Vice President, Brach's & Seasonal at Ferrara Pan Candy Co., Inc. in Chicago, Illinois

Job Description:

Job Location: Chicago





Want to make an impact?



Reporting to our Chief Marketing Officer, the Vice President, Brach's & Seasonal serves as the portfolio lead for developing strategies for Ferrara's strategic Seasonal Platform lead by the Brach's Brand. The VP owns the overall seasonal strategy for Brach's and the total Ferrara portfolio, and then implements and execute those strategies across the Marketing Mix. From Proposition, to Product, to Marketing initiatives, the VP will have key ownership responsibility.


They will ensure our brands, products, associated services and promotions, all resonate with current and potential consumers in each Season. The role will lead a team that continuously monitors marketing trends, carefully evaluates competitive products and then makes the necessary adjustments along every dimension of the consumer experience to ensure our products maintain and extend their leadership position. Along with their team, this leader will ultimately be accountable for managing and developing a by-Season-level P&L and delivering our products' growth objectives - across Velocity, Distribution, Innovation, and Renovation.


Finally, the Vice President, Brach's & Seasonal will be a leader within our Ferrara One Community - and would help lead our culture - living and driving our Core Values of Empowerment, Collaboration, Agility, Integrity, and Empathy.




Ways you will make a difference

• 
  Create the Vision of the Seasonal Portfolio: Map the future through development and implementation of innovative and exciting growth strategies and marketing plans for the Brach's Brand and Seasonal portfolio. This includes driving the consumer agenda, owning the P&L and achieving financial growth targets.
• 
  Own & Drive the Seasonal Strategy: Based on the Vision and Consumer, survey and assess product, promotion, and communication opportunities to support the organization's Seasonal growth agenda. Ensure strategies are based on sound consumer and market research - as well as category and competitor analysis.
• 
  Portfolio Management: Partner with our Sales organization to ensure optimal price pack architecture and channel/customer portfolio and investments opportunities for each season.
• 
  Innovation & Renovation: create a winning portfolio, based on the Consumer Landscape and white-space opportunities:
  • 
    Renovation: ensure that your core product portfolio delivers competitive advantage - and proactively address any product gaps
  • 
    Innovation: partner with R&D and Everyday Brand Leads to scope and commercialize new incremental new products and platforms, incorporating best practices and demonstrating an awareness of the landscape
• 
  Lead Winning and Breakthrough Communications: Partner with internal stakeholders, creative agencies and media partners to develop innovative, contemporary and demand-generating advertising and promotion campaigns for Brach's - connecting with the consumer where they are. Manage agency relationships to ensure they deliver the right quality, on time at a competitive price.
• 
  Customer Facing: Participate regularly in key account reviews, shaping customer expectations and ensuring we deliver a high level of customer and end-consumer satisfaction.
  • Be an expert in telling the story of our company and our brands, while possessing the skill and expertise to train others in how to do the same.
• 
  Consumer Facing: Continuously monitor market research, evolving consumer demographics and customer input to innovate and ensure our products will continue to meet shifting market demand.
• 
  Player / Coach: Provide leadership to brand marketing team - to build both Business and Marketing Acumen. Nurture the talent to create a cohesive and high-functional team to:
  • Build a motivated, powerful and effective Marketing Community
  • Ensure the achievement of revenue targets and profitability
    

• 
  Growth Mindset: intellectual curiosity and drive for positive change
• 
  Sphere of Influence: Demonstrate a clear ability to influence and communicate effectively across all levels and functions within an organization.
• 
  Business Acumen: Possess strong business sense as demonstrated through past professional experience. Strong analytical skills and demonstrated competence utilizing best-in-class marketing processes and practices
• 
  Marketing Acumen: Ability to understand the consumer, and to build a world-class marketing organization and deliver predictable results.
• 
  Strategy to Action: Ability to operate at both a strategic and operational level.
• 
  Culture Builder: Enable a culture of Creativity and positive Marketing Swagger
• 
  Collaboration: Significant ability to interact and collaborate with executives, both internal to Ferrara and with new and potential customers.
  

• Bachelor's degree required, Master's degree or equivalent experience preferred.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience developing and executing product and marketing strategies.
• Display strong leadership skills, ability to collaborate and work across functions and a passion to grow the organization's marketing capabilities.
• Prior experience in confection industry preferred.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite.