Brand Manager

The Opportunity:

As a Brand Manager, you’ll be an integral member of the Brand Marketing team, responsible for the progress and performance of our brands. The ideal candidate will bring strong consumer/shopper orientation, well-rounded business acumen and the capability to develop & execute world-class communications that propel Maple Leaf brands to new heights.

Any MLF team member interested in being considered for this role are encouraged to apply online by January 30. Applications received beyond that date are not guaranteed consideration.

Reason for vacancy: Existing Headcount
Compensation: $94,000 - $141,000 CAD base pay annually plus annual short-term incentive

Snapshot of a Day-in-the-Life:

• Manage the growth of Maple Leaf brands throughout the country, including defining and delivering on progress for critical brand metrics (brand share, net promoter score) and influencing their sales growth alongside key stakeholders
• You will own brand outcomes, not activities, setting a few, material targets (share, penetration, margin mix) and deploying resources against the 20% of initiatives that drive 80% of impact
• Develop & execute demand creation strategies and tactics both in and out of store. This includes the brand marketing plans that support share, sales and profit progression across multiple categories and channels. Liaise with category marketing teams to ensure clear understanding of category needs to deliver against plans and help overcome purchase barriers and challenges.
• Partner with creative and media agencies to develop cohesive, impactful and measurable consumer experiences that get noticed and drive business performance, while collaborating with all key internal stakeholders for alignment. As the leader, you will guard and grow distinctive brand assets to build mental availability and remove friction at-shelf to build physical availability.
• Coaching and developing marketing associates through radical candor and clear development planning
• Understand brand analytics (Nielsen, shipments, communications KPIs) to synthesize key insights and measure ROI and effectiveness of marketing programs to inform recommendations for the brands moving forward
• Develop & manage annual ad & promo budgets, including monthly forecasting and reconciling, ensuring optimization in all channels throughout the year. Allocate investment by ROI and strategic priority; kill low-impact work fast to protect capacity for the few big bets.
• Provide overarching brand stewardship across all channels (i.e. standards, packaging, executional mandatories, communication campaigns, in-store displays etc.)
• Execute sponsorship deals, inclusive of digital and on-site activations and various partnership assets to deliver maximum value

What You’ll Bring:

• Bachelor’s Degree plus track record of results within a CPG environment.
• Must be proactive and performance driven, have a bias for action and be able to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience managing a large complex business with a proven success in market (ideally withing CPG/brand management).
• A strong team player, mentor and coach to direct reports & cross-functional team members with well-developed “people interaction” skill set.
• The ability to adapt easily to changing market dynamics.
• Competency requirements:
  • Commercial Acumen, Budget Planning & P&L Management – Fluent in P&L levers, pricing/promo trade-offs, media effectiveness, budget management and portfolio strategy.
  • Business Understanding and Insights - Demonstrates the ability to understand and draw conclusions from internal & external data sources with the ability to build, track, and course correct business plans to achieve targets.
  • Brand Reviews & Plans – Leads the annual brand reviews & planning process assessing current business. Plans include objectives and strategies for each opportunity, brand investment levels, volume/consumption builds, risk analysis, and an integrated marketing calendar.
  • Sales Knowledge & Connectivity - Demonstrates understanding of customer strategies and motivations and applies to marketing planning process & initiative execution.
  • Strategic Leadership - Demonstrates big picture thinking with an ability to clearly articulate a strategic direction, justified with sound fact-based rationale. Sells ideas and recommendations through to management convincingly.
  • Strategic Communications – To develop and execute disruptive and breakthrough marketing campaigns and creative, with exceptional verbal and written communication skills
  • Project Management – Experience managing multiple priorities and large business critical projects with timeliness and in collaboration with a strong cross-functional team (both internal and external team members)
  • Strong consumer focus – Consumer obsessed and excited in addressing consumer needs with clear insights and research
  • Digital fluency – Preference for experience in executing digital content campaigns with winning KPIs

What We Offer at Maple Leaf Foods:

• Being part of a high-performance, people-focused company that has an inspiring and unique vision to become the most sustainable protein company on earth, and a deep commitment to sustainable protein across North America.
• An inclusive company culture and a work environment that keeps our people safe, rewards excellence, and empowers everyone to learn and contribute their best.
• Competitive Health and Wellness benefits that offer flexibility to meet your individual or family needs, including programs focused on improving mental health and wellbeing. These benefits start on your first day of employment.
• Defined Contribution Pension Plan with company matching that starts on your first day of employment.
• Learning and development opportunities, including workshops, ‘speaker series’ events, and resources that allow you to develop your skills and progress your career.
• Comprehensive tuition reimbursement program that supports continuous learning and development of our team members through investment in eligible degrees, diplomas, professional certification, or trades programs.
• Supporting our deep commitment to community impact, we offer up to two paid days annually to volunteer at a cause of your choice.

About Us:

We’re a carbon neutral food company on a purposeful journey to Raise the Good in Food through better nutrition, safer food and workplaces, more humane animal care, and environmental sustainability efforts that protect our planet. We care about our communities and commit to reducing food insecurity in Canada. Join us on the journey. Let’s build a better future, together.

We’re passionate about food. For more than 100 years, we’ve made delicious, healthy protein that Canadians love under iconic national and regional brands, like Maple Leaf®, Schneiders®, and Greenfield Natural Meat Co.® We’re on a journey to become the most sustainable protein company – not just in Canada – but on earth.

• We are carbon neutral.
• We are one of the only food companies in Canada to set science-based targets.

We’re a global food company with more than 13,500 team members. We operate sites in 20+ locations across Canada. We also have locations in the U.S. and Mexico, and do business in Asia.

A diverse and inclusive work environment

Championing diversity and inclusion is a critical component to advancing our collective purpose and vision and living the Maple Leaf Leadership Values. We believe in building, investing in, recognizing, and rewarding remarkable people who value an inclusive workplace, embrace all forms of diversity, and commit to including every voice in our collaborative environment. We’re so much stronger when we know we’re accepted and valued for who we are and what we each bring to the workplace.

We embrace a strong, values-based culture

Our eight Leadership Values are our north star. They guide the decisions we make for all our stakeholders: our consumers, our customers, our people, our communities, our shareholders, and the environment.

• Doing What’s Right
• Shared Value
• High Performance
• Diverse and Inclusive Teams
• Disciplined Decision Making
• Our Accountability
• Intense Curiosity
• Transparency and Humility

We thank all applicants for their interest in exploring employment opportunities with Maple Leaf Foods; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicants may be subject to a background check and must meet the security criteria designated for the position.

Championing diversity and inclusion is a critical component to advancing our collective purpose and vision, living the Maple Leaf Leadership Values, and delivering winning results. Accommodation is available upon request for applicants with disabilities in the recruitment and assessment process and when hired; please contact our Talent Attraction Team at accommodations@mapleleaf.com.

The above compensation reflects the target compensation for the position at the time of posting. The base salary offered may vary based on a variety of factors including skills, experience, education, training, job- related knowledge, and other organizational requirements. For part-time roles, salaries are adjusted according to scheduled hours. In addition to base salary, this role is eligible to participate in Maple Leaf’s annual short-term incentive plan.

Disclaimer: Please note that salaries posted on sites other than the MLF Careers Page are not a reflection of Maple Leaf Foods and are an estimated salary range provided by that particular job board. Maple Leaf Foods offers competitive wages and an attractive total rewards package, which will be discussed during an interview with our Talent Team.