Job Description:
Are you ready to shape the future of our categories and drive high-impact growth for some of the world’s most iconic brands? As the Senior Manager, Strategic Demand Leadership (SDL) – Innovation, you will sit at the dynamic intersection of commercial strategy, customer collaboration, and marketplace execution. Managing a portfolio scope of up to $800M NSV, you will serve as the strategic bridge between R&D, Innovation Marketing, Revenue Growth Management, and Sales—turning bold product concepts into commercially viable, market-leading launches.
In this high-visibility role, you will champion the voice of the customer and shopper across omni-channel environments, crafting winning go-to-market strategies that drive trial, expand distribution, and secure sustainable profitability. If you are a collaborative leader with a consultant mindset who thrives on moving seamlessly between high-level vision and tactical execution, this role offers an exceptional platform to make a lasting commercial impact.
What are we looking for?Experience: Minimum 5 years of experience in CPG marketing, innovation, commercial strategy, category management, or demand planning.
Commercialization Leadership: Proven track record leading the commercialization and launch of new products within a fast-paced CPG environment.
Go-to-Market Expertise: Deep understanding of innovation pipelines, customer activation, and omni-channel commercial execution.
Strategic Problem Solving: Consultant-style analytical toolkit with strong structured problem-solving skills and agility across strategy and execution.
Customer & Shopper Strategy: Demonstrated experience building customer-centric growth plans, AMPS strategies, and promotional plans.
Cross-Functional Influence: Proven ability to influence, align, and lead multi-disciplinary teams without direct authority, backed by exceptional presentation and communication skills.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Strong acumen in analyzing market performance metrics (velocity, distribution, trial/repeat) to extract actionable insights.
Nice-to-Have: Working knowledge of Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and Strategic Revenue Management (SRM) / Revenue Growth Management principles.
Innovation Strategy & Development: Partner closely with Innovation Marketing, Consumer Insights, and R&D to identify consumer needs, whitespace opportunities, and category trends, shaping pipelines and commercialization strategies that deliver meaningful growth.
Innovation Launch Excellence: Develop and execute omni-channel launch strategies that maximize awareness, trial, and sustainable adoption, ensuring selling stories and launch tactics are optimized across key customers.
Sales Plan Execution: Drive the annual sales strategy to deliver net sales and operating profit goals, proactively identifying risks and opportunities across go-to-market channels to balance the business.
Channel & Customer Leadership: Own the AMPS strategy (Availability, Merchandising, Pricing, Space), serving as the voice of the customer to co-create pack and channel solutions with cross-functional partners.
Trend & Competitive Intelligence: Maintain continuous intelligence on industry trends, shopper behaviors, and competitor actions to ensure innovation pipelines remain differentiated and commercially relevant.
Innovation Performance Management: Track and evaluate innovation health throughout the lifecycle (sales, velocity, distribution, repeat, financial ROI) and translate post-launch learnings into future programs.
Demand Forecasting & RGM: Collaborate with Sales, Demand Planning, and Finance to translate market trends into reliable demand signals and accurate launch forecasts.
Delivering Results: Drive volume, share, and profit results that contribute to divisional financial targets while managing marketing budgets to ensure expected return on investment.
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 134,400.00 - USD 184,800.00Skills Required
- Minimum 5 years of experience in CPG marketing, innovation, commercial strategy, category management, or demand planning
- Proven track record leading commercialization and new product launches in a fast-paced CPG environment
- Deep understanding of innovation pipelines, customer activation, and omnichannel commercial execution
- Strong structured problem-solving skills and a consultant-style analytical toolkit
- Experience building customer-centric growth plans, AMPS strategies, and promotional plans
- Ability to influence, align, and lead multidisciplinary teams without direct authority
- Exceptional presentation and communication skills
- Strong ability to analyze market performance metrics, including velocity, distribution, trial, and repeat
- Working knowledge of Sales and Operations Planning and Strategic or Revenue Growth Management principles
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.
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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.
