Associate Brand Manager, Innovation (Contract)

Who We Are  

At Lindt, we are a global fast-growing consumer goods company, enchanting the world with premium chocolate. Our passion for excellence drives us and go the extra mile ensuring that every Lindt experience is nothing short of exceptional. Our collective efforts are geared towards making a positive impact, not only in the world of premium chocolate but also in the lives of our employees, customers, and communities. Our company embraces a culture defined by the core values of Excellence, Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Responsibility, and Collaboration, fostering a dynamic and collaborative environment where these principles drive our success.

Position Purpose:

The Associate Brand Manager (Innovation) will help manage and grow the Innovation Pipeline for Lindt USA. This position will be responsible for monitoring category trends and tracking that will help inform the target areas pursued for Innovation. They will also support the execution of projects by collaborating cross-functionally (locally and with international colleagues) to develop and support new projects and brands launched for development in the USA or imported from international colleagues to achieve the overall goals of the outlined Lindt USA Innovation strategy.

This is a hybrid role that requires three days per week in our Stratham, NH or Boston, MA corporate office.

Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities:

Marketing Strategy

• Leverage working knowledge of consumer, category, and brand to continually identify and develop innovation opportunities that deliver against the global brand strategy and the company's business and marketing objectives.
• Support the development of a process to identify partnerships and collaborations that are aligned with the Lindt brand’s strategy which will enable us to expand awareness through working with them

Brand Development

• Assist in the development of 360 campaign tactics and support tools for new brands and products being launched

Product/Portfolio Management

• Evaluate product portfolio and the marketplace and make recommendations for new product launches and product improvements to ensure Lindt & Sprüngli’s growth and brand equity in the marketplace.
• Drive the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) process for assigned brand(s); Secure and engage cross-functional support to meet required deliverables in a timely manner.
• Analyze market potentials on an ongoing basis for existing and new products and develop competitive concepts to ensure the long-term, profitable growth of Lindt (USA).
• Analyze viability and profit/sales potential for new segments, markets, and consumers.

Critical Thinking/Research Analysis

• Conduct routine analysis of the brand, key initiative, competition, category, customer and consumer. Synthesize key findings and indications which enhance brand and company performance on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
• Lead and assist with insight-gathering research that collects consumer and competitive knowledge that can be utilized to determine the

Cross-Functional Support

• Work with Project Management teams to ensure new projects are launched on time and all projects are meeting key timeline deliverables
• Engage with operations, packaging and product development to understand the individual project needs to

Qualifications & Requirements:

Skills & Knowledge:

• Exceptional analytical, communication, and presentation skills
• Excellent collaborative and negotiation skills with ability to build productive business relationships cross-functionally within the organization and outside of the organization with agency partners
• Assertive self-starter with ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines
• Curiosity and the ability to operate in ambiguity
• Strong record of complex project management with multi-disciplinary teams
• Ability to prioritize and effectively measure and drive for results in an entrepreneurial work environment

Education:

• Bachelor's degree required
• MBA preferred