Associate Manager, Portfolio Development THX

Job Location: Hershey, PA
 

Summary:  

The Associate Manager has responsibility for specific projects and activities to drive commercial growth. This Associate must be a strong leader of people in cross-functional assignments as he/she plays a leadership role throughout the organization, coordinating with other functional areas to ensure necessary actions occur in support of his/her marketing position. This position plays a leadership and/or project management role with external suppliers such as external vendors, marketing agencies, co-manufacturers, co-packers, etc.

This position requires strong analytical skills as well as an ability to translate analysis on the business into recommended programs affecting all major marketing variables. These marketing variables include new products, portfolio changes, pricing, promotion, retail storytelling, omnichannel store merchandising, content development and other key programs that could affect the short- and long-term business goals for The Hershey’s Experience. This role requires a keen view of the external environment including general trends impacting the business, competitive assessments, and an understanding of consumers.

The individual in this position supports the development and maintenance of strategic, consumer-based portfolio initiatives for THX. This individual will support strategy development and help address trends/unmet consumer needs and category opportunities to achieve growth and profit targets. This includes the identification and assessment of opportunity areas and development of new initiatives, from discovery and ideation, through to commercialization assumptions using THX Innovation processes.

Summary of major duties:

New Product Development
• Develops new item strategy and initiatives to support existing THX platforms and categories; Portfolio lead for Non-Food categories
• Supports Experiential Activations and D2C portfolio initiatives as needed
• Manages the production and delivery of new products including design, internal alignment, sampling, costing negotiation and item set-up 
• Owns product development timeline and milestones to inform the annual THX planning process
• Facilitates regulatory and legal approval/requirements for THX initiatives
• Integrates assortment and commercialization insights during portfolio project development

Existing Product Renovation
• Owns existing SKU strategy including product life cycle management in conjunction with Commercialization, SIA and Operations
• Manages the renovation of existing products including design, internal alignment, sampling, costing negotiation and item set-up 
• Owns product renovation timeline and milestones to inform the annual THX planning process
• Integrates assortment and commercialization insights during portfolio project development

Ongoing Business Insights and Trends
• Directs concept testing/consumer validation requirements in partnership with SIA to deliver strategy, budget and timeline parameters
• Owns annual Vendor Summit process including strategy, brief, execution and output; lead continuous improvement of process to drive prioritization and delivery of the business
• Attends annual Trade Shows to understand trends and identify potential vendor partners; own show recap and output to inform strategy
• Lead weekly Retail Meeting agenda and gain cross-functional alignment on portfolio recommendations and assortment plans

Vendor Management
• Set up all new vendors within existing THX systems/processes
• Lead vendor relationship with ITP to facilitate the development process of new nutritional labels
• Lead RFP and MSA processes in conjunction with procurement
• Manage THX relationship with UL; share process, forms and updates required with vendors
• Own relationship with Hershey Corporate Social Responsibility team; facilitate audit process

Minimum knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform major duties/responsibilities:  
• Economic value creation mindset
• Ability to nurture and contribute to innovation and creative solutions
• Proven ability to translate consumer/retail insights into sound merchandising/marketing/promotional/product optimization recommendations
• Previous project management experience with proven ability to effectively manage multiple projects in a dynamic environment 
• Drive for results and pushes self and team to exceed expectations
• Ability to prioritize and meet deadlines
• Strong ability to work effectively in a cross-functional environment 
• Strong verbal and written communicator to a wide breadth of audiences including senior management
• Demonstrated ability to be accountable for sales, income and profit results
• Experience working for traditional and/or omnichannel retailers (B&M/D2C)
• Understanding of retail inventory management practices and procedures
• Previous P&L exposure preferred
• Lifelong learner with potential to be a people developer

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:  
Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Statistics, Finance, or related field is required; MBA required externally; Internal Hershey experience in lieu of MBA
Experience:    
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience in Portfolio Development - Confection and Non-Confection Categories
• Previous retail project management experience with proven ability to effectively manage multiple projects in a dynamic environment
• D2C/eCommerce merchandising/assortment planning experience is preferred but not required

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