Senior Brand Manager (Buldak) in Brea, California at SAMYANG AMERICA INC

About Samyang America

Samyang America stands as the #1 Gen Z brand, boldly shaping the future of food culture with innovative flavors, viral trends, and unforgettable brand experiences. We don’t just create food - we craft moments that spark excitement, inspire connection, and celebrate bold individuality.

Our mission is to bring daring, delicious products to the market that resonate deeply with the next generation of food lovers. From iconic spicy noodles to creative new launches, we are driven by passion, creativity, and a commitment to pushing the boundaries of taste and culture.

At Samyang America, you’ll join a dynamic team that thrives on innovation, collaboration, and a shared love for bold flavor experiences. We value fresh ideas, energetic spirit, and the courage to lead trends rather than follow them.

If you’re ready to be part of a brand that’s more than just food - a brand that moves culture and creates unforgettable moments - join our team today!

Position Summary: Buldak isn't just a brand; it's a viral cultural phenomenon. From viral Fire Noodle Challenges to Gen Z fandom, Buldak thrives on bold ideas, unforgettable experiences, and trend-defining moments. The Senior Brand Manager will develop and execute marketing plans for assigned products and initiatives, supporting Buldak's U.S. brand strategy and growth objectives under the direction of the Senior Marketing Director. This role combines strategic thinking, business analysis, and hands-on execution. The Senior Manager is expected to understand brand performance, identify opportunities, provide clear recommendations, and independently manage approved initiatives from planning through delivery and evaluation.

Key Responsibilities:

Brand Planning and Growth

• Contribute to the annual noodles brand plan and develop detailed plans for assigned priorities, including objectives, target consumers, activities, budgets, and KPIs.

• Identify opportunities to recruit new households, encourage repeat purchases, and strengthen Buldak's relevance across consumer occasions.

Business Performance and Analysis

• Analyze sales, market share, distribution, velocity, household penetration, purchase frequency, and repeat purchase to identify growth drivers and performance gaps.

• Translate findings into clear recommendations on marketing support, product priorities, and corrective actions.

• Prepare concise business updates that explain performance trends, their implications, and recommended actions.

Consumer Understanding and Brand Consistency

• Partner with Strategy & Insights to develop research briefs addressing agreed-upon business questions.

• Build an understanding of consumer needs, usage occasions, flavor preferences, perceptions of heat, and barriers to trial and repeat purchase.

• Ensure marketing materials consistently reflect Buldak's brand identity, tone, and approved positioning.

Campaign Development and Execution

• Lead assigned campaigns and activations from briefing through execution and evaluation.

• Develop briefs that clearly define the target audience, consumer insight, objectives, key messages, deliverables, budget, and success measures.

• Complete post-campaign evaluations, documenting results, key learnings, and implications for future activities.

Innovation and Portfolio Support

• Partner with Product Management, Sales, Insights, and global headquarters on assigned innovation and renovation initiatives.

• Develop launch marketing plans with clear objectives, activities, budgets, timelines, and KPIs.

• Track marketing launch readiness and coordinate with functional owners on product availability, packaging, communications, retail support, and sales materials.

Retail and Commercial Collaboration

• Work with Sales and Shopper Marketing to connect approved brand priorities with retailer opportunities.

• Coordinate consumer campaigns and retail activations to ensure messaging, timing, and product support work together.

Budget and Project Ownership

• Manage assigned advertising and promotion (A&P) budgets, including forecasting, commitments, actual spend, and reconciliation with FP&A.

• Establish and manage project timelines, responsibilities, dependencies, and approval milestones.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related discipline; MBA preferred.

• Typically 7+ years of relevant marketing experience, including brand management within consumer packaged goods (CPG); food or beverage experience preferred.

• Demonstrated experience developing marketing plans, leading integrated campaigns, and supporting product launches.

• Strong analytical skills, including experience interpreting syndicated retail and household panel data.

• Experience managing marketing budgets, agencies, and multiple cross-functional projects.

• Understanding of U.S. retail dynamics and how brand marketing and shopper activation support commercial performance.

• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear recommendations.

• Demonstrated ability to prioritize, meet deadlines, and independently move projects forward.

• Experience working with global teams or headquarters is an advantage.

The base salary for this position is between $130,000.00 and $160,000.00 per year. Actual compensation will depend on a variety of factors, including qualifications, experience, and location. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation and benefits, including an annual incentive bonus, medical/dental/vision insurance, life insurance, PTO/FTO, and a 401(k) plan with company match.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer:

Samyang America is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all individuals. We do not discriminate in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.