Senior Manager, Brand Strategy & Innovation - Nathans Brand

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THE VALUE YOU’LL BRING:

The position summary states the general nature and purpose of the job. Overall accountabilities are defined in this section.

The Senior Manager, Brand Strategy & Innovation , will serve as the strategic business leader responsible for driving profitable growth, brand equity, innovation and commercialization across the Nathan’s Famous retail portfolio. This role will lead marketing strategy development with a keen focus on product innovation, packaging development, retail promotion, advertising and creative production, and brand partnerships to drive brand relevance, consideration and conversion. This role will lead the development and execution of annual and long-range brand plans, ensuring all initiatives are rooted in consumer insights, aligned with business objectives, and designed to win at retail. As a key member of the Marketing Team, you will work cross-functionally with Business Management, Sales, Finance, R&D, Supply Chain, Legal, Shopper Marketing and external agency partners to deliver breakthrough innovation, compelling consumer communications, and best-in-class commercial execution.

Given the unique nature of the Nathan’s business, this role may also partner with Nathan’s licensing and franchise stakeholders to identify opportunities that leverage the iconic restaurant heritage of the brand, ensuring consistency and alignment across consumer touchpoints.

WHAT YOU’LL DO:

The below statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. May perform other duties as assigned.

Brand Strategy & Business Leadership:

Lead development of annual brand plans and long-range strategic growth initiatives that drive sustainable sales, profit and market share growth.

Own brand P&L performance and partner closely with Finance, Business Management and Sales to deliver business objectives.

Analyze category, consumer, customer and competitive trends to identify growth opportunities and business risks.

Establish clear brand positioning, strategic priorities and performance metrics that guide decision-making across the organization.

Present recommendations and business updates to senior leadership and business partners with confidence and influence.

Consumer Insights & Innovation:

Champion a consumer-first mindset across all aspects of the business.

Translate consumer insights, market trends and emerging food culture into actionable growth strategies.

Lead innovation pipeline development from ideation through commercialization, including new products, packaging, flavor platforms and brand experience.

Partner with R&D, Operations, Sales and Shopper teams to bring innovation concepts to market successfully, as well as to optimize / renovate existing products as needed.

Ensure innovation initiatives align with consumer needs, retailer priorities and financial objectives while protecting Nathan’s brand health and positioning.

Commercialization & Retail Excellence:

Partner with Sales, Category Management, Shopper and Customer teams to develop compelling retail activation strategies.

Ensure brand plans translate effectively into customer selling stories, merchandising programs and retail execution.

Collaborate on customer presentations, retailer-specific opportunities, and commercialization plans.

Nathan’s Brand Stewardship & Franchise Collaboration:

Serve as steward of the Nathan’s brand, ensuring consistency across all consumer-facing touchpoints.

Collaborate with Nathan’s licensing partners and franchise stakeholders to identify opportunities that leverage restaurant equity and iconic brand heritage.

Partner with franchise and foodservice teams to understand restaurant operations, menu innovation, consumer trends and back-of-house considerations that may influence retail opportunities.

Evaluate opportunities to strengthen connections between the retail and restaurant experiences to drive brand growth.

Team Leadership & Talent Development:

Manage and develop direct reports, providing coaching, feedback and career development support.

Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.

Lead efforts to modernize and elevate the Nathan’s brand with younger consumers while preserving and leveraging the brand’s iconic heritage, authenticity and restaurant equity.

Develop organizational capability by mentoring junior marketers and cross-functional team members.

Lead with a growth mindset and contribute positively to Smithfield Foods’ high-performance culture.

Work with leadership and agency partners to develop the annual marketing plan and create sales tools (imagery, videos, sell sheets, POS).

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure accurate, consistent product information and reduce errors.

Sales Support & Leadership:

Lead legal approval of materials and customized sales presentations.

Drive strategic initiatives in meetings with Business Management and Sales.

Enhanced understanding of P&L and its impact on marketing, while attending customer presentations to foster a customer-focused approach.

Advertising and Promotional Management:

Lead development and execution of integrated marketing campaigns that build brand equity, drive consumer engagement and deliver measurable business results.

Develop annual communications strategies and consumer marketing plans aligned with brand objectives, growth initiatives, and key selling seasons.

Partner with internal and external agency teams to create breakthrough creative campaigns across paid, owned, earned and shopper marketing channels.

Manage agency relationships, including creative, media, public relations, social, experiential and influencer partners.

Oversee development of advertising assets, promotional programs, packaging communications, and content that reinforce the Nathan’s brand positioning and drive consumer consideration.

Collaborate with Sales and Shopper Marketing teams to develop customer-specific activation programs that translate brand strategy into retail execution.

Identify and manage potential partnerships to support brand growth.

Leadership : Drives a positive employee experience through leadership by way of employee development and coaching.

WHAT WE’RE SEEKING:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions.

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Marketing or related field and 8+ years of relevant experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience, required.

2+ years of demonstrated experience in team management/development or project leadership is required.

8+ years of progressive brand management or marketing experience within a CPG, Food Manufacturer or QSR / Restaurant organization.

Demonstrated