Brand Manager, Innovation – Fluids; Lactantia and B-Fit

Job Title: Brand Manager, Innovation – Fluids (Lactantia and B-Fit) (12-month contract with benefits)

About Us:

Welcome to Lactalis Canada! We’re proud to be Canada’s #1 branded dairy company and to be consistently recognized as one of the country’s top employers by Forbes. Our purpose is to enrich and nurture the lives of Canadians by offering the best of dairy from Canada’s favourite dairy brands like Cracker Barrel, Black Diamond, Balderson, Astro and Lactantia. In fact, our products can be found in over 90% of Canadian refrigerators in any given time.

As part of Lactalis Group, the world’s leading dairy company, we remain focused on innovation and quality and are seeking like-minded individuals to join us as we continue our growth journey.

Our flexible hybrid work model accommodates 40% remote work, adapting to the evolving needs of our workforce. Step into a collaborative hub with our revamped office, and enjoy free parking, endless coffee, delicious Lactalis snacks, an on-site gym, and more!

About the opportunity:

The Brand Manager strategically plans & manages a brand / portfolio of brands to achieve growth and other business objectives. The brand manager’s responsibilities may range from single to multiple brand ownership depending on the scope and size of the brand.

The attributes we are looking for:

• Brand Equity / Strategy. Responsible for developing and implementing marketing and brand strategies with direction from manager.
• Long Term Planning Involvement/Budget Management:
  Participate in the development of the Long Term Plan by providing data analysis, insights and strategic input. Accountable for leading and executing the business plan which includes media plan, brand activation, communication plan. Responsible for tracking, managing and optimizing marketing spend within budget.
• Analysis and Insights into Action. Drive business results by monitoring competitive activity, identifying gaps and opportunities and building monthly performance reports using both internal and external data sources - including building corrective action plans and opportunities to plan where needed.
• Communications/Media/Promotions. Develop and execute marketing plans including media plans, consumer promotions, and in-store promotional activity with minimal direction from manager to ensure effective consumer communication. Manage the relationship with external advertising agencies, including scoping projects, providing ongoing oversight and feedback.
• Innovation/Renovation. Proactively identify and define future innovation and renovation opportunities, contribute to innovation strategy and assume full ownership in developing and executing effective go-to-market strategies.
• Cross-functional Leadership. Build and maintain strong working relationships with both internal and external partners, emphasizing effective communication, collaboration, and project management to ensure successful outcomes. Effectively lead, as the brand champion, cross functional projects that have both short-term and long-term business implications.
• Business Acumen/Management. Collaborate with Sales functions to develop and validate product and promotional mix and in-store executions aligned with business growth targets. Continuously monitor and assess results versus target, as well as recommending and implementing action plans as required.

What you will bring:

• Minimum 3- 4 years of brand management and innovation experience in CPG.
• Post secondary education in marketing or a related discipline. University degree including an MBA would be considered an asset.
• Project management experience is a strong asset.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and act on opportunities to drive business results, execute best in class plans and the ability to lead cross functional teams.
• Demonstrate strong business acumen and analytics
• Ability to successfully prioritize and manage multiple and competing priorities
• Ability to understand Nielsen data and use it to generate insights and action plans
• Strong desire to deliver results, with a proactive mindset and the ability to influence without authority
• Ability to work independently and function as a strong team player and…