Senior Brand Manager - Incubator Brands

About the role

We are seeking a commercially focused Senior Brand Manager to take ownership of the GB and international incubation agenda. This position will shape, grow, and accelerate a portfolio of incubator brands, with an initial emphasis on Smug Dairy, the company’s new start-up brand.

Smug Dairy entered the food-to-go snacking category in January 2025 and has already gained distribution with several major UK retailers. The brand has strong early traction, and this role will help unlock further growth through expanded distribution, sharper commercial plans, and stronger market presence.

The role combines strategic brand leadership with day-to-day commercial delivery. You will work closely with internal and external partners to build retailer relationships, drive innovation, and run agile marketing activity that supports sustainable growth.

This is a hybrid position based in Staines-Upon-Thames, with two office days each week on Tuesday and Wednesday. The role also involves occasional travel to partners in London and to sites across Ireland and the UK.

About the company

Kinisla is a vertically integrated farm-to-fork business with a significant consumer foods footprint and a strong dairy and nutritional ingredients division. The business is focused on sustainability, innovation, and delivering high-quality dairy solutions across the value chain.

With more than 50 years of experience in milk processing, dairy and nutritional technology, and product development, the company manages a broad portfolio of leading brands, including Cheestrings, Charleville, Coleraine Cheese, Dairygold, Golden Cow, and SMUG. Its close ties to 2,800 milk suppliers and its strong farm-to-fork culture support its work across food and dairy markets.

The business sources milk from Irish family farms known for having one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world. Headquartered in Tralee, County Kerry, it operates manufacturing sites in Listowel, Charleville, Newmarket, and Farranfore, along with 29 Farm & Home stores across the region. Its footprint also includes locations in Portadown, Coleraine, and Ossett in Northern Ireland and the UK.

Globally, the company employs more than 1,600 people across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, the USA, the Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and China. In 2024, it recorded turnover of approximately €1.3 billion.

Responsibilities

• Set the long-term direction for the brand, including positioning, audience definition, value proposition, and growth priorities.
• Create and deliver brand plans that support both immediate commercial results and long-term brand strength.
• Work closely with the Business Unit Controller, Commercial, R&D, Supply Chain, Finance, and agency partners to deliver growth targets.
• Lead retailer discussions and sell-in activity, building persuasive commercial stories that win distribution, visibility, and activation.
• Develop fast-moving, insight-led marketing plans that improve effectiveness and return on investment.
• Oversee creative development and ensure brand execution remains distinctive and consistent across all consumer touchpoints.
• Track brand performance, spot opportunities, and refine plans using data, consumer insight, and performance learnings.
• Drive the innovation pipeline with the innovation team from idea generation through launch, review, and ongoing improvement.
• Support and coach one direct report, helping build a high-performing and growth-minded team culture.

Requirements

• Solid background in brand management, ideally gained in FMCG, challenger brands, start-ups, scale-ups, or innovation-led companies.
• Proven commercial strength, including experience working with retailers and leading customer sell-in efforts.
• Strong capability in stakeholder management and cross-functional leadership.
• An entrepreneurial, proactive approach with the ability to move between strategy and hands-on delivery.
• Strong creative thinking and a history of turning consumer insight into effective brand ideas and campaigns.
• Comfort working through ambiguity and making decisions in a changing environment.
• Resilience, adaptability, and enthusiasm for building brands from the ground up.

Perks and benefits

• 25 days of annual leave, plus bank holidays.
• Private healthcare support.
• Matched pension scheme.
• Discount and cashback benefits through the rewards platform.

Additional information

The company values curiosity, teamwork, and the chance to make a meaningful impact. It aims to create a workplace where people collaborate across disciplines to solve food challenges and contribute to a positive future for food.

An inclusive culture is a key priority. Recruitment and assessment are based on the relevant skills and competencies for the role and are carried out on merit. The organisation states that it does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, class, economic status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, age, political beliefs, veteran status, marital status, or any other protected characteristic.

Please note that CVs or profiles from recruitment agencies will not be accepted unless the organisation’s terms of business have already been signed. The company also states that it will not pay recruiter fees in those circumstances, including when CVs or profiles are sent directly to hiring managers.