Brand Portfolio Manager

About Community Coffee

Community Coffee is America's leading family-owned retail coffee brand, blending rich tradition with modern innovation. We offer a vibrant, fast-paced environment where employees can grow professionally and make a significant impact every day. Join us to turn your passion for coffee into a rewarding career, crafting exceptional experiences and building lasting connections.

Role Summary

The Brand Portfolio Manager will support the creation and implementation of product, portfolio, and innovation initiatives within designated product segments. This role collaborates closely with portfolio leadership to transform brand and portfolio strategies into concrete product plans driven by consumer insights, brand guidelines, and commercial feasibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Utilize market data, consumer insights, category trends, and industry developments to identify and prioritize innovation opportunities for assigned segments.
• Maintain and update a three-year innovation and product roadmap aligned with portfolio strategy, brand goals, and segment growth plans.
• Lead ideation workshops and innovation sessions to develop new platforms, formats, blends, flavors, packaging, and product extensions.
• Create product concepts with clear consumer value frameworks, supporting validation using qualitative and quantitative research methods.
• Develop detailed product design briefs and collaborate with R&D to prototype, conduct sensory evaluations, and perfect formulations.
• Engage external consultants, suppliers, and co-manufacturers as needed for product exploration and development.
• Coordinate consumer testing to validate product alignment, appeal, purchase intent, and areas for improvement.
• Ensure initiatives comply with portfolio structure, brand guidelines, segment priorities, and commercial targets.
• Support development of product positioning, naming, claims, and storytelling to guarantee consumer relevance and brand consistency.
• Identify opportunities for innovation, renovation, line extensions, and product rationalizations to enhance segment and portfolio health.
• Collaborate with Brand and cross-functional teams to align packaging, claims, messaging, and market execution for commercial readiness.
• Monitor assigned segments to detect gaps, risks, competition, and opportunities to strengthen the portfolio.
• Oversee assigned products through the lifecycle from conception to commercialization, ensuring alignment with consumer needs, technical feasibility, financial goals, and brand strategy.
• Work with Operations, Finance, R&D, and Insights teams to evaluate feasibility, costs, margins, scalability, and operational preparedness.
• Coordinate stage-gate milestones, timelines, and decision points with Program Management, facilitating cross-functional execution.
• Support Sales and Marketing in go-to-market preparation including selling stories, launch materials, presentations, and internal communications.
• Track project progress, identify challenges, and drive resolutions with stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Use consumer insights, business performance data, and portfolio strategy to inform product decisions.
• Monitor post-launch product performance, consumer feedback, customer response, and market trends to assess success.
• Recommend improvements to formulations, packaging, positioning, pricing, claims, or portfolio strategy based on data.
• Manage product lifecycle activities such as line extensions, renovations, discontinuations, and portfolio optimization.
• Provide regular reports to leadership regarding innovation status, portfolio alignment, commercialization, and product performance.
• Foster a collaborative culture emphasizing innovation, curiosity, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Perform additional duties as required.

Position Requirements

• Minimum of a Bachelor's degree.
• At least five years of experience in innovation or brand management within Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG).
• Demonstrated success leading projects across multifunctional teams.
• Strong skills in analysis, communication, and presentations.
• Familiarity with stage-gate development processes and product lifecycle management.
• Interest or experience in the coffee industry is advantageous.
• Genuine enthusiasm for understanding consumer needs and translating insights into successful product offerings.
• Internal candidates with Community Coffee experience may be considered, subject to hiring manager and HR approval.

Core Competencies

• Trust Building
• Continuous Learning
• Customer Focus
• Effective Communication
• Integrity
• Results Orientation

Additional Competencies

• Proactive Execution
• Collaboration
• Resourcefulness
• Interpersonal Agility
• Adaptability

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

The role requires regular tasting and evaluation of product prototypes and competitor products. Employees typically sit frequently but will occasionally stand, walk, use hands for handling, and communicate verbally. The role may involve lifting and moving up to 25 pounds. Visual acuity including close, distance, peripheral vision, depth perception, and focus adjustments is needed.

Values

• Champion People
• Inspire Creativity
• Delight Customers
• Serve Communities
• Win Collaboratively

Benefits and Equal Employment Opportunity

Community Coffee provides a competitive salary package along with health, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k), disability coverage, paid time off, and employee assistance programs. The company is committed to equal employment opportunities without discrimination and offers reasonable accommodations during the hiring process and employment, in compliance with applicable laws. Applications remain valid for 60 days after submission, and reapplication is required thereafter if interested.

Additional Information

Applicants are advised to use the latest internet browsers for a seamless application process, as older browsers may experience submission issues. Travel up to 25% may be required. The position operates under a hybrid work model based in Baton Rouge, LA.