Manager, Category Insights

Mark Anthony Group is an entrepreneurial drinks company, built from the ground up by thinking differently, innovating and doing the unexpected. Our company is rooted in family values, a bold vision and relentless determination to continuously raise the bar and make a positive difference in consumers' lives. Founded in 1972, we’ve grown organically from a one-person import wine business into an international drinks company whose hallmarks include a portfolio of luxury wineries and iconic beverage brands, including White Claw® Hard Seltzer, Mike’s Hard Lemonade, and Cayman Jack.

The role is responsible for providing strategic insights and recommendations based on detailed analysis of market trends, consumer behavior, competitive landscapes, and sales data. Plays a crucial role in driving strategic decision-making and supporting the growth and profitability of the company's brands and products

Accountabilities:

• Market Trend Analysis/Data needs: Analyzing market trends to identify emerging segments, consumer preferences, and shifts in the market. Makes recommendations for growth.
• Storytelling: turn insights & analysis into meaningful, impactful stories for retail partners bringing the opportunity to life by integrating multiple datasets
• Category deep dives: Analyzing all available data to evaluate brand positioning of new products.
• Data Management & Analytics: Utilizing various data sources, including retail sales data, consumer research, and market analysis, to generate actionable insights. To be able to interpret complex data sets and translating them into clear, strategic recommendations for the business
• Competitive/Predictive Analysis: Monitoring and analyzing competitors' strategies, market positioning, trends, sales performance.
• Category Management: Developing strategies for category management, including product assortment and pricing strategies
• Leadership: Hire, cultivate and retain top talent.
• Cross-functional Projects: Lead cross-functional work.

Key Metrics & Financial Targets:

• Volume (40%)
• Distribution (30%)
• Budget Management (15%)
• Off-premise share (15%)

Own:

• Execution of how brand comes to life in-market and data analysis, performance tracking, data strategy
• Insights presentations and key stakeholder management
• Business and product positioning recommendations

Influence:

• Category Insights: impacts retailer decisions, such as product assortment, shelf placement, and merchandising strategies. Collaborate w/Sales on strategies tailored to region or territory, considering local market conditions/customers.

Veto:

• Role is more about influencing decisions through insights and recommendations rather than having direct authority to veto initiatives.

Critical Relatinships:

• CILT including VP of CS&I, VP+ level of Sales.
• National Accts and/or key regional accts off-premise sales teams and retail partners.
• Marketing, shopper, and consumer insights.
• Curating Insight stories.
• Sales Reporting: Retailer gateway.
• Up to date Shopper metrics in category and studies on flavor.

Skills Needed To BE Successful:

• Preferably 6+ years of proven category insights experience in the Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) industry, leveraging syndicated scan & household panel data platforms (Circana, Numerator).
• Strong technical skills in Microsoft Excel (Pivot Tables, V-Lookups, formulas) and other Third-Party software applications (Qlikview).
• Strong data visualization skills in PowerPoint.
• Strong presentation/communication skills (internally and externally).
• Ability to effectively manage associates (motivate, coach, get the most from their talents, and help them along their career path).

Extraordinary Leaderships Expectations:

• Ability to think big
• Drive for continuous improvement in the quality of insights, reporting and tools that drive impact and efficiencies

What You Will Learn In This Role:

• Advanced Data Analysis: deepening skills in analysis and advanced analytics to derive actionable insights.
• Market Trends/Behaviors: Gain an understanding of evolving market trends, consumer preferences and buying behaviors.
• Engagement with Executive Leadership.
• Experience managing others.

Compensation:

Compensation offered to prospective Team Members has taken internal equity into consideration and can vary depending on a positions’ location. The final agreed upon wage may vary based on the job-related knowledge, skills, and experience of the individual.

• Competitive annual salary $115,000 - $130,000 in Chicago, IL
• Bonus plan designed to recognize company performance and individual contributions
• Comprehensive health and welfare benefits
• Company matching 401(k) contributions
• Paid time off including annual leave, paid sick time and holidays
• Extensive opportunities for training, development, and career growth

At Mark Anthony, we exist to Unearth the Extraordinary:

Our Purpose is not just a statement; it is a call to action that binds us together and ignites our passion for making a difference. It is the driving force behind why we do what we do every single day, connecting our global organization across all business units, roles, and locations. We are:

Best in Our Craft
We set the standard with a pursuit of excellence that can be found in everything from our products and processes to our plants and people.​

Ambitiously Curious
We stay curious, dreaming big and navigating the unknown with an enduring belief in better.​​

Made With Humility
We bring humility, authenticity, fun, and support to every collaboration and celebrate wins as a team.

Daringly Disruptive
We disrupt the status quo, moving fast to seize opportunities and acting scrappy ​to stay ahead of industry giants.​