Brand Manager

The tgin® Brand Manager is a strategic, results-driven marketer responsible for leading the strategic growth of the tgin® brand by developing brand strategies, identifying consumer insights and category whitespace opportunities, and driving profitable growth through innovation and commercialization. This role serves as a key commercial partner to Sales and retail accounts, ensuring brand initiatives align with consumer needs, retailer priorities, and business objectives.

The Brand Manager partners cross-functionally with Sales, Product Development, Digital Marketing, E-Commerce, Creative, Operations, and Finance to bring new products and marketing initiatives to market while strengthening brand equity and expanding distribution across key retail channels.

This is an ideal opportunity for a strategic, commercially minded marketer with experience in consumer-packaged goods (CPG), beauty, or personal care who enjoys translating consumer insights into business growth.

Responsibilities

BRAND STRATEGY & LEADERSHIP

• Develop and execute annual and long-term brand strategies that strengthen brand equity and drive profitable growth.
• Identify consumer insights, market trends, competitive activity, and category whitespace opportunities to inform business strategy and innovation.
• Develop compelling brand positioning, messaging, and storytelling that differentiates tgin® within the textured hair care category.
• Ensure consistency of brand identity and messaging across packaging, retailer programs, marketing materials, education, and consumer touchpoints.
• Monitor brand performance and recommend strategic initiatives that increase awareness, consideration, and loyalty.

COMMERCIAL ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key retail partners and internal commercial stakeholders.
• Partner with Sales to develop retailer-specific growth strategies, promotional programs, and commercialization plans.
• Support retailer line reviews, joint business planning initiatives, annual meetings, and customer presentations.
• Identify opportunities to increase distribution, optimize assortment, expand shelf presence, and grow category share.
• Develop recommendations based on retailer performance, category trends, and consumer insights.

Consumer Insights & Category Strategy

• Analyze consumer behavior, market research, retailer data, competitive intelligence, and industry trends to identify growth opportunities.
• Translate insights into actionable recommendations that support innovation, marketing, and commercial strategies.
• Maintain expertise in multicultural beauty trends, textured hair consumers, and evolving consumer needs.
• Monitor category performance and identify opportunities for assortment optimization and portfolio growth.

Innovation & Commercialization

• Partner with Product Development to identify and prioritize innovation opportunities aligned with consumer needs and retailer demand.
• Lead commercialization efforts for new product launches from concept through retail execution.
• Coordinate cross-functional launch plans with Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Creative, and Marketing teams.
• Evaluate post-launch performance and recommend improvements for future initiatives.
• Review product portfolio performance and recommend product renovations, discontinuations, and whitespace opportunities.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate with Digital Marketing, E-Commerce, Sales, Product Development, Creative, Operations, Finance, and external partners to ensure successful execution of brand initiatives.
• Provide strategic brand direction while leveraging the expertise of functional partners.
• Build project plans, establish milestones, identify risks, and drive accountability across multiple initiatives.
• Present recommendations and business updates to executive leadership and cross-functional teams.

Financial Management & Business Performance

• Manage assigned marketing budgets and ensure investments support profitable growth.
• Partner with Finance and Sales to develop pricing recommendations, forecasts, promotional strategies, and business plans.
• Monitor key business metrics and recommend actions to improve financial and brand performance.
• Prepare business reviews and performance updates for senior leadership.

Key Performance Indicators:

• Net sales growth
• Gross margin performance
• Market share growth
• Household penetration
• Retail distribution gains
• Retailer performance
• Promotional effectiveness
• Innovation contribution
• Brand awareness and equity
• Successful commercialization of new product launches
• On-time delivery of key business initiatives

Required Skills & Abilities:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field required.
• MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressive experience in Brand Management, Brand Marketing, Commercial Marketing, Category Management, or Product Marketing within the consumer packaged goods (CPG), beauty, personal care, or related industry.
• Experience supporting national retail customers such as Target, Walmart, Ulta Beauty, CVS, Walgreens, Sally Beauty, or similar retailers preferred.
• Strong understanding of brand strategy, commercialization, consumer insights, pricing, merchandising, promotional planning, and category management.
• Experience developing retailer presentations, joint business plans, and commercialization strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze consumer, retailer, financial, and category data to drive business decisions.
• Experience utilizing syndicated research tools such as NielsenIQ, Circana (IRI), SPATE, retailer portals, or comparable platforms preferred.
• Strong financial acumen, including budgeting, forecasting, pricing strategy, margin analysis, and P&L fundamentals.
• Exceptional presentation, storytelling, communication, and influencing skills.
• Proven project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to collaborate across Sales, Product Development, Finance, Operations, Creative, Digital Marketing, and external partners.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.

Education and Experience:

• Beauty, textured hair care, skincare, cosmetics, personal care, or CPG experience strongly preferred.
• Experience leading new product commercialization from concept through retail launch.
• Experience supporting omni-channel retail environments, including mass, drug, specialty beauty, and professional channels.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to travel approximately 15–25% for retailer meetings, trade shows, consumer research, industry events, and company meetings.
• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Ability to occasionally lift up to 15 pounds.

Our office is located in Chicago, ½ block north of the United Center just west of Fulton Market.