ABOUT BLUE BUFFALO - ABOUT THE COMPANY:

Founded in 2003 in Wilton, Connecticut, Blue Buffalo is the leader in premium quality, all-natural pet nutrition. Our brand has experienced double and triple-digit annual growth over the past several years through strong ads, strategic marketing programs, and innovative product releases.

This is an exciting time to be part of the Blue Buffalo family, as the company is on a journey to revolutionize relationships with consumer (Pet Parent). This role is key to Blue Buffalo's growth strategy: cultivating deeper, more meaningful relationships with consumers (Pet Parents) that will drive incremental value and loyalty to Blue Buffalo. As part of our Blue Buffalo family, you'll play a role in accelerating Blue Buffalo's journey to be there to support consumers (Pet Parents) during all the moments that matter in their lives. You'll make an impact by contributing to the evolution of our first ever digital consumer (Pet Parent) experience, Buddies by Blue Buffalo designed to feed healthy relationships between families and their pets and supports Blue Buffalo's mission to love them like family, so more Pet Parents who love them like family can feed them like family.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION - PURPOSE OF ROLE:

Reporting to the head of Activation this role will help advance the product and digital experience for all of Blue Buffalo marketing activities during a pinnacle time of growth and advancing distinctive brand experiences across all moments that matter in a pet parent's journey.

The Manager of Activation will be responsible for leading cross functional internal teams in the development of strategic 360 marketing campaigns that meet brand objectives and communication goals. This role will act as the point person in developing and managing integrated marketing and activation plans, including ensuring compliance to the campaign planning process. The Manager of Activation will leverage strong agile project management skills and an eye for detail to drive consistency and pull through of brand guidelines in messaging and imagery across all points in the consumer journey. They will lead ideation, integration and coordination across all disciplines within Paid, Owned and Earned channels, partnering with internal creative and functional leads to bring big, bold brand ideas to life. Strong experience in agile project management and ability to lead cross functional teams in a fast paced, learn and optimize WOW will be a core component of the role.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Project management, lead cross functional collaboration for priority campaigns to keep teams focused on milestone goals by guiding prioritization across the key deliverables across our all channels and touchpoints.


• Work with Brand Strategy, Marketing and Insights to develop insightful, inspirational, and actionable briefs that lead to breakthrough, integrated work in support of key business objectives, product innovation and enhancements.


• Lead ideation, development, and execution of integrated 360 marketing plans, for multiple categories/sublines including developing and managing cross functional teams to master timelines and key project milestones.


• Drive consistency and pull through of brand guidelines in messaging and imagery across all disciplines within Paid, Owned and Earned channels.


• Partner with Omnishopper team in development and execution of National shopper event creative, incentives and promotional overlays, including vetting vendors for national promotion and incentive overlays and working with sales team to build sell in materials


• Continuously optimize by leveraging intel from strategy and owned pet parent experiences to adjust in an agile way and in alignment with a Blue Buffalo activation playbook.


• Other strategic initiatives may include:
  
  
  • Sponsorship and Cause Marketing program support across new and existing partners
  
  
  • Responsible for ongoing management and of vendors and contracts across owned programs within Activation Budget (Monthly forecasting, PO generation etc.)
  
  
  • Support collection of data for continuous optimization of campaigns and post campaign reporting
  
  
  
  

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

• BA in Marketing, Communication, or related degree


• 10-12 years of relevant marketing experience (agency or client side). Experience in pet category a plus


• Experience and understanding of marketing in the CPG space across Paid, Owned and Earned channels


• Demonstrated ability in leading and contributing to 360 activations around "big, bold, brand ideas"


• Strong background in agile project management required


• Proven ability to lead complex workstreams and multiple cross-functional initiatives at once


• Strategic thinker and creative problem solver with ability to navigate and solve for complex issues across functions


• Strong communication skills, cross functionally and to Sr. leadership


• Highly organized with experience leading multiple large initiatives and projects at once


• Experience improving upon existing processes and systems and leading teams through new ways of working and processes


• Comfortable working both independently and as a team


• Must be able to work in environment with free-roaming companion pets


• Pet enthusiasts preferred


• Open to remote with 30% travel to Wilton office (2 days per week)

PREFFERED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Agile project management certifications a plus


• Strong experience in agile project management


• Experience with Jira, Confluence, Miro


• Experience developing leading cross functional teams in executing integrated, creative marketing plans


• Strong project management experience


• Positive attitude and flexible team-oriented approach to working with others


• Strong communication and presentation skills


• Highly organized and detail-oriented


• Ability to juggle multiple projects and priorities


• Experience managing the creative development and trafficking process for TV, digital and other paid touchpoints

We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best - bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one other and grow together. Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what's next.