong business cases, including range development, volume forecasts, margin analysis, price strategies, and P&Ls.
- Lead the stage-gate commercialization process from early stages to launch, managing stakeholders and influencing cross-functionally.
- Formalize and socialize a best practices playbook for planning, commercialization, and monitoring of launches.
- Work closely with Category Management, Trade Marketing, and Sales Teams to develop a successful go-to-market plan.
- Lead the IAT in development and presentation of activities and communication strategies to management.
- Brief and manage agencies on a day-to-day basis, owning Statements of Work (SOWs).
- Provide research inputs to Global teams for investigating launch feasibility in the US market.
- Lead local research related to Creative development.
- Set clear expectations and provide guidance to team members to deliver their best work.
- Coach team members on Ferrero processes and ways of working.
- Manage the Brand Manager for Kinder Innovation.
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor’s Degree required.
- 8+ years of experience in Brand Management or Brand Marketing.
- Proven innovation leadership with experience managing end-to-end innovation pipelines.
- Strong experience working with syndicated data (IRI, Nielsen) and conducting/commissioning qualitative and quantitative research.
- Experience developing business cases, building forecasts, and partnering cross-functionally on P&L-related decisions.
- Experience with stage-gate processes, cross-functional governance, and launching new products or platforms.
- Ability to partner effectively with R&D, Sales, Supply Chain, Category, and Shopper Marketing teams.
- Proven success managing relationships with Global Brand leadership and influencing without authority.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build compelling narratives.
- Experience in communications planning and managing asset development.
- Highly analytical with strong commercial and financial acumen.
- Creative problem-solver with an entrepreneurial spirit.
- Tenacity, resilience, and resourcefulness in a fast-moving, global environment.
- Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
- Structured, disciplined, and highly organized.
- Proficiency in the Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint) and comfort with digital tools for insights and GTM work.
- Understanding of packaging development, claims, regulatory considerations, and go-to-market execution.
Technical Stack
- Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint)
- Syndicated data tools (IRI, Nielsen)
- Digital tools for insights and GTM work
Team & Environment
You will manage the Brand Manager for Kinder Innovation.
Benefits & Compensation
- Compensation: $155,000.00 - $206,000.00 annually
- Health insurance
- Retirement plans
- Paid time off
- Comprehensive benefits package
Work Mode
This is a hybrid position based in Parsippany, NJ.
Ferrero is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable human rights laws. Ferrero will recruit, hire, train, and promote all persons without regard to race, creed, color, sex (including pregnancy, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity), religion, national origin or ancestry, age, disability, or history of disability (except where physical or mental abilities are a bona fide occupational requirement), citizenship, or any other protected characteristic.
