Associate Brand Manager in Gardena, California at Nissin Foods

The Associate Brand Manager (ABM) is an early-career, high-impact role within the Marketing organization, reporting to the Marketing Director. This role supports the planning, execution, and analysis of marketing, innovation, and brand initiatives across the brand portfolio and/or assigned brands and sub-brands.

The ABM is a hands-on problem solver with strong analytical skills, intellectual curiosity, and a bias for action. This individual plays a critical role in translating data into insights, supporting innovation and renovation projects, and executing marketing plans in partnership with cross-functional teams and agency partners. The ABM is expected to learn the business quickly, ask thoughtful questions, and proactively take ownership of workstreams.

This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced CPG environment, is eager to grow into full brand ownership over time, and is motivated by both analytics and creativity.

Business & Financial Acumen

• Pull, analyze, and synthesize IRI and internal data to identify trends, drivers, and business opportunities.
• Support tracking and reporting of brand performance, KPIs, and competitive activity.
• Assist in managing brand budgets, including invoice tracking, agency billing support, and reconciliation.
• Partner with Finance to support brand P&Ls.
• Use data to help inform recommendations and support brand decisions.

Strategic Thinking & Problem Solving

• Develop a strong understanding of the category, brand strategy, and business drivers.
• Actively ask questions and seek to understand the “why” behind performance, consumer behavior, and business decisions.
• Help synthesize data, insights, and trends into clear takeaways and actionable implications.
• Support the Brand Manager/Brand Director in building plans, presentations, and recommendations for leadership.

Consumer Insights & Advocacy

• Analyze consumer, category, and brand data to help identify insights and opportunities.
• Support consumer research projects, including briefing vendors, managing timelines, and summarizing learnings.
• Maintain awareness of consumer trends, cultural moments, and competitive activity.
• Apply core marketing frameworks (positioning, benefit ladder, RTBs, purchase funnel) to brand work.

Innovation & Renovation Support

• Support innovation and renovation initiatives from concept through commercialization.
• Assist in developing briefs for R&D, packaging, design, and agency partners.
• Help write concepts for consumer testing and support synthesis of results.
• Coordinate timelines, deliverables, and cross-functional inputs for less complex projects.
• Support development of sales materials, sell sheets, and launch toolkits.

Execution & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with cross-functional teams including R&D, Packaging, Sales, Supply Chain, and Finance to support project execution.
• Coordinate tactical execution of marketing plans, promotions, and communications.
• Support agency partners with briefing, feedback, and executional coordination.
• Overcommunicate progress, flag risks early, and ensure deliverables stay on track.
• Assists with monthly meeting preparations for new product process, Japan team monthly meetings, and other monthly requests.

Initiative & Learning Mindset

• Demonstrate ownership and accountability for assigned workstreams.
• Be proactive in identifying issues, proposing solutions, and driving tasks forward.
• Actively seek feedback and apply learnings to improve performance.
• Build foundational brand management skills with the goal of growth into a Brand Manager role.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required in Marketing, Business, Analytics, or related field preferred.
• 2-3 years of experience in brand management.

Preferred Qualifications

• CPG experience preferred; food a plus.

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