Department: Marketing
Reports to: Senior Brand Manager
Status: Full-time
Location: Etobicoke, ON (Hybrid – 3 days in office)

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field
• 5+ years of progressive experience in brand or product management in the packaged goods industry with record of positive business results.
• Proven track record of delivering business results through product, portfolio and/or brand management roles.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen; experience with P&L and budget ownership. Proven ability to interpret data and make strategic decisions.
• Exceptional project management skills with a proven ability to approach projects with innovative and creative thinking, generate fresh ideas and competitive results.
• Excellent time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple deliverables in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience managing complex product portfolios that include branded, and co-packed/private label products is an asset.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills; able to influence across levels and functions
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and pivot quickly based on market conditions.
• Positive team player who can work effectively with internal and external partners.
• Willingness to travel as required (10-15%)
• Hybrid work environment
  Gay Lea Foods is a leading Canadian dairy co-operative renowned for producing high-quality, nutritious dairy products that Canadian families love and trust. From farm to table, our 1,200 farmer members in Ontario and Manitoba, and more than 1,200 employees across four provinces, work together to nourish communities through award-winning brands including Gay Lea, Nordica, Salerno, Bothwell Cheese, and more. As part of its deeply rooted, balanced commitment to people, profit, and planet, Gay Lea Foods proudly invests one percent of pre-tax earnings back into Canadian communities through a national food security partnership with Second Harvest, and the community-building efforts of the Gay Lea Foundation. To learn more, visit gayleafoods.com.
  Gay Lea Foods is an equal-opportunity employer and values diversity in our workplace.
  Reasonable accommodation is available upon request throughout our recruitment and selection process.
  Thank you for your interest in Gay Lea Foods.
  Wishing you all the best with your career search

PURPOSE:

The Brand Manager supporting our Core Dairy team plays a pivotal role in driving business growth, profitability, and strategic alignment across the product portfolio. This role goes beyond traditional brand management to encompass ownership of category strategy, product innovation, and commercial execution.
The Brand Manager will lead cross-functional initiatives that translate consumer insights and market dynamics into actionable business strategies, ensuring the portfolio delivers against financial targets and long-term corporate objectives.
This position requires a commercially minded leader who can balance strategic thinking with operational execution, leveraging data, creativity, and collaboration to deliver measurable business impact.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Portfolio & Business Performance Management: Own the product portfolio strategy and performance, driving decisions that enhance organizational KPI’s. Lead monthly portfolio reviews with cross-functional teams to assess performance, identify risks/opportunities, and align on action plans
Category Strategy: Develop and execute effective category strategies based on data-driven insights, that integrate branded, private label and co-pack product lines across food service, industrial and retail channels.
Market Research: Plan and execute consumer research to enhance marketing strategies and identify opportunities for brand growth.
Analysis and Reporting: Lead monthly business review & annual business review, looking at both internal data and external market data to uncover actionable insights and support annual strategic plan.
Product Development: Serve as project lead for new product development, managing cross-functional teams from concept through commercialization. Ensure product pipeline aligns with strategic priorities and delivers incremental value
Marketing Plans: Collaborate with agency partners to develop and execute multi-channel marketing plans (digital, OOH, TV, social, influencer). Monitor campaign performance and optimize based on KPIs and ROI.
Budget Management: Develop and manage the marketing budget with cadence of monthly reporting.
Analysis and Reporting: Lead monthly & annual business reviews using internal and syndicated data (eg Nielen) to inform strategic decisions and to uncover actionable insights that drive the annual brand plan.
Compliance and Legal: Ensure all branding activities meet industry regulations and legal guidelines.