Brand Manager, Flavored Malt Beverage RTD - Chicago or NYC

At Suntory Global Spirits, we craft spirits of the highest quality and deliver brilliant experiences to people around the world. Suntory Global Spirits has evolved into the world's third largest leading premium spirits company ... where each employee is treated like family and trusted with legacy. With our greatest assets - our premium spirits and our people - we're driving growth through impactful marketing, innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit. Suntory Global Spirits is a place where you can come Unleash your Spirit by making an impact each and every day.

What makes this a great opportunity?

• The alc/bev industry is an exciting, dynamic, and fast-paced business. Suntory Global Spirits is a top player in the spirits business and focused on becoming a top player within the Ready to Drink category, capturing new consumers and occasions not currently being serviced by our full bottle strength spirit brands in our key markets. Key to this ambition is winning in Flavored Malt Beverages (FMBs)
• This individual will serve as an integral part of the North America RTD team, driving growth in an exciting category with the opportunity to shape SGS’s long-term ambitions in the Ready to Drink Space in the US
• Notably, the individual will be an integral part of the team defining what success looks like in the FMB market, as well as building the playbook on how to achieve it
• Play a key role in leadership, development and implementation of strategic marketing on SGS’s new to the world FMB brands, ensuring we advance our long-term brand and portfolio journey and deliver key assets and strategies needed to recruit new consumers and achieve RTD ambitions.

This role may be performed in the Chicago or NYC office.

Role Responsibilities

Assist the Flavored Malt Beverage (FMB) brand team with the creation of short and long-term strategic marketing objectives, strategies, and asset development for our New to the World (NTW) FMB brands, enabling the North America commercial organization to deliver against volume, sales and profit growth objectives each year. 

Business Analytics:
• Assist with analyzing key business metrics (depletions, distribution, velocity, Nielsen/ consumption, pricing, profit, etc). Prepare analysis and make recommendations for action.
• Help lead budget management and forecasting process, including ROI evaluation.
• Assist with strategic and annual brand planning by leading the key elements of plan and working with our Local Teams to build locally relevant and actionable marketing plans.
• Help lead post-activation deep dives, identifying if KPIs were met, what worked, what did not, and what can be improved.

Project Management:
• Support brand planning and concept creation for programming, including Experiential, Sampling, On and Off Premise POS and asset development, including assisting with development of creative briefs, effectively managing timelines, establishing KPIs to measure success and ensuring all programs are in alignment with national brand strategies.
• Collaborate with cross-functionals and agency partners to identify and develop media and partnership opportunities relevant in local markets, develop recommendations, and execute plans.
• Ensure field, distributors, and other key cross functionals are aware of and bought into plans, including sourcing proactive opinions to share planning. 
• Oversee end-to-end commercialization projects for Masterbrand product/package updates in Planisware(commercialization) system. 
• Organize annual brand planning process ensuring that key deliverables are met in a timeline manner.

Brand Stewardship:
• Facilitate exchange of information (competitive, regional insights, inventory, etc.) and stay abreast of brand needs with regular touchpoints with local teams to ensure plans are created in adherence to brand led, market fed strategy. This includes informing the central team about interesting developments in the FMB and wider alc/ bev world
• Develop trade promotion materials (sell sheets, education materials, etc.)
• Build relationships with cross-functional partners, including Innovation, Insights, Finance, PR, and local field teams, etc.

Qualifications

• 2-4 years of consumer marketing or brand/commercial strategy experience; RTD/beer strongly experience preferred
• Experience in field sales or field marketing preferred
• BA required
• Demonstrated ability to turn brand guidelines and concepts into actionable programs that excite consumers
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to perform structured financial analysis, turning data into actionable insights and recommendations
• Proven ability to lead and execute projects that align with overall strategy
• Strong project management experience, including budget management
• Ability to work in a complex environment with many stakeholders
• Experience working collaboratively across functions
• Experience working cross-culturally and/or desire to learn about different cultures
• Ability to collaborate with agencies and other stakeholders to bring ideas from briefing to planning to execution
• Ability to work independently and in a fast-paced environment under pressure / time constraints
• Knowledge of the alc/ bev industry, particularly the three-tier system and distributor partnerships
• Willingness to travel to pilot markets as needed (up to 20[AT%)

The salary range for this role is $120,000 to $140,000 along with an annual bonus, 401K match, profit sharing, and medical and wellness benefits. The salary range is commensurate with the candidate’s location, experience, and skillset. 

While relocation, immigration, and/or tax compliance support are not guaranteed, we may offer assistance to successful candidates depending on factors such as role requirements in accordance with company guidelines.

At Suntory Global Spirits, people are our number one priority, and we believe our people grow together in diverse and inclusive environments where their unique insights, experiences and backgrounds are valued and respected. Suntory Global Spirits is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, military veteran status and all other characteristics, attributes or choices protected by law. All recruitment and hiring decisions are based on an applicant’s skills and experience.