Marketing Director

Overview

The Marketing Director will serve as a key business leader who will inspire the marketing team and drive brand portfolio management, consumer communications and new product innovation launches, always incorporating a consumer-centric perspective. The Director will be responsible for planning, development and implementation of marketing strategy, communications, innovation, renovation and portfolio management to exceed stated volume and profit objectives.  

The Marketing Director will oversee all aspects of Top Ramen® across all platforms, formats and sub-brands under Top Ramen.

  Responsibilities

Consumer Insights and Business Acumen: 

• Displays a deep understanding of the consumer and drives a consumer first mentality within the organization. 

• Understands relevant marketplace dynamics and other key issues that help the team in the development of the brand's marketing mix (e.g., product quality, pricing, promotions, and distribution). 

• Analyzes category, brand, competitive and consumer trends to drive insights into action. 

• Has a pulse on trends and category landscape that can influence product development pipelines. 

• Accountable for analyzing multiple sources of data effectively to extract insights, find opportunities and risks, and take strategic actions on your brands. Includes POS data (e.g. IRI monthly), shipments, consumer research and 3rd party data. 

• Able to turn data into implications and actions for the brand. 

Base Brand/Portfolio Management: 

• Develop strategic brand plans and translate strategies into annual marketing plans and programs in an effort to exceed stated volume and profit objectives 

• Works collaboratively with the team and cross functional partners, leveraging the knowledge and expertise of others to meet brand objectives. 

• Works with the Sales Management and R&D teams to prioritize projects and related opportunities based on size of price and strategic considerations related to the consumer and the customer. 

• Acts as general manager for brand P&L, understanding opportunities and risks in line items from topline and bottom line. Requires developing understanding of cross-functional costs.  

• Partners with Finance to ensure accuracy of P&L inputs and run scenarios for existing business as well as new projects impacting brand, e.g. innovation launches, renovation changes, customer-specific opportunities. 

• Advocates for improvements to brand P&L while weighing in voice of the consumer. 

Innovation & Renovation: 

• Leads new product ideation and conceptualization for base brands. 

• Builds 5-year pipeline for brand portfolio including ideation, concept development, testing, technical assessments, financial assessments and project management. 

• Leads packaging strategy to maximize brand equity at retail. Oversee the development of packaging graphics modification projects across agencies, internal cross-functional teams, other segment leaders, and Sales to ensure smooth product/graphics development and launches. 

• Directs resource allocation (human and financial) and oversees implementation of innovation and renovation projects in brand portfolio. 

Branding and Communications: 

• Directs product definition and packaging graphics direction. 

• Ensures execution of packaging development projects. 

• Guides marketing team and agencies in the planning of consumer advertising and promotions. 

• Manages communications plan execution to deliver on-budget, growth-driving tactics in packaging, promotions, advertising, digital and social engagement.  

• Works collaboratively with the Sales team to drive growth with retailers striving to reach the consumer and provides strategic direction in the development of selling and customer presentation documents. 

Team Leadership & Development: 

• Identifies and leads direct reports, staff and agencies in management of efficient brand/product portfolio decisions including SKU rationalization, pricing, pack development and customer relations to deliver annual and long-term sales and profit objectives. 

• Partners with SVP of Marketing to establish marketing’s cross-functional leadership role in order to build a high performance cross-functional culture with sales, manufacturing, operations, purchasing, distribution, finance and outside agency partners, suppliers and brokers. 

• Directs growth in marketing team’s business acumen including consumer insights, project management, financials, forecasting, building a business case, customer relations and presentation skills. 

Evaluation Metrics: 

• Brand or Sub-brand $ Sales, $ Sales growth and Market Share, Margin targets 

• Flawless execution of project deliverables 

• On-time timeline deliverables 

• Brand Health scores (e.g. share of voice, brand equity purchase funnel, household panel indicators) 

• Innovation & Renovation Concept Scores 

• Innovation & Renovation $ Sales and New product performance vs. forecast 

• KPIs met on consumer campaigns and communication activities 

• Self-development and team development goals 

Qualifications

Required: 

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing or related field 

• 8-10 years of brand management experience within the CPG industry 

• 3+ years managing direct reports  

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) 

• Strong interpersonal   

Preferred 

• MBA 

• CPG Food industry experience 

Work Designation 

This position is a Hybrid position at our Corporate Office which is 3 days onsite and 2 days remote.  

Pay RangeUSD $180,000.00 - USD $210,000.00 /Yr. About UsOUR FOUNDER, MOMOFUKU ANDO  There is only one company that can rightfully claim the Pinnacle of Noodledom. Only one company whose founder, faced with a Japanese food shortage after WWII, invented instant ramen and sparked a 3-minute global revolution. Only one whose spirit of innovation continues to provide simple, nourishing delight to billions of people. Only one that has been loved around the world for more than 60 years. There is only one Nissin Foods.    NISSIN IN THE U.S.  On a trip to the U.S. in 1966, Mr. Ando noticed Americans curiously eating forkfuls of noodles out of cups, instead of using bowls and chopsticks. With that simple observation, the worldwide Cup Noodles® phenomenon was born. Shortly after, Nissin officially put down its roots in the U.S. In 1972, our Gardena, CA, plant started production of Top Ramen®—the first instant ramen manufactured and sold in the U.S. And ever since, Nissin Foods USA has launched a continuous stream of new and innovative products for hungry, noodle-loving Americans.    WHY NISSIN?  Nissin Foods celebrates diversity and inclusion both in our brands and how we do business. Why? Innovation is best driven by diverse perspectives, which create unique results. Respect, steady professional growth, and quality work make our team stronger. We welcome quality folks to join Team Nissin and fulfill our mission to “make people happy by creating delicious, convenient and value-oriented Asian-inspired meal solutions.” If you celebrate innovation and love noodles, you belong here!