Brand Manager, Commercial (St. Louis MO)
About the role
MGP Ingredients is a leading supplier of premium distilled spirits and food ingredient solutions. This role supports the Director, Trade Marketing and Mid/Value Brands in delivering profitable growth across the mid and value spirits portfolio, including Everclear, Ezra Brooks, St. Brendans, Juarez, Arrow, Pearl, and several other brands.
Responsibilities
Own the annual brand planning process for assigned mid and value brands, including setting brand objectives, strategies, and financial targets aligned to the broader portfolio plan.
Carry full P&L accountability: manage net revenue, gross margin, A&P investment, and profitability targets for each assigned brand.
Develop and execute the full marketing mix across all four PsProduct, Price, Place, and Promotionwith a commercial lens appropriate to each brands channel and customer profile.
Translate long-term portfolio strategy (set by the Director) into annual plans with clear KPIs, milestones, and resource requirements.
Prepare and present brand performance updates, annual business planning materials, and strategic recommendations to the Director and senior leadership.
Partner closely with Finance to align on revenue, margin, and A&P targets throughout the annual planning cycle and during in-year forecasting reviews; collaborate with Sales leadership to ensure brand plans are grounded in channel and customer realities.
Drive physical availability across channels by setting and tracking distribution targets (numeric and weighted) for each assigned brand by market, channel, and account tier.
Develop channel-specific activation strategies for off-premise (chain and independent retail), on-premise, and value/club channels; prioritize SKUs and markets in close partnership with the Sales team and distributor network.
Own in-store presence strategy: define shelf placement priorities, display standards, and visibility goals; develop merchandising materials and POS assets in collaboration with Trade Marketing to reinforce commercial selling messages.
Monitor execution against distribution and in-store standards via depletion data, distributor reporting, and regular market visits; identify gaps and work directly with Sales field teams and distributor managers to close them.
Develop and maintain sales tools such as sell sheets, trade presentations, distributor kits, and category selling stories in collaboration with Sales and Trade Marketing to support distributor and chain account execution.
Own the SKU rationalization process for assigned brands: evaluate underperforming SKUs in partnership with Sales and Finance, recommend discontinuations or repositioning, and ensure portfolio simplicity supports commercial execution.
Manage the innovation and packaging pipeline for assigned brands: identify opportunities based on competitive gaps, consumer value trends, and input from Sales, distributors, and retailers.
Lead packaging refresh and renovation projects from brief through commercialization, coordinating cross-functionally with Design, Supply Chain, Operations, Legal/Regulatory, and Finance to deliver on time and on budget.
Develop business cases for innovation projects including volume projections, pricing, COGS, and gross margin estimates and secure Director and Finance approval prior to commitment.
Establish and monitor brand health metrics for all assigned brands: distribution, velocity, share, pricing, and margin performance; share regular performance recaps with the Director, Sales, and Finance.
Analyze syndicated data (Circana/IRI/NielsenIQ), distributor depletion reports, and internal financial data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities; collaborate with Finance to reconcile shipment and depletion variances.
Understand retailer and distributor go-to-market strategies and their implications for assigned brands; build relationships with Sales field teams and key distributor contacts to integrate account-level intelligence into brand planning.
Translate data and analytics into clear conclusions, commercial recommendations, and decision-ready presentations for the Director, Sales leadership, and other cross-functional stakeholders.
Support the development and execution of consumer-facing communications where relevant to assigned brands, including digital/social content, PR, and on- and off-premise programming.
Brief and manage agency partners (creative, digital, PR) on brand communications projects; ensure all consumer-facing work is on-strategy, on-budget, and approved through appropriate internal channels.
While consumer communications are not the primary focus for mid and value brands, ensure that any consumer messaging is aligned to brand positioning, compliant with TTB regulations, and consistent across channels.
Partner with Trade Marketing on consumer touchpoints that connect to in-store or on-premise programming; coordinate with Sales on any brand activation or event execution that requires field team involvement.
Requirements
B.A./B.S. Degree required (Marketing, Business, Finance, or related field); MBA preferred
Minimum 4-6 years of experience in brand management, trade marketing, or commercial/customer marketing in CPG or spirits, with demonstrated ownership of P&L and/or pricing responsibilities.
Strong commercial acumen with hands-on experience managing brand P&L, pricing architecture, and trade investment.
Deep understanding of physical availability fundamentals: distribution, shelf execution, channel strategy, and in-store visibility.
Proficiency with syndicated data platforms (Circana/IRI, NielsenIQ, or similar) and internal depletion/financial reporting.
Proven ability to manage packaging and product innovation projects through cross-functional teams.
Strong analytical and financial modeling skills; ability to build business cases and translate data into actionable recommendations.
Effective cross-functional collaborator with the ability to work across Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, and external agency partners.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills; ability to communicate complex commercial topics clearly to varied audiences.
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple brands and workstreams simultaneously.
Understanding of the U.S. spirits route-to-market and three-tier distribution system.
Self-starter who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.
Qualifications
Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.
Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.
Skills
Strong commercial acumen and hands-on experience managing brand P&L, pricing architecture, and trade investment.
Deep understanding of physical availability fundamentals: distribution, shelf execution, channel strategy, and in-store visibility.
Proficiency with syndicated data platforms (Circana/IRI, NielsenIQ, or similar) and internal depletion/financial reporting.
Proven ability to manage packaging and product innovation projects through cross-functional teams.
Strong analytical and financial modeling skills; ability to build business cases and translate data into actionable recommendations.
Effective cross-functional collaborator with the ability to work across Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, and external agency partners.
Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills; ability to communicate complex commercial topics clearly to varied audiences.
Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple brands and workstreams simultaneously.
Understanding of the U.S. spirits route-to-market and three-tier distribution system.
Benefits
Competitive compensation package including medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, 401(k) Match, and PTO.
Pay
Compensation is competitive and is commensurate with experience.
Schedule
Full-time position.