Job Description:
Senior Manager, Data & Technology Business Partner – Category ManagementAre you ready to shape the future of how some of the world's most-loved brands engage with retailers and shoppers? As the Senior Manager, Data & Technology Business Partner, you'll serve as the vital strategic bridge between our regional commercial business and our cutting-edge Data & Technology teams. In this highly collaborative role, you will partner directly with Category Leadership, Sales Strategy, and Analytics teams to co-create a high-impact technology and data roadmap. Your mission is to unlock sustainable retail growth, elevate shopper activation, and pioneer data-driven decision-making across the organization.
Acting as a trusted advisor, you'll identify opportunities to harness advanced analytics, AI, digital capabilities, and modern technology platforms. Whether you're driving planogram and assortment optimization, refining shopper marketing campaign effectiveness, or automating legacy reporting, you will be the champion of commercial digital transformation. If you combine sharp CPG business acumen with a passion for digital innovation and stakeholder collaboration, this role offers the perfect platform to make a lasting impact.
What are we looking for?
- Education & Experience: Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Information Technology, Data Analytics, or a related field, combined with a minimum of 7+ years of professional experience in Technology Business Partnership, Business Relationship Management, Product Management, or Category Management.
- Commercial Acumen: Strong, practical understanding of Category Management, Shopper Marketing, and Retail Analytics processes (including assortment planning and space/shelf analytics).
- Strategic Roadmap Translation: Proven ability to translate complex business priorities and raw retail challenges into practical, structured technology and data roadmaps.
- Matrixed Stakeholder Management: Outstanding communication, facilitation, and presentation skills, with a track record of influencing cross-functional leaders without direct authority.
- CPG Industry Experience (Nice-to-Have): Prior experience in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) sector or partnering directly with major retail category leads.
- Syndicated Data & Analytics (Nice-to-Have): Familiarity with syndicated data platforms such as Circana (IRI), Nielsen, Numerator, or retailer-specific data portals.
- Modern MarTech & Data Solutions (Nice-to-Have): Exposure to Customer Data Platforms (CDP), CRM, Marketing Technology, or advanced AI/ML commercial use cases.
What will be your key responsibilities?
- Strategic Business Partnership: Serve as the primary Data & Technology liaison for Category Management cultivating trusted relationships and aligning data priorities with long-term commercial goals.
- Category Management Enablement: Supercharge our category management capabilities by implementing modern tools for assortment analysis, space and shelf optimization, and market intelligence.
- Portfolio & Demand Management: Manage demand intake, build robust business cases, secure strategic funding, and coordinate closely with Product Owners and Agile Engineering teams to keep delivery on track.
- Advanced Data, Analytics & AI Strategy: Champion self-service reporting, shape future regional AI and predictive analytics use cases, and partner with data teams to safeguard data quality and accessibility.
- Stakeholder Alignment & Change Leadership: Lead cross-functional alignment and drive active business readiness, training, and change management to guarantee that technology investments deliver real-world ROI and high adoption rates.
What can you expect from Mars?
- Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
- Join a purpose-driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
- Best-in-class learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
- An industry-competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.
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The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.
The pay range shown is applicable to all US locations listed within the job posting:USD 119,040.00 - USD 163,680.00Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Information Technology, Data Analytics, or a related field
- Minimum 7+ years of professional experience in Technology Business Partnership, Business Relationship Management, Product Management, Category Management, or Customer or Shopper Marketing
- Strong practical understanding of Category Management, Customer Marketing, Shopper Marketing, and Retail Analytics processes
- Experience with assortment planning and space or shelf analytics
- Ability to translate business priorities and retail challenges into structured technology and data roadmaps
- Outstanding communication, facilitation, and presentation skills
- Track record of influencing cross-functional leaders without direct authority
- Experience in the Consumer Packaged Goods sector or partnering with major retail category leads
- Familiarity with syndicated data platforms such as Circana, Nielsen, Numerator, or retailer-specific data portals
- Exposure to Customer Data Platforms, CRM, Marketing Technology, or advanced AI and machine learning commercial use cases
Mars Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Mars and has not been reviewed or approved by Mars.
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Healthcare Strength — The benefits package is positioned as comprehensive, with broad medical coverage and additional protections like life insurance and short- and long-term disability. Mental health support is emphasized, including free mental health services and wellbeing programming under initiatives such as Mars Be Well.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave is highlighted as market-leading in the U.S., with an example of 18 weeks fully paid for both parents. Additional family-related leave types such as sick time for caregiving and bereavement leave are also described as part of the overall package.
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Retirement Support — Retirement offerings are described as strong, including 401(k) matching (with a 6% match cited) and pension plans in some cases. The broader package also references retirement savings options and contributions aligned to local market practice, supporting long-term financial security.
Mars Insights
What We Do
For more than a century, Mars, Incorporated has been driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. This idea is at the center of who we have always been as a global, family-owned business. Today, Mars is transforming, innovating and evolving in ways that affirm our commitment to making a positive impact on the world around us. Across our diverse and expanding portfolio of confectionery, food, and petcare products and services, we employ 133,000 dedicated Associates who are all moving in the same direction: forward. With $40 billion in annual sales, we produce some of the world’s best-loved brands including DOVE®, EXTRA®, M&M’s®, MILKY WAY®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, ORBIT®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, SKITTLES®, WHISKAS®, COCOAVIA®, and 5™; and take care of half of the world’s pets through our pet health services AniCura, Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, Pet Partners™, and VCA™. We know we can only be truly successful if our partners and the communities in which we operate prosper as well. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our Associates to take action every day to help create a world tomorrow in which the planet, its people and pets can thrive.
