Sr. Manager, Category Growth

About the Company

Lee Kum Kee, a global food company founded in 1888, specializes in creating condiments and sauces that promote Chinese cuisine worldwide. With over 200 products, we provide authentic and innovative solutions for cooking Asian foods at home.

Our Hong Kong-based headquarters and Southern California manufacturing facilities serve as a hub for our international operations.

We are seeking top talents to join our team and contribute to our continued success.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and life insurance coverage
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Two weeks' vacation time
• Ten paid holidays
• Hybrid work schedule available after 90 days

Position Summary

This role is accountable for driving category growth and portfolio development for the Americas Zone, ensuring alignment with N5Yr objectives and product penetration targets.

Essential Functions

• Category Strategy formulation and Portfolio Management:
• Develop long-term category vision and manage related KPIs
• Identify key consumer targets in retail and foodservice segments
• Translate data into strategic initiatives and innovation pipeline development
• Build effective category portfolio through collaboration with internal experts
• Communication Development:
• Develop category playbooks and communication kits for consistent market execution
• Create launch/marketing campaigns and content for assigned categories
• Partner with local sales teams for marketing campaign implementation
• Innovation & Renovation:
• Lead Zone NPD development in line with global innovation process
• Marketing Community Representation:
• Represent Americas Zone in the Global Marketing community for respective categories
• Drive buy-in and engagement of sales channels for smooth roll-out
• Effective Resources Management and P&L Responsibility:
• Develop category P&L and ensure target achievement
• Control A&P spending within budget and maximize cost efficiency
• Support sales channels in planning and implementing marketing research programs

Competencies

• Knowledge and experience in new product development and category management
• Strong strategic and analytical thinking
• Demonstrate judgement to define category development towards company goals
• Pursue innovation and change with a mindset of continuous improvement
• Excellent leadership skills to drive non-reporting teams
• Effective communication and influencing skills
• Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, and be flexible in work schedule
• A team player to drive company goals and core values
• Willingness to travel as needed

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not have immediate supervisory responsibilities but will require managing subordinates when the team expands.

Required Education and/or Experience

• Bachelor's degree in marketing or business administration; MBA preferred
• Minimum 9 years of sales/marketing experience in reputable FMCG food/beverage organizations, with 2 years in managerial positions
• Exceptional ability to develop and cultivate strategic relationships
• Strong presentation, organization, and time management skills
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to organize, set priority, manage, and measure work
• Ability to make timely decisions and handle multiple projects and meet deadlines
• Ability to work within an integrated operating enterprise, coach peers, and teams in executing complex programs
• Ability to motivate others, build effective teams, direct others
• Proficient in MS Office, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Good understanding of financials and budgeting processes

Language Skills

Fluent in English and Chinese (strongly preferred)

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations

None

Travel

This position requires up to 25% travel, mostly outside the local area and overnight. Some travel may be international.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand, walk, use hands to finger, handle, or feel, taste foods, and reach with hands and arms.

Work Environment

This position operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

It is Lee Kum Kee's policy to seek and employ the most qualified persons in all jobs in a manner which will ensure equal employment opportunity as well as administer personnel actions in a manner as to not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability or protected veteran status. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.