All posting locations: Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
Job Function: 05 - Marketing
Date Published: 23-Apr-2024
Ref #: R-75633
Description & Requirements
The Consumer Insights Associate Director will be responsible for championing the consumer, and own all insights for the Kraft Heinz NotCo joint venture in the USA. This position is responsible for identifying, developing and integrating consumer insights throughout these businesses to drive a growth mindset and agility while driving to a consumer-obsessed culture. Although the Associate Director will have overall responsibility, this leader will be a key partner to innovation CIS team leads and Business Units, driving synergies and learnings across the businesses to optimize and improve brand and category success. Associate Director will have accountability for custom strategic market research and must also draw from a variety of information sources and internal/external resources to develop insights that provide a competitive advantage to KHC.
This role requires a person who can be:
Strategic: Be a strategic business partner to the Marketing team and a thought leader. Use their understanding of the consumer, research methodologies/techniques, best practices and experience to drive the business forward
Influential: Influence at all levels of organization (above & below) and work seamlessly with cross-functional teams
Impactful: Drive to "so-what’s" by making actionable recommendations routed in deep understanding of marketing, business and consumer
An Owner: Possess a willingness to get into the details, think and act like a start-up, and build out a function against a blank slate without buying pre-packaged solutions or methodologies.
Flexible: Be flexible and creative to adjust to changing priorities and business challenges. Deal with ambiguity, while showing strong drive for results and project leadership skills; Highly adaptable, works well in an environment of change
Strong Communicator: Showcase strong communication skills through distilled clean/concise insights that drive empathy and storytelling behaviors though the organization
Self-motivated: Ability to handle many workstreams, challenging priorities and distill a plan that can be implemented for the team
Analytical: Ability to see through data and recognize patterns to inform brand actions
Collaborator: Teammate, works well in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment
Coach & People Leader: Drive to share knowledge and develop a high-performing team
Curiosity & Action: High degree of intellectual curiosity and creative insight, coupled with a drive for actionable, tangible results
Influence: Ability to influence at senior levels of an organization and drive focus and impact
Essential Functions & Responsibilities
- Key strategic insights partner to the NotCo Joint Venture Team
- Directly oversees Consumer Insights against all categories across the Kraft Heinz NotCo joint venture
- Leads and implements consumer learning plans across innovation (whitespace identification, ideation, validation) and base business (communication, packaging, and in-market measurement) for the Joint Venture
- Identify breakthrough solutions delivering speed and rigor in all aspects of consumer learning; challenging status quo and strategic oversight in building out strategy
- Influence and build external and internal agreement for business opportunities with rigorous consumer understanding
- Shape the category story and go to market strategy for plant-based alternatives at Kraft Heinz through right-sized consumer learning and influential storytelling
- Ensure consumer is at forefront, living principles, inspiring change and iterative attitude to move quickly and pivot as new learning and consumer understanding is gleaned
- Requires working in high levels of ambiguity; creating strategic direction for growth opportunities 1-5 years out
Expected Experience & Required Skills
- A minimum ten (10+) years in a strategic insights/consumer research role, preferably at a CPG manufacturer, or 10+ years with a combination of supplier & manufacturer-side insights experience showcasing increasing responsibilities and scope.
- Significant experience in the insights space to enable the ability to break historical ways of working and experiment to a more agile mentality.
- Proficient in various market research techniques, including both qualitative and quantitative methods; Experience using these tools for innovation development strongly preferred
- Experience working with both primary and secondary data sources
- Working knowledge of syndicated research tools (e.g. Nielsen, Circana, etc)
- Proven ability to distill insights and drive impact into an organization – bringing the consumer to forefront
- High level of tolerance for working in ambiguity, leading change and motivating change management
- Proficient at storytelling in creative and impactful ways - excellent communication, organization and presentation skills (written, oral, and across Microsoft Office Suite)
- Advanced Degree Preferred
Work Environment & Schedule
This is a Hybrid role with 3 days a week in the local office, with limited travel or visits to external locations; offices are open workspaces. Additionally, this role requires working a salaried, exempt schedule to best execute against customer and internal expectations
Physical demands include but not limited to
Willingness to drive and/or travel as needed
Operate a computer and view screens for ~100% of work schedule
#LI-Hybrid
About Us
Kraft Heinz is a global food company with a delicious heritage. With iconic and emerging food and beverage brands around the world, we deliver the best taste, fun and quality to every meal table we touch. We’re on a mission to disrupt not only our own business, but the global food industry. A consumer obsession and unexpected partnerships fuel our progress as we drive innovation across every part of our company.
Around the world, our people are connected by a culture of ownership, agility and endless curiosity. We also believe in being good humans, who are working to improve our company, communities, and planet. We’re proud of where we’ve been – and even more thrilled about where we’re headed – as we nourish the world and lead the future of food.
Why Us
We grow our people to grow our business. We champion great people who bring ambition, curiosity, and high performance to the table as the guardians of our beloved and nostalgic brands. Good isn't good enough. We choose greatness every day by challenging the ordinary and making bold decisions. All while celebrating our wins - and our failures – as we work together to lead the future of food.
Challenging the status quo takes talent. We invest in your purpose and potential by developing skills and nurturing strengths that leave a legacy on our business and a lasting impact on your career. Because great people make great companies, and we’re growing something great here at Kraft Heinz.
Office Collaboration & Hybrid Work Environment
We believe our office environment fuels our collaboration, connection & community as an organization and allows our employees to grow toward greatness. We also believe providing a more flexible and agile model is essential in today’s workplace. A majority of our office-based employees will be able to work remotely for up to two days each week. Additionally, employees who are subject to this hybrid model will be eligible to work from anywhere for up to six weeks in a rolling 12-month period (in maximum two-week increments and according to benefits and tax guidelines). Some jobs may be required to be performed fully in office depending on the role’s responsibilities and requirements.
Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer that prohibits discrimination or harassment of any type. All qualified applicants are considered for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants who require an accommodation to participate in the job application or hiring process should contact NATAI@kraftheinz.com.