Senior Marketing Manager

About the role

The Senior Marketing Manager, Americas defines how IRCA Group's extensive portfolio is presented and positioned within key segments of the North American market. This role owns the architecture and execution of the regional marketing narrative, translating the Group's broad capabilities into focused, customer-centric strategies that drive demand and support portfolio expansion. Success requires a strategic yet operational approach, connecting market intelligence, customer needs, and sales execution to unlock growth across the value chain. The position serves as the critical link between the diverse IRCA portfolio and the distinct demands of the US and Canadian markets. The Senior Marketing Manager will synthesize complex ingredient and solution offerings into clear, compelling stories for varied audiences. This individual will work in tandem with Sales, Culinary, Product Management, Business Development, R&D, and Communications to ensure all customer touchpoints are consistent, insightful, and effective. The role demands a proactive leader who brings order to complexity, creates high-impact tools for the field, and measures impact with a commercial lens. The manager will be based in the Chicago, IL office, requiring a minimum of three days per week onsite.

Key facts

What you'll do

The Senior Marketing Manager will design and own the annual category strategy for assigned IRCA portfolio segments, defining target customer profiles and aligning plans with sales forecasts. This manager will translate strategy into a concrete, actionable plan that guides execution across all relevant channels and orchestrates cross-functional collaboration. Innovation pipeline development is a core duty, involving close partnership with R&D and Product Management to assess new product relevance and potential. The manager will validate product-market fit for key accounts and ensure the innovation pipeline aligns with identified customer pain points and emerging category trends. Brand narrative and visual identity will be shaped by this role to ensure resonance across diverse audiences, including crafting campaigns that connect with chefs, in-store bakers, and foodservice leaders. This involves creating demand generation tools and collateral, ranging from technical data sheets to visual merchandising assets, to empower the sales team. The manager will coordinate with Business Development and Culinary teams to develop stage-specific engagement plans for strategic customer programs, ensuring a cohesive approach from initial contact to long-term partnership. To guide portfolio storytelling, the manager will analyze market dynamics and customer expectations, informing positioning for chains, distributors, and in-store bakery operations. A key function is the development of high-impact sales tools that clarify complex product benefits and facilitate structured commercial conversations. Collaboration with Communications and Public Relations will amplify IRCA's presence in the market by developing and distributing content that highlights the Group's expertise and innovation. This external storytelling must be grounded in a deep understanding of the internal capabilities and heritage of the IRCA brands, ensuring consistency and authenticity in every initiative.

Requirements

The candidate must possess three to five years of relevant marketing experience within the food ingredients, branded goods, or related sectors, demonstrating a proven ability to manage complex product portfolios. The manager must be adept at translating detailed product information into coherent, persuasive customer narratives that drive action and measurable outcomes. Experience operating across functions is non-negotiable, as the successful candidate will have a track record of influencing cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority. Collaboration with Sales, Product Management, and Culinary teams must be effective to shape category outcomes and secure buy-in for strategic initiatives. Strong analytical skills are required to prioritize initiatives, evaluate campaign effectiveness, and use data to inform decision-making in a dynamic environment. Fluency in English is mandatory to ensure clear communication with internal stakeholders and external customers, encompassing both written and verbal capabilities. The ability to write and speak effectively is critical for developing documentation, presenting plans, and building robust relationships with partners across the region.

Nice to have

A background in chocolate, creams, fillings, fruit-based solutions, and decorative ingredients is highly advantageous, allowing for more nuanced conversations with technical and culinary teams. Experience serving the in-store bakery, foodservice, and chain segments is preferred, as it provides deeper context for customer challenges and opportunities specific to these channels. While no specific software systems are mandated, the manager must be highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholder requests in a fast-paced environment. The role requires an entrepreneurial mindset and the resilience to thrive in a dynamic, growth-oriented organization that values initiative and proactive problem-solving.

Practical notes

The manager will be based in the Chicago, IL office, requiring a minimum of three days per week onsite.