Job Summary
The Brand Manager - DreamBone & SmartBones (US and Canada) owns the strategic direction, growth execution, and P&L performance for our industry-leading rawhide alternative portfolios. As two of the powerhouse brands in our pet treats division, DreamBone holds the #1 alternative rawhide position in Food, Drug, and Mass (FDM) channels, while SmartBones is the #1 alternative rawhide brand in Pet Specialty.

While both are highly established, market-leading brands, they are experiencing active growth with immense runway for continued success. This role is responsible for leading the development and execution of annual brand plans, driving high-impact innovation pipelines, managing multi-million dollar portfolios, and collaborating cross-functionally to expand market share, protect category leadership, and deliver top- and bottom-line growth.

This position includes direct people leadership, with responsibility for managing, mentoring, and developing one direct report who will own the day-to-day management of the SmartBones brand under this Brand Manager's strategic oversight and mentorship.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities
Brand Planning & Execution

• Lead the annual brand planning process, establishing strategic priorities, commercial objectives, and high-growth KPIs for the rawhide alternative portfolio.
• Collaborate with Sales, Finance, and Operations to align launch strategies, commercial whitespace mapping, and distribution targets.
• Partner with Brand Activation to create dynamic DCX briefs for eCommerce assets that drive high-velocity trial, brand awareness, and digital conversion.

Portfolio & Product Management

• Own lifecycle management, including SKU rationalization and performance tracking to reduce complexity and protect margin.
• Partner with R&D, Packaging, and Supply Chain to deliver cost-optimized products on time and within budget.
• Support pack architecture and pricing initiatives that drive operational efficiency.
• Ensure alignment with regulatory, tariff, etc. requirements through diligent cross-functional collaboration.

Consumer & Market Insights

• Translate consumer, category, and competitive data (Nielsen, Numerator) into powerful, actionable insights that defend and grow our #1 market share positions.
• Stay ahead of evolving pet trends, ingredient innovations, and consumer health preferences to identify emerging whitespace opportunities in the alternative rawhide category.
• Oversee consumer research, packaging testing, and sensory testing to validate product concepts and marketing messages.

Project & Budget Management

• Support budget tracking, vendor management, and reporting to ensure efficient use of resources.
• Commercial Strategy & Retail Execution
• Support implementation of pricing, promotion, and distribution strategies to maximize profitability.
• Ensure excellence in in-store and online retail execution, maintaining brand and message consistency across channels.
• Financial & P&L Support
• Contribute to achieving a healthy brand P&L across revenue, gross margin, and contribution margin metrics.
• Analyze performance and recommend actions to maintain profitability across the rawhide alternative brands

People Leadership, Mentorship & Brand Oversight

• Supervise, mentor, and actively develop one direct report providing ongoing coaching, professional development, and strategic guidance.
• Provide strategic oversight for the SmartBones brand, empowering your direct report to drive its day-to-day operations, commercial execution, and brand maintenance while maintaining ultimate accountability for its performance.
• Review, refine, and approve marketing assets, retail pitches, and key initiatives developed by your direct report to ensure brand consistency and strategic alignment.
• Foster an environment of accountability, strategic thinking, and high performance, helping your direct report navigate complex cross-functional challenges.

Education and Experience Profile

• 7+ years of brand or product management experience (CPG or related industry preferred).
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and complex project timelines.
• Prior experience managing, mentoring, or formally coaching direct reports is highly preferred; must have a strong desire to develop junior marketing talent.

Required Skills

• Proven track record of managing high-equity, market-leading brands ($50M+ portfolios preferred) with a history of driving growth in highly competitive categories.
• Extensive experience leading end-to-end new product development (NPD) launches from ideation to retail shelf.
• Demonstrated mastery of syndicated data systems (Nielsen, IRI, Numerator) and translating analytics into commercial growth strategies.
• Strong financial acumen with deep experience managing a brand P&L, forecasting, pricing elasticity, and margin optimization.
• Outstanding leadership, collaboration, and executive presentation skills; comfortable commanding room attention during internal executive alignments and strategic retail customer meetings.
• An energetic passion for the pet category and a desire to champion the world's leading rawhide alternative brands.

Work Environment
Working conditions are normal for an office environment and include opportunity for a hybrid work model (remote/in-person). We are dog friendly, and work in office Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday each week.

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this job/classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities, and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.