Job Description

The Opportunity:

As one of the only CPG companies to be headquartered in Canada, a marketing career at Maple Leaf offers you a unique opportunity to develop strategies and act as the general manager of a business, rather than work at a satellite office.  The Category Marketing Manager owns developing and executing growth strategies anchored in deep understanding of 3Cs (Consumer/Customer, Competitors, Company) and 4 Ps (Product, Price, Promotion, Placement) inclusive of 1-3-year innovation pipeline.  This position needs to balance creative skills with critical thinking, project management, and performance measurement.  The successful candidate will be someone who wants to build a career in CPG marketing and brings a passion for getting things done.

Any MLF team member interested in being considered for this role are encouraged to apply online by September 07. Applications received beyond that date are not guaranteed consideration.

Reason for vacancy:  Existing Headcount 
Compensation:   $96,000 - $141,000 CAD base pay annually plus annual short-term incentive

The above compensation reflects the target compensation for the position at the time of posting. The base salary offered may vary based on a variety of factors including skills, experience, education, training, job- related knowledge, and other organizational requirements. For part-time roles, salaries are adjusted according to scheduled hours.  In addition to base salary, this role is eligible to participate in Maple Leaf's annual short-term incentive plan. 

Snapshot of a Day-in-the-Life:

• Develop and execute category strategies that capitalize on our brand positions to drive channel growth and share gains.
• Develop consumer-centric innovation to address consumer pain points, and lead the commercialization of new product innovations, working with cross-functional stakeholders including product development, finance, revenue management, operations, packaging, graphics, & purchasing to ensure successful, on-time launches.
• Initiate category specific brand management and communication in collaboration with Brand team.
• Partner with Revenue Management lead to ensure price and promotional strategies are optimized.
• Work closely with Sales to understand and execute against specific customer strategies or tactics to build category growth and brand share.
• Forge strong partnerships with operations and supply chain to effectively maximize demand with capacity, particularly during peak season demand.
• Consistently leverage data and develop insights from Nielsen and internal data sources to provide category share and financial reporting and analysis for the category, including weekly, monthly, and annual rhythms as well as ad hoc analyses.
• Analyze brands, markets, and competitive trends and recommend suitable actions.
• Participate in MLF's annual budgeting and five-year planning process

What You'll Bring:

• Bachelor's Degree plus track record of results within a CPG environment.
• Must be proactive and performance driven, have a bias for action and be able to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment with the ability to adapt easily to changing market dynamics.
• Experience managing a large complex business with a proven success in market with brand management.
• A strong team player, mentor and coach to cross-functional team members with well-developed "people interaction" skill set.
• Competency requirements:
• Commercial Acumen and P&L Management - Solid understanding of key drivers of the P&L with ability to recommend changes required to move the business forward. 
• Critical Thinking and Insights - Able to analyze and draw conclusions and insights from internal & external data sources demonstrated through building, tracking, and course correcting business plans to achieve targets.
• Agility and Effectiveness - Able to stay focused on driving key business priorities in a dynamic business environment.
• Sales Knowledge and Connectivity - Demonstrate understanding of customer strategies and motivations and applies accordingly to marketing planning process & initiative execution.
• Leadership and Influence - Skilled in mobilizing and motivating cross functional teams to achieve commercial objectives.
• Strategic Leadership - Demonstrate big picture thinking with an ability to clearly articulate a strategic direction, justified with sound fact-based rationale. Sells ideas and recommendations to management convincingly.

What We Offer at Maple Leaf Foods:

• Being part of a high-performance, people-focused company that has an inspiring and unique vision to become the most sustainable protein company on earth, and a deep commitment to sustainable protein across North America.
• An inclusive company culture and a work environment that keeps our people safe, rewards excellence, and empowers everyone to learn and contribute their best. 
• Competitive Health and Wellness benefits that offer flexibility to meet your individual or family needs, including programs focused on improving mental health and wellbeing. These benefits start on your first day of employment.
• Defined Contribution Pension Plan with company matching that starts on your first day of employment.
• Learning and development opportunities, including workshops, 'speaker series' events, and resources that allow you to develop your skills and progress your career.
• Comprehensive tuition reimbursement program that supports continuous learning and development of our team members through investment in eligible degrees, diplomas, professional certification, or trades programs.
• Supporting our deep commitment to community impact, we offer up to two paid days annually to volunteer at a cause of your choice.