Associate Brand Manager - Seasonal Portfolio

Work Location and Interaction

This position is based in Chicago and demands physical office presence at least three days per week to support effective communication, supervision, real-time issue resolution, and collaboration across teams.

Role Overview

The Associate Brand Manager (Seasonal) will oversee the daily management of Halloween and Valentine’s Day seasonal product lines. The role drives commercial initiatives, supports strategy formulation, and manages marketing communications to enhance sales performance, profitability, and market positioning.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead commercialization efforts for core portfolio activities and new product innovations from initial concept through launch.
• Contribute to both short-term and long-term strategic planning for seasonal product lines.
• Support multi-year portfolio development by performing category, consumer, and competitive analyses and managing critical projects aligned with business goals.
• Identify and prioritize growth opportunities, guiding the commercial team in evaluating feasibility and formulating go-to-market strategies.
• Engage in the Integrated Business Planning process by managing forecast risks and opportunities and championing priority portfolio matters.
• Oversee portfolio profitability through assortment optimization, demand forecasting, inventory control, business case analysis, and performance reporting.
• Collaborate with Channel Marketing and Category teams to align sales efforts with portfolio strategy, including creating and distributing sales materials for the field team.
• Support planning and implementation of select earned media and shopper marketing campaigns.

Qualifications and Skills

• Excellent project management skills with ability to multi-task and influence peers to meet deadlines.
• Strong verbal and written communication capabilities.
• Solid analytical skills complemented by creative problem-solving ability.
• Quick learner with adaptability and comfort working independently in a dynamic environment.
• A proactive mindset focused on delivering impactful results.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required; MBA preferred, especially in general management or marketing.
• Minimum of three years’ marketing experience in a US consumer goods company.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with IRI, Nielsen, and SAP considered an advantage.

Compensation and Benefits

The salary range offered is between $80,325 and $112,455 annually. Ferrara provides comprehensive employee benefits supporting health, financial security, and paid time off. Eligible employees may also participate in an annual performance-based bonus program.