Marketing Manager, Chocolate Brands (merci, Toffifay, Knoppers)

Job Description

Job Description

Description:

Storck is a privately owned, family-managed company with a proud heritage of crafting high-quality confections enjoyed by millions around the world. With iconic brands including Werther's Original, Mamba, Merci, Toffifay, Riesen and Knoppers, Storck has built a reputation as a global leader rooted in strong values and a passion for excellence. Our U.S. business unit plays a critical role in bringing these beloved brands to life across one of our most dynamic markets, while partnering closely with customers, leveraging data-driven insights, and fostering a culture of collaboration, performance, and growth. Joining Storck means becoming part of a company that combines the stability and integrity of a family business with the energy and ambition of a forward-thinking organization. 

General Summary: Generate, plan, implement, and optimize brand strategies to drive brand growth in the US Market across a portfolio of three highly successful global Chocolate brands (merci, Toffifay, Knoppers). This position is responsible for the development and implementation of marketing plans to drive volume and profitability both individually and through leading cross-functional teams. Four to six years of related experience, and consumer packaged goods experience required. This role has P&L ownership over portfolio (3) brands. The ideal candidate is self-starter, detail-oriented, analytical, and team player who thrives in a collaborative environment and has a passion for building consumer brands.

Supervisory Responsibilities: This role is not currently responsible for the direct supervision of employees. Future organizational needs may result in the addition of people leadership responsibilities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities: 

Develop annual marketing plans including brand objectives, strategies and tactics, volume sales budgets and marketing expense budgets, which integrate overall brand and company objectives and illustrate a strong understanding of brand strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the marketplace. 

Effectively communicate brand objectives, strategies, and tactics to sales organization, gaining buy-in to brand and portfolio strategies. Actively seek and pursue opportunities for growth by translating brand insights and consumption, market research, competitive intel, company priorities and capabilities and into actions that lead to building brand awareness, trial of brand and products, and company growth. 

Lead the development of brand performance analyses and reports; proactively identify issues and translate into actions/opportunities. Examples include:

• Brand performance updates
• Media performance
• Competitive analysis
• Financial performance
• Situation Analysis (Product, Placement, Promotion, Pricing, Consumer, Competition)
• SWOT Analysis (strength, weakness, threat, opportunities)

Manage or supervise management of brand forecasts and marketing expense budgets including development of forecasting and tracking models for brands that are relevant for management decisions and integrate Circana data, factory shipments, retailer specific data, and financial information.

Identify, develop, evaluate, and monitor new product line extensions on existing brands or potential for new brands in the US market to proactively identify new product opportunities. Collaborate with cross-functional teams including International Marketing, Insights, Sales, Business Activation, Finance, and local Supply Chain to drive sustainable, profitable, growth on 3 of the largest chocolate brands in Europe.

Develop go-to-market plans and generate customer specific programs to establish brand and products in the US and within key retailers. 

Manage the communication and advertising development process including management of the strategic and creative agency, media buying agency and assessment of creative and media proposals to develop compelling brand support plans. 

Effectively manage marketing suppliers including packaging, promotion, merchandising and marketing agencies including:

• Developing objectives and creative briefs
• Reviewing proposals
• Assessing performance
• Monitoring deliverables

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Fulfill Storck Values: Sense of Belonging, Passion, and Growth
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements:

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

• Passion for the consumer
• Solid knowledge of Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
• Knowledge of syndicated scanner data (e.g., Circana, Nielsen) preferred
• Excellent problem solving ability with demonstrated experience managing situations through facts and data in order to recommend and/or make business decisions
• Strong analytical aptitude with a proven ability to analyze and interpret data
• Strong communication skills with the ability to adapt to different levels and communication requirements of the internal organization
• Energetic, proactive, and action oriented individual; Creative idea generator
• Consumer/business curiosity; Customer focused mindset
• Desire to learn from International brand success

Education and Experience: 

• Bachelor’s Degree required; MBA degree with emphasis in Marketing preferred.
• Four to six+ years progressive experience in fast moving consumer goods industry
• Experience in a role leading the development of new or existing products or strategies from conception to implementation
• Experience developing and implementing marketing plans and strategies, specifically including emerging/new product development/launches, managing marketing initiatives including market research, consumer and trade promotions, packaging, advertising and selling materials/presentations.
• Experience planning and executing non-traditional (e.g., “guerilla” or grass roots) marketing tactics is a plus.
• Experience developing national advertising campaigns including management of advertising development and media plans. 
• Cross-cultural awareness and sensitivity; experience working with Global/International business preferred
• Project Management experience required
• Excellent problem-solving ability with demonstrated experience managing situations through facts and data in order to recommend and/or make business decisions
• Strong analytical aptitude with a proven ability to analyze and interpret data
• Strong communication skills with the ability to adapt to different levels and communication requirements of the internal organization

Working Conditions: Hybrid Work Model, including Monday and Friday Work from Home, and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday in normal working conditions for an office environment downtown Chicago, IL.

Other Qualification, Safety Procedures : Must be willing to follow and comply with communicated Company, Travel, and Retailer safety procedures, which may include COVID-19 testing or following other safety procedures in order to attend meetings, travel domestically or internationally, comply with Retail Partner safety procedures, and/or follow other workplace health and safety requirements to fulfil job duties. 

Travel: Approximately 5-10%, which potentially includes international travel. 

What We Offer: The salary range for this position is USD $120,000-$135,000 annually at the time of this posting. Pay is based on several factors, including but not limited to position offered, education, skills, work experience, and other factors permitted by law. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This position is also eligible for bonus pay. 

In addition to your salary, Storck offers a comprehensive total rewards package, including a 6% employer 401(k) plan contribution, Health benefits on day 1 including a 100% employer paid option for medical and dental, Hybrid flexible work schedule including reduced Friday hours all year round, Paid maternity/paternity leave, Monthly wellness stipend, and more. This position is also eligible for PTO ranging from 35-45 days based on our Company PTO Policies and paid Sabbaticals ranging from 5-20 days based on tenure. Plus, we can’t forget to mention the supply of delicious candy!!

Additional information regarding the benefits for this position can be found in the Benefits Summary that is available from our Human Resources Department.