In this role, you will: • Own the strategy and financial performance of a ~$100M sauces business. • Drive innovation across some of North America's largest retailers. • Lead cross-functional teams to bring new products from concept through commercialization. • Build skills that prepare you for future Business/General Manager or Brand Manager leadership roles through broad exposure to strategy, commercialization, finance, innovation, operations, and customer engagement. Employee Type: Full time Location: IL Oak Brook Job Type: Marketing Job Posting Title: Associate Manager, Business Unit (Condiments) Job Description: Schedule: Hybrid office schedule; T-W-TH in office Work Location: 2015 Spring Road Suite 400, Oak Brook, IL 60523 Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k) with match, STD/LTD/AD&D/Life, HSA, FSA, EAP, Hospital indemnity, Accident Insurance, Identity and Fraud Protection Plan, Legal, and Critical Illness. Salary, based on experience and other qualifications: $73k - $109k annually with additional bonus potential Reporting to the Business Unit Director, the Associate Manager will have responsibility for the ~$100M Sauces category within the Condiments Business Unit with the following key responsibilities: Business Performance & Strategy • Develops annual and long-range business plans that deliver profitable growth, market share gains, and innovation objectives. • Owns the Sauces category P&L in partnership with Finance. Understands the drivers influencing the P&L to meet and exceed financial plans. • Develops and executes objectives to achieve the strategic business plan. Identifies any gaps to plan and recommends corrective actions. • Leads and motivates cross-functional teams to accomplish new product plans, renovation projects, and simplification efforts that support the business. • Applies knowledge of product and competitive strengths and weaknesses, developing defensive strategies as needed. • Collaborates with Supply Chain and Demand Planning to develop demand forecasts that optimize customer service, inventory, and profitability. Category, Consumer & Competitive Expertise • Provides ongoing reporting and analysis of Sauces category dynamics, including sales, velocity, distribution, pricing, and promotional performance. • Leverages syndicated data (Circana/Nielsen), Technomic, Mintel, AI-enabled analytics tools, and market research to identify emerging trends and provide selling stories for key initiatives. • Understands and monitors competitive landscape, including new item launches and performance. Communication • Serves as the daily primary contact for business guidance, decisions, communication and management for the Sauces category, acting with a sense of urgency to provide direction. • Creates category and product presentations, leveraging category and consumer insights. • Presents category insights, innovation strategies, and new product recommendations to retail and foodservice customers. Portfolio & Innovation Management • As part of the Stage Gate process, provides guidance on manufacturing feasibility and financial viability. • Conducts "size of prize" analysis and cannibalization modeling. • Partners with the Commercialization Manager to lead cross-functional execution of product launches from concept approval through first shipment and post-launch performance evaluation. • Collaborates with Innovation and R&D to develop and execute a three-year innovation pipeline. • Optimizes the product portfolio to maximize growth, profitability, and manufacturing efficiency. Qualifications & Experience: • Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or related degree required; MBA preferred • Minimum of 2 years of progressive experience required, serving as the business owner of products and having responsibility for: • Building short-term and long-term business plans • Owning the P&L by understanding business levers to influence financial outcomes • Analyzing and reporting of data to understand trends and business opportunities • Identifying competitive strengths and weaknesses to define growth opportunities • Product development and launches from concept through commercialization • Consumer research and POS data (IRI and/or Nielsen preferred) • Food CPG experience preferred • Strong financial acumen with understanding of P&L drivers and pricing • Demonstrated success in leading cross functional teams and collaborating with others • Ability to influence cross-functional partners without direct authority • Self-starter with the ability to work independently • Demonstrated curiosity, learning agility, and bias for action • Exceptional analytical capabilities • Strategic thinker with growth mindset • Thrives in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced work environment with a high level of ambiguity and change • Ability to prioritize work and effectively manage multiple priorities with a sense of urgency • Excellent presentation and storytelling skills with the ability to translate complex data into compelling business recommendations Travel Requirements: • Occasional travel to business meetings and/or company locations may be required Physical Demands and Work Environment: • Repetitive use of hands/fingers and ability to operate standard office equipment • Sedentary position with occasional light to moderate lifting when working in an office environment • Ability to sit for extended periods of time while working at desk, with occasional standing or walking • Requires close visual acuity to work on a computer and/or viewing data • Work performed in an office environment where temperatures variations and noise levels are minimal