Job Description
Brand Manager
Location: Minneapolis, MN /Hybrid
Job Summary
The Brand Manager functions as Publisher Services, LLC’s (PSi) relationship manager and primary contact for brand partners, principally acting as the connection between PSi’s external brand partners and internal resources. The Brand Manager champions products and product lines within an assigned subset of accounts in a coordinated effort to deliver brand awareness and execute sales objectives. The Brand Manager leads their core team and provides direction and leadership to the team to ensure financial metrics are met. The Brand Manager should bring tenacity, ownership, and autonomy to their work and embrace a competitive mindset to drive success.
Responsibilities
- Responsible for sales, margin and inventory turns for assigned Brand Partners.
- Establish and maintain relationships with Brand Partners to facilitate effective category management to increase market share, sales and profits, lower operating cost, maximize trade funds and optimize value of service to PSi’s Brands.
- Develop comprehensive strategic plans consistent with PSi’s overall goals and strategies for assigned Brand Partners; plans should include tactics in the areas of item selection, pricing, promotions, channel placement and coordination with cross-functional teams at PSi.
- Continually monitor and assess performance KPI metrics using tools, such as Power BI, Circana, Keepa, Jungle Scout and other sources to make informed data driven decisions.
- Provide consultative perspectives on brand and item level productivity versus customer expectations and current PSi benchmarks for success.
- Develop and propose marketing and advertising strategies for brands to internal stakeholders in the Sales group.
- If applicable, coordinate advertising, promotional and markdown requirements.
- If applicable, communicate any and all ancillary costs derived from the PSi / Brand relationship (i.e. storage fees, freight, special projects).
- Address brand partner concerns, resolve disputes, and maintain a positive rapport to enhance long-term partnerships.
- Identify, evaluate, and champion new product opportunities within brand portfolios.
- Identify new channel opportunities where products are not currently represented.
- Identify new products in development.
- Coordinate with sales team for their anticipated needs for solicitation processes.
- Collaborate with planning and sales teams to plan and execute product assortments that meet market demands.
- Provide consultation to brand partners on pricing, design, presentation, packaging, etc. as well as help brands to be compelling and competitive in the marketplace.
- Ensure brands can meet the production demands for the channels in which their products are being marketed.
- Work internally with cross-functional collaboration across Planning, Sales, Finance and Operations to align strategies with business objectives.
- Communicate effectively both internally to various levels of management as well as externally to Brand Partners.
- Provide a thorough onboarding process to new brand partners based on product category needs, customer detail, and contract types
- Deliver and discuss product sales and inventory forecasting to brand community regularly.
- Build trust and provide exceptional problem resolution. Act as a single point of communication for tactical issues and manage escalation as needed.
- It is expected that the Brand Manager will meet with their assigned brand partners frequently to effectuate the responsibilities of the role.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in supply chain management or 5+ years of experience in purchasing, planning, or supply chain roles, preferably in the retail industry.
- Experience with data analytics tools such as Power BI.
- Proficient in MS Office tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint)
- Outstanding detail-orientation and organizational skills
- Demonstrated ability to effectively manage competing priorities and duties in a deadline-driven environment
- Strong consultative, analytical and problem-solving skills
- Proven planning and decision-making skills
- Excellent interpersonal/communication and presentation skills
- Ability to aggregate information and present it in a comprehensive, compelling manner.
- Strong financial acumen, analytical, influencing and negotiating skills.
Ability to travel up to 25% depending on assigned Brand Partners
Job Tags
Contract work,