Associate Brand Manager - Innovation at King Arthur Baking Company in White River Junction, VT

Job description

• The Position: The Associate Brand Manager – Innovation supports the development and execution of innovation initiatives that advance King Arthur’s growth objectives. This role leads Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) innovation projects and other close-in new product opportunities, from concept through commercialization, and partners cross-functionally with Product Development, Operations, Finance, Sales, Brand Marketing, Editorial, Digital, Shopper Marketing, and Direct-to-Consumer teams to execute innovation initiatives, develop commercialization plans, and bring new products and experiences to market. This role leverages consumer, category, and marketplace insights to identify opportunities, support innovation pipeline development, and recommend actions that drive growth.

Responsibilities

• Leads assigned Direct-to-Consumer and close-in innovation initiatives, including product development, commercialization planning, launch execution, and post-launch evaluation.
• Analyzes consumer, category, sales, and syndicated data to identify opportunities and generate actionable insights.
• Supports development of the innovation pipeline through concept generation, opportunity evaluation, and refinement of product and experience ideas; develops and maintains a strong understanding of consumer needs, market trends, competitive activity, and category performance.
• Manages project timelines, deliverables, and stakeholder communication to ensure successful execution of assigned initiatives.
• Develops project briefs, business recommendations, launch materials, and cross-functional communications for assigned projects.
• Partners with Product Development, Packaging, Operations, Finance, and Commercial teams to bring innovation concepts to market.
• Partners with Direct-to-Consumer, Digital, Content, and Editorial teams to develop and execute launch plans that support growth within owned channels.
• Facilitates communication and alignment among cross-functional stakeholders to achieve project milestones and commercialization objectives.
• Monitors launch performance and gathers consumer, sales, and marketplace feedback to identify opportunities for optimization.
• Supports forecasting and post-launch assessment activities and recommends actions to inform future products, launches, and innovation initiatives.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required, MBA a plus.
• One or more years of experience in Brand Management, Marketing, Innovation, Consumer Insights, Category Management, or a related business function.
• Experience in consumer-packaged goods (CPG) preferred
• General understanding of sales and marketing of consumer products; food industry experience preferred.
• Demonstrated project management skills including experience navigating fast-paced timelines
• Proficiency in syndicated data sources such as Nielsen, Circana/IRI, and/or SPINS preferred. Ability to pull insights from data.
• Track record of strong collaboration as a member of, or leader of, a team.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office Suit, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Analytical Skills and Business Understanding: Observes, researches, and interprets consumer, customer, category, sales, syndicated, and marketplace information to identify trends and develop actionable recommendations. Applies an understanding of consumer-product sales, marketing, pricing, profitability, and channel dynamics to assigned innovation initiatives.
• Project Management and Attention to Detail: Coordinates assigned innovation and commercialization initiatives by maintaining clear plans, timelines, responsibilities, and priorities. Maintains accurate product information, project documentation, and deliverables while supporting timely execution.
• Communication, Presentation, and Collaboration: Communicates project plans, insights, recommendations, and performance updates clearly through written materials, presentations, and cross-functional discussions. Builds productive relationships and facilitates alignment among internal teams and external partners.
• Problem Solving and Agility - Identifies project and execution risks, evaluates alternatives, and develops practical solutions. Adapts to changing timelines, project needs, and business priorities while maintaining progress.
• Ownership and Initiative - Demonstrates accountability for assigned brands and projects, proactively identifies opportunities, and independently moves work forward within established priorities and decision authority.

Skills

Required

• Project management
• Collaboration
• Analytical skills
• Communication
• Problem solving
• Agility
• Ownership and initiative

Preferred

• Food industry experience

Benefits

• The Benefits: Yes, we have the standard "stuff" - medical, dental, vision, company paid short- and long-term disability, life insurance, paid parental leave, paid time off to rest, paid holidays to have fun, a 401(k) with a company match. But here's what makes us different: 40 paid volunteer hours a year, profit sharing*, participation in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)* and knowing that those working with you are dedicated and engaged co-employee owners that believe in you and your extraordinary abilities to move us all forward.
• The Pay: $82,000 to $110,800 annual salary; commensurate with experience.