Novus Foods
Overview
The Senior Director of Brand Development will lead the strategy and execution for our Dips, Spreads, Seafood, and Dessert categories. Reporting to the VP of Commercial Strategy, this role is responsible for building long-term brand equity, efficient portfolio management, driving category growth, and shaping consumer engagement through differentiated brand strategies and innovation partnerships. The Senior Director will lead a team of brand managers, ensuring alignment across functions and providing strong leadership to accelerate performance and deliver against business objectives.
The ideal candidate is a strategic, growth-oriented leader with deep CPG and brand management experience, and a proven ability to translate consumer insights into successful brand and innovation strategies.
Duties and Responsibilities Brand Development & Strategy
Define and lead brand visions, identities, positioning, architecture, and long-term development plans across Salsa, Hummus, Dips, Seafood, and Desserts.
Ensure all current and prospective brands have a clear and differentiated role within the portfolio for both the business and end consumers.
Build consumer-driven growth strategies that deliver sustainable revenue, margin improvement, and market share gains.
Act as the champion for category and consumer insights to influence decision-making across the business.
Leverage insights to identify key occasions, messaging platforms, and product opportunities that align with brand and business objectives.
Develop and implement integrated brand strategies across all stages of the consumer journey, with a focus on driving awareness, household penetration, repeat purchase, and brand advocacy.
Define and evolve core consumer profiles across brands to guide innovation, messaging, and portfolio management.
Team Leadership & Development
Lead, coach, and develop a team of brand managers and associates, fostering a culture of accountability, creativity, and results.
Set clear expectations, provide ongoing feedback, and build capabilities within the team.
Establish consistent frameworks and brand measurement tools that allow the organization to assess overall portfolio and individual brand performance against net revenue, trade efficiency, distribution, awareness, and repeat.
Monitor market trends, consumer behavior shifts, and competitive activity across relevant categories. Translate insights into actionable strategies to ensure brand relevance and differentiation.
Innovation & Portfolio Growth
Partner with the Innovation and Insights teams from ideation through commercialization, ensuring innovations are grounded in consumer needs, category opportunities, and business realities.
Collaborate with R&D, Operations, and Sales to bring consumer-driven innovation and packaging solutions to market.
Optimize the existing portfolio through margin enhancement, pack architecture, and brand renovations.
Own the development and execution of product positioning and go-to-market strategies for new product innovations and channel expansions.
Integrated Marketing Execution
Oversee creative strategy and execution of brand identities, messaging, packaging design, and campaigns (National & Regional), including management of creative partnerships and vendors.
Direct consumer-facing programs including promotions, advertising, and campaigns that build brand awareness and drive trial.
Partner with Omni-Channel Marketing to ensure seamless execution across shopper, retail media, and digital touchpoints.
Business & Financial Management
Full P&L accountability for assigned categories, ensuring financial targets are achieved.
Lead annual brand planning, budget development, and resource allocation to maximize ROI.
Track and deliver against business measures including net revenue, trade investment, margin before G&A, distribution, household penetration, awareness, and repeat purchase.
Analyze syndicated data and custom research to monitor performance, identify gaps, and adapt strategies accordingly.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner with Sales and Category Management to develop compelling retailer strategies and sell-in stories.
Work closely with Finance & Commercial Operations on pricing, trade strategy, and portfolio optimization.
Serve as a key advisor to the VP of Commercial Strategy and senior leadership team.
Qualifications & Experience Education
Bachelor’s degree required; MBA strongly preferred.
Professional Experience
10–12 years of progressive marketing/brand management experience in CPG, with at least 5 years in senior leadership roles.
Proven success in brand development, innovation partnership, and portfolio management across multiple categories.
Demonstrated track record of leading teams, driving profitable growth, and building brand equity.
Experience with P&L ownership, budget oversight, and managing external agencies.
Skills & Competencies
Visionary thinker with the ability to connect strategy to execution.
Strong leadership and team-building skills with experience developing high-performing talent.
Analytical mindset with fluency in translating data into insights and strategies.
Excellent communicator and influencer with strong presentation skills.
Thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced, and entrepreneurial environment.
Proficient in Microsoft 365 Suite of Products.
Experience using Syndicated, Retailer, and Panel data.
Travel
Up to 25–30% travel for key customer meetings, research, and agency collaboration.
Supervisory Responsibility
Direct responsibility for managing the Brand Development team, with 3–6 direct reports.
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The ideal candidate is a strategic, growth-oriented leader with deep CPG and brand management experience, and a proven ability to translate consumer insights into successful brand and innovation strategies.
Duties and Responsibilities Brand Development & Strategy
Define and lead brand visions, identities, positioning, architecture, and long-term development plans across Salsa, Hummus, Dips, Seafood, and Desserts.
Ensure all current and prospective brands have a clear and differentiated role within the portfolio for both the business and end consumers.
Build consumer-driven growth strategies that deliver sustainable revenue, margin improvement, and market share gains.
Act as the champion for category and consumer insights to influence decision-making across the business.
Leverage insights to identify key occasions, messaging platforms, and product opportunities that align with brand and business objectives.
Develop and implement integrated brand strategies across all stages of the consumer journey, with a focus on driving awareness, household penetration, repeat purchase, and brand advocacy.
Define and evolve core consumer profiles across brands to guide innovation, messaging, and portfolio management.
Team Leadership & Development
Lead, coach, and develop a team of brand managers and associates, fostering a culture of accountability, creativity, and results.
Set clear expectations, provide ongoing feedback, and build capabilities within the team.
Establish consistent frameworks and brand measurement tools that allow the organization to assess overall portfolio and individual brand performance against net revenue, trade efficiency, distribution, awareness, and repeat.
Monitor market trends, consumer behavior shifts, and competitive activity across relevant categories. Translate insights into actionable strategies to ensure brand relevance and differentiation.
Innovation & Portfolio Growth
Partner with the Innovation and Insights teams from ideation through commercialization, ensuring innovations are grounded in consumer needs, category opportunities, and business realities.
Collaborate with R&D, Operations, and Sales to bring consumer-driven innovation and packaging solutions to market.
Optimize the existing portfolio through margin enhancement, pack architecture, and brand renovations.
Own the development and execution of product positioning and go-to-market strategies for new product innovations and channel expansions.
Integrated Marketing Execution
Oversee creative strategy and execution of brand identities, messaging, packaging design, and campaigns (National & Regional), including management of creative partnerships and vendors.
Direct consumer-facing programs including promotions, advertising, and campaigns that build brand awareness and drive trial.
Partner with Omni-Channel Marketing to ensure seamless execution across shopper, retail media, and digital touchpoints.
Business & Financial Management
Full P&L accountability for assigned categories, ensuring financial targets are achieved.
Lead annual brand planning, budget development, and resource allocation to maximize ROI.
Track and deliver against business measures including net revenue, trade investment, margin before G&A, distribution, household penetration, awareness, and repeat purchase.
Analyze syndicated data and custom research to monitor performance, identify gaps, and adapt strategies accordingly.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Partner with Sales and Category Management to develop compelling retailer strategies and sell-in stories.
Work closely with Finance & Commercial Operations on pricing, trade strategy, and portfolio optimization.
Serve as a key advisor to the VP of Commercial Strategy and senior leadership team.
Qualifications & Experience Education
Bachelor’s degree required; MBA strongly preferred.
Professional Experience
10–12 years of progressive marketing/brand management experience in CPG, with at least 5 years in senior leadership roles.
Proven success in brand development, innovation partnership, and portfolio management across multiple categories.
Demonstrated track record of leading teams, driving profitable growth, and building brand equity.
Experience with P&L ownership, budget oversight, and managing external agencies.
Skills & Competencies
Visionary thinker with the ability to connect strategy to execution.
Strong leadership and team-building skills with experience developing high-performing talent.
Analytical mindset with fluency in translating data into insights and strategies.
Excellent communicator and influencer with strong presentation skills.
Thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced, and entrepreneurial environment.
Proficient in Microsoft 365 Suite of Products.
Experience using Syndicated, Retailer, and Panel data.
Travel
Up to 25–30% travel for key customer meetings, research, and agency collaboration.
Supervisory Responsibility
Direct responsibility for managing the Brand Development team, with 3–6 direct reports.
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