Mars Inc

Brand Manager - Special K, NutriGrain

Mars Inc$134K — $184K *
Retail & Consumer Goods
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Undergraduate degree required; MBA preferred with a concentration in Marketing/Business.
  • 5+ years in CPG brand management or relevant marketing roles.
  • Proven experience in building and managing successful brand strategies for growth.
  • Strong analytical skills and financial acumen, particularly in budget management.
  • Skilled in using insights and analytics to drive strategic investment decisions and prioritize objectives.
  • Experience leading cross-functional teams and managing external agencies effectively.
  • Background in developing innovation pipelines from concept to launch.

Responsibilities

  • Own annual strategy and long-term vision for Special K and Nutri-Grain to drive profitable growth.
  • Monitor and assess brand health, translating insights into actionable improvements.
  • Develop and manage a consumer-focused innovation pipeline, spearheading initiatives from ideation to market launch.
  • Collaborate with various internal teams to create and execute integrated marketing communications across all channels.
  • Preserve and enhance brand identity and positioning while ensuring consistent consumer experiences.
  • Oversee brand portfolio management, including financial forecasts and budget alignment with stakeholders.
  • Foster team development and a culture of collaboration and high performance.

Benefits

  • Work with diverse and talented associates guided by core company principles.
  • Join a purpose-driven organization committed to societal impact.
  • Access to learning and development resources from day one, including Mars University.
  • Competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonuses.
Full Job Description
What Are We Looking For?

The Brand Manager, Special K and Nutri-Grain, will lead the strategy and growth agenda for two iconic brands. This role is responsible for holistic strategy and execution across brand stewardship, general management, innovation strategy & execution, and full funnel media. The Brand Manager must be skilled at translating consumer, category, and business insights into integrated plans that build equity, accelerate innovation, and deliver in-market results. The Brand Manager will be responsible for leadership and partnership across cross-functional teams and external agencies as well as for the management and development of their direct team. The right candidate is a proactive, self-starter with a growth mindset, driven to deliver results for the consumer and the business.

Qualifications
  • Undergraduate degree required; MBA is an asset, focus on Marketing/ Business is a plus.
  • 5+ years of CPG brand management, marketing, or other relevant CPG experience.
  • Demonstrated track record of building, activating, and managing brand strategy to deliver consumer and business growth.
  • Strong general management, analytical, and financial skills (including budget management)
  • Demonstrated ability to leverage insights and analytics to inform investment choices, prioritize strategic objectives and maximize results.
  • Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and agency partners in a matrixed environment, aligning stakeholders and driving high-quality execution.
  • Experience developing innovation pipelines and leading initiatives from insight and concept through commercialization and launch.
  • Expertise with full-funnel media and integrated marketing strategy, including optimizing across channels, guiding creative development, and managing external stakeholders
  • Bias for ownership and action, with sound judgment, comfort navigating ambiguity, and the ability to move work forward at pace.
  • Passion and experience with people management is a benefit, including coaching and developing direct or indirect team members.


Key Responsibilities
  • Set the vision: own annual plan and long range strategy for Special K and Nutri-Grain, using consumer, category, competitive, and financial insights to define priorities and deliver sustainable, profitable growth.
  • Monitor brand health and business performance, diagnose opportunities and risks, and convert learning into decisive action and continuous improvement
  • Build and advance a consumer-led innovation and renovation pipeline, develop robust business cases, and lead cross-functional teams through commercialization and launch.
  • Partner across org to develop and deliver integrated communications and media strategies across platforms (example: paid, owned, earned, social, influencer, shopper, and omni-channel) touchpoints; establish clear objectives and optimize based on results.
  • Champion, protect and strengthen each brand's positioning, identity, and distinctive assets while ensuring consistent, relevant execution across consumer and customer experiences.
  • Manage brand performance, portfolio choices, forecasts, budgets, and investment trade-offs in partnership with Brand leadership, Finance, Sales, Insights, Media, Supply, R&D and other key functions.
  • Coach and develop team members where applicable and foster a culture of ownership, collaboration, inclusion, and high standards.


What can you expect from Mars?
  • Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
  • Join a purpose driven company, where we're striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
  • A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
  • An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.


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The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.

The pay range shown is applicable to all US locations listed within the job posting:USD 134,400.00 - USD 184,800.00

About Mars Inc

Mars, Incorporated is an American multinational manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products. It was founded in 1911 and is headquartered in McLean, Virginia. Mars operates in six business segments: Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, and Symbioscience. Some of its most popular brands include M&M's, Snickers, Twix, Milky Way, Skittles, and Pedigree. The company is known for its commitment to sustainability and has set a goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 67% by 2050.
Learn more about Mars Inc
Size
125,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1911

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