Associate Brand Manager

About Us:

Carl Buddig and Company, a respected name in the meat manufacturing industry, boasts a legacy of over 80 years. Founded as a family-owned company, we have evolved into a leading producer of premium meat products, including renowned lunchmeats, ready-to-eat cooked meats under our Kingsford, LLC division, and savory snack meats from Old Wisconsin.

As a third-generation family business, our success is anchored in our commitment to quality, innovation, and community. With a workforce of 2,500 dedicated team members spread across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Indiana, we continue to expand, driven by a vision for excellence and a responsiveness to evolving consumer preferences.

At Carl Buddig and Company, we foster a culture centered around teamwork and innovation. We strive to create an environment that values creativity and collaboration, ensuring every team member is empowered to contribute to our collective goals.

Our dedication extends beyond our business operations. We actively support charitable initiatives and community organizations through direct contributions, volunteer work, and partnerships. We aim to make a positive impact and give back to the communities that have supported us over the years.

Join us at Carl Buddig and Company, where tradition meets innovation, and where our passion for quality meat products is matched by our commitment to our people and communities.

Position Summary:

Responsible for supporting all brands (Buddig, Kingsford, Old Wisconsin) within Carl Buddig & Co., the Associate Brand Manager role is focused on executing the tactical needs of the marketing department in support of stated marketing and business strategies. This role involves managing assigned projects, supporting the marketing function of the organization, fostering strong relationships with cross-functional internal and external teams and enhancing brand presence and engagement with both consumers and trade audiences.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Support the commercialization of new and innovative products, packaging (including temporary and permanent displays) at the direction of Sr. Brand Managers.
• Track and report on progress of all marketing initiatives across multiple brands.
• Build presentations and reports for internal stakeholders and external customers.
• Monitor business performance through internal, and panel/POS data.
• Maintain on-going competitive awareness and analysis, including the monitoring and reporting of Nielsen data to understand the category and competition.
• Support marketing activities as assigned, owning the completion of projects and reporting on progress.
• Be the expert on in-store execution, viewing all activities and promotions through a customer lens.
• Build relationships with all external vendor partners, including support of advertising, promotion, and public relation agencies.
• Develop a working relationship with all internal departments and serve as a go-to contact in support of business needs.
• Be a team player within the marketing department by demonstrating organization and attention to detail and communicating across all functions.
• Travel as needed (5-10%).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Project management and consumer insight experience.
• Strategic thinking and the ability to execute marketing tactics.
• Written and verbal communication skills are critical to be able to effectively work with internal and external groups.
• Experience with planning, design, and execution of Digital and Social Media.
• Understanding of syndicated data required along with data analysis (Nielsen, Circana).
• In-store experience a plus.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree and 1-2 years brand/marketing/agency experience.
• Food/Meat Experience (preferred).

Pay range for this position is $85,000 to $105,000 depending on experience.

Benefits for this role include Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, FSA, HSA, 401(k) Plan with Company Match, Vacation & PTO, and Tuition Reimbursement. There is also a potential for a discretionary bonus this bonus is based on personal & company performance and is not a guaranteed bonus plan.