Senior Manager, Customer Marketing (Retail/Grocery - East Coast Remote - Travel 40%)

We are hiring Rockstars to join our Sauer Brands team!

• Must be on the food manufacturer side selling into commercial retail center store grocery utilizing data insights and working between brand and sales teams. Unable to consider if you are working at a retailer, food service, K-12, non-commercial, c-stores, beverage, DSD.

Overall Goal of Position:

We are seeking a dynamic, creative and strategic Senior Manager of Customer Marketing to lead the development of customer activation strategies and shopper-driven category plans across our Retail and Away From Home (Food Service) customers.

Job Summary:

This role will lead the critical function of Customer Marketing for the Sauer Brand families (Duke's mayo, Mateo's salsa, Kernal Seasonings, The Spice Hunter) and serve as the primary voice of Sales on the Sauer Brands Management Team. This role will ensure Sauer Brands win at shelf and online through data-driven storytelling, compelling retail programs, and best-in-class execution. The Senior Manager will foster cross-functional collaboration and capability building across the Sales function. This position will report to the VP of Sales Strategy and will be in the Sales Strategy department.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and develop the Customer Marketing functional area
• Build capabilities in customer activation, shopper insights, category development and KPI development and reporting
• Foster collaboration with cross-functional teams including Sales, Brand Marketing, Revenue Management, and Supply Chain

Customer Marketing Strategy & Execution

• Development of our brands Innovation pricing, assortment, promo recommendations; build and maintain innovation sales projection models (Size of Prize based on ACV and Velocity assumptions); direction on Mateo’s and Kernel areas
• Translate brand plans into insight-led customer-ready strategies and selling tools. Oversee creation of retailer-specific programming including in-store, digital, and omnichannel campaigns
• Guide trade investment, price pack architecture, and in-market execution
• Develop annual customer plans and joint business planning inputs
• Partner with brand marketing and the field sales team to optimize activation.
• Represent Sauer Brands brand strategy at customer meetings

Sales & Insights Integration

• Align customer-facing plans with national brand and trade strategies, ensuring retail excellence
• Guide development of tools and scorecards that track the effectiveness of promotions, activations, and shelf performance
• Champion the voice of the shopper and retailer across the organization to ensure insights-driven decision-making

Budget & Process Management

• Projection and management of Slotting and Shopper needs and management of budget
• Work closely with Revenue Management team to ensure pricing and promotional guardrails are set and executed in line with Sauer Brands’ financial objectives.

What We Are Looking For:

• Personal Characteristics
• Entrepreneurial drive and the desire to “build a business”
• Outgoing, energetic, and results oriented personality
• Overall confidence in one’s abilities and comfortable communicating the facts
• Smart, creative and inquisitive
• Integrity-Does the right thing even when no one is looking
• Disciplined approach, and accountable for KPIs
• No excuses mindset and Dependable team player with positive attitude
• Personal values that mesh with SBI values
• Performance History
• Documented history of making improvements in assigned work area/responsibilities
• Stellar references based on contributions and performance
• Demonstrated proficiency in the following areas:
• Excellent strategic thinking, communication, and project management skills
• Prior experience influencing at senior levels across commercial functions
• Deep understanding of retail activation, syndicated data tools (IRI, Nielsen), shopper insights, and category development principles

Education & Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field; MBA preferred
• 5-10 years of progressive experience in CPG food manufacturing with strong exposure to customer marketing, category management.
• Must have experience in sales role with revenue growth.
• Must be on the food manufacturer side selling into commercial retail center store grocery utilizing data insights and working between brand and sales teams. Unable to consider if you are working at a retailer, food service, K-12, non-commercial, c-stores, beverage, DSD.
• Strong customer marketing experience, analytics, category management required and brand experience a plus.
• Proficient in Excel and PowerPoint; experience with trade planning, CRM, and data visualization tools (e.g., Power BI) is a plus

Other:

• Location: East Coast Remote
• Travel 40%, Richmond HQ and Customer sites

What Is In It For You?

Our company acknowledges talented people are attracted to companies that provide competitive pay, comprehensive benefits packages and outstanding advancement opportunities. For this reason, we offer a Comprehensive Benefits Plan that includes the following:

• 401K
• Medical/Dental/Vision Coverage
• Vacation, Sick Days and Holidays
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee and Dependent Life Insurance
• Voluntary Disability Insurance
• Other Voluntary Insurance Options

Sauer Brands, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.