SR Brand Manager Product Innovation & Brand Management
Position Summary
The Senior Brand Manager, Product Innovation & Brand Management is responsible for managing the brand’s product portfolio, leading innovation initiatives, and ensuring consistent execution of brand positioning and standards across all product expressions.
Key Responsibilities
Serve as a primary guardian of brand positioning and core brand attributes. Maintain and evolve brand standards and guidelines to ensure consistency across all product expressions.
Evaluate new product initiatives, packaging concepts, and portfolio changes for alignment with brand positioning. Guide long-term brand architecture and ensure consistency across the full product portfolio.
Manage the overall product portfolio to ensure alignment with brand strategy and consumer needs. Evaluate product assortment and identify opportunities for portfolio expansion, renovation, or rationalization.
Lead development of new product concepts aligned with brand positioning and category opportunities. Identify innovation opportunities through consumer insights, market trends, and competitive analysis. Guide innovation projects from concept through commercialization.
Establish and manage project timelines and cross-functional collaboration across R&D, Operations, and Design. Ensure new products deliver against brand promise and consumer expectations.
Provide strategic leadership for the design function, including oversight of the Head of Design. Guide development of packaging architecture and visual systems across the product portfolio. Ensure packaging and visual identity reinforce brand positioning and maintain consistency across the portfolio.
Oversee packaging redesigns, new product packaging development, and visual updates. Ensure high standards of design quality across packaging and point-of-sale materials.
Lead cross-functional teams across Design, R&D, Operations, and Sales to deliver product innovation and portfolio initiatives. Serve as the central point of coordination for innovation and portfolio management initiatives.
Present portfolio strategy, innovation concepts, and brand updates to senior leadership.
Collaborate with Sales teams to identify product opportunities within key channels including: Mass Club, Value, International, Food Service. Ensure product offerings support channel needs while maintaining brand integrity.
Supervise four direct reports, including the Head of Design, and provide leadership across the design, product management, and brand development functions.
Set strategic direction and priorities for the design and brand management teams. Coach and develop team members to support professional growth and performance.
Develop a multi-year innovation pipeline and portfolio strategy. Ensure alignment between design execution, product innovation, and brand strategy.
Lead cross-functional project teams for innovation and portfolio initiatives.
Education & Experience
MBA or advanced degree in Marketing required
8–12 years of experience in brand management, product innovation, or portfolio management within consumer packaged goods
Experience managing product innovation and development strongly preferred
Technical & Professional Skills
Strong understanding of brand positioning and brand architecture
Experience leading product innovation and commercialization processes
Experience collaborating closely with design teams and managing packaging development
Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving capabilities
Excellent cross-functional leadership and communication skills
Strong analytical and research capabilities
Experience using syndicated and panel data (Nielsen/IRI/Circana and Numerator) to inform portfolio decisions
Strong presentation skills and executive presence; able to communicate key points clearly and succinctly
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and standard business tools