Category Marketing Manager - Kits

Job Description

 The Opportunity:
This role is a rare opportunity to lead one of Maple Leaf Foods' most exciting growth businesses.
Consumer needs are changing rapidly, creating enormous opportunity for businesses that can anticipate what's next.  Our Kits portfolio has strong momentum today as we lean into that opportunity, with ambitious plans to build upon and accelerate the performance of this business. Achieving our ambition will require bold thinking, deep consumer understanding and exceptional commercial leadership.

As the Category Marketing Manager, Kits you'll be tasked with leading the next phase of this growing business—developing and executing growth strategies owns developing and executing growth strategies anchored in deep understanding of 3Cs (Consumer/Customer, Competitors, Company) and 4 Ps (Product, Price, Promotion, Placement) inclusive of 1–3-year innovation pipeline.   This position needs to balance creative skills with critical thinking, project management, performance measurement and influencing cross-functional teams to deliver measurable results.  The successful candidate will be someone who is commercially minded, wants to build a career in CPG marketing and brings a passion for getting things done.

You'll partner across Brand, Revenue Growth Management, Sales, Supply Chain, Product Development, Finance and Operations to unlock new opportunities and build a category that is redefining how Canadians snack and eat. If you're energized by high-growth environments, thrive in ambiguity and want to leave a visible mark on the future of a business, this is the opportunity for you.

Any MLF team member interested in being considered for this role are encouraged to apply online by October 19. Applications received beyond that date are not guaranteed consideration.

Reason for vacancy:  Existing Headcount 
Compensation:   $96,000 - $141,000 CAD base pay annually plus annual short-term incentive

The above compensation reflects the target compensation for the position at the time of posting. The base salary offered may vary based on a variety of factors including skills, experience, education, training, job- related knowledge, and other organizational requirements. For part-time roles, salaries are adjusted according to scheduled hours.  In addition to base salary, this role is eligible to participate in Maple Leaf’s annual short-term incentive plan. 

Snapshot of a Day-in-the-Life:

• Category strategy and business performance: Develop annual category plans and contribute to longer-term planning. Monitor revenue, profitability and market share against aligned targets, identify growth opportunities and recommend corrective actions.
• Portfolio & Innovation: Build and prioritize a 1–3-year innovation and renovation pipeline grounded in consumer needs, eating occasions, customer opportunities and competitive insights. Develop business cases with Finance and assess strategic fit, financial returns and operational feasibility.
• Commercialization: Develop consumer-centric innovation to address consumer pain points, and lead the commercialization of new product innovations, working with cross-functional stakeholders including product development, insights, brand marketing, supply chain, finance, revenue management, operations, packaging, graphics, & purchasing to ensure successful, on-time launches. Work in partnership with Commercial Execution managers to establish milestones, resolve issues and evaluate post-launch performance to inform future decisions.
• Brand and packaging: Partner with the Brand team to translate brand positioning into category-specific packaging and communications. Develop clear briefs that support shopper navigation, product differentiation and consistency across the portfolio.
• Customer and channel growth: Work with Sales to turn category plans into customer selling stories, assortment recommendations and channel-specific activation that support distribution, shelf execution and share growth.
• Pricing and promotion: Partner with Revenue Growth Management to recommend pricing and promotional strategies that balance consumer value, competitiveness and profitability. Evaluate results and apply learnings to future plans.
• Demand and seasonal readiness: Partner with Sales, Supply Chain and Operations to align demand assumptions, promotional plans and capacity ahead of peak periods, identifying risks and opportunities early.
• Insights and planning: Translate syndicated, consumer and internal data into actionable recommendations. Deliver regular business reviews and contribute to annual budgeting and MLF’s 5 year planning process with clear assumptions and priorities.

Qualifications

What You’ll Bring:

• A bachelor’s degree in business, marketing or a related discipline, with a track record of results in CPG marketing, category management or a related commercial role.
• Must be proactive and performance driven, have a bias for action and be able to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment with the ability to adapt easily to changing market dynamics.
• Commercial judgment: An understanding of P&L drivers and experience using revenue, margin, pricing and promotional analysis to guide business decisions.
• Strategy grounded in insight: Experience translating consumer, shopper, customer and competitive insights into growth plans, portfolio choices and clear recommendations.
• Innovation and execution: Experience contributing to or leading product launches, developing business cases and managing cross-functional projects with multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Customer understanding: An understanding of retailer priorities and how assortment, distribution, shelf execution and promotional activity influence category performance.
• Analytical capability: Confidence working with syndicated and internal data, identifying what matters and communicating the implications for the business.
• Leadership and collaboration: The ability to build productive relationships, influence without direct authority and mobilize teams around shared commercial objectives. Experience managing a large complex business with a proven success in market with brand management.
• Competency requirements:
  • Commercial Acumen and P&L Management – Solid understanding of key drivers of the P&L with ability to recommend changes required to move the business forward. 
  • Brand Positioning and Portfolio Innovation - The ability to translate brand positioning and portfolio strategy into category priorities, using consumer, shopper and category knowledge to shape differentiated innovation plans that reinforce each brand’s role in the portfolio.
  • Critical Thinking and Insights – Able to analyze and draw conclusions and insights from internal & external data sources demonstrated through building, tracking, and course correcting business plans to achieve targets.
  • Agility and Effectiveness – Able to stay focused on driving key business priorities in a dynamic business environment.
  • Sales Knowledge and Connectivity – Demonstrate understanding of customer strategies and motivations and applies accordingly to marketing planning process & initiative execution.
  • Leadership and Influence – Skilled in mobilizing and motivating cross functional teams to achieve commercial objectives.
  • Strategic Leadership – Demonstrate big picture thinking with an ability to clearly articulate a strategic direction, justified with sound fact-based rationale. Sells ideas and recommendations to management convincingly.

Additional Information

What We Offer at Maple Leaf Foods:

• Being part of a high-performance, people-focused company that has an inspiring and unique vision to become the most sustainable protein company on earth, and a deep commitment to sustainable protein across North America.
• An inclusive company culture and a work environment that keeps our people safe, rewards excellence, and empowers everyone to learn and contribute their best. 
• Competitive Health and Wellness benefits that offer flexibility to meet your individual or family needs, including programs focused on improving mental health and wellbeing. These benefits start on your first day of employment.
• Defined Contribution Pension Plan with company matching that starts on your first day of employment.
• Learning and development opportunities, including workshops, ‘speaker series’ events, and resources that allow you to develop your skills and progress your career.
• Comprehensive tuition reimbursement program that supports continuous learning and development of our team members through investment in eligible degrees, diplomas, professional certification, or trades programs.
• Supporting our deep commitment to community impact, we offer up to two paid days annually to volunteer at a cause of your choice.

We thank all applicants for their interest in exploring employment opportunities with Maple Leaf Foods; however, only those selected for an interview will be contacted. Applicants may be subject to a background check and must meet the security criteria designated for the position.Championing diversity and inclusion is a critical component to advancing our collective purpose and vision, living the Maple Leaf Leadership Values, and delivering winning results. Accommodation is available upon request for applicants with disabilities in the recruitment and assessment process and when hired; please contact our Talent Attraction Team at [email protected]:  Please note that salaries posted on sites other than the MLF Careers Page are not a reflection of Maple Leaf Foods and are an estimated salary range provided by that particular job board.  Maple Leaf Foods offers competitive wages and an attractive total rewards package, which will be discussed during an interview with our Talent Team.

Budgeted Salary / Salaire budgété: $125,000