Marketing Manager, Commercial Development

Marketing Manager, Commercial Development

(Exempt)

Company Overview: Ethos Pet Brands is the parent company of Natural Balance® and Canidae® pet brands.  By joining forces under Ethos Pet Brands, these premium pet food brands strengthen their commitment to delivering the highest quality nutrition. We believe in the power of strong brands to connect with pet parents and create meaningful experiences.

Job Summary: This is a high-impact, high-visibility role supporting the world's largest retailer, and requires a marketing leader who thrives under pressure, embraces accountability, and is energized by opportunities to influence the business. This individual will play a critical role in building strategic customer partnerships and driving sustainable growth.

More than an exceptional executor, this role requires a strategic thinker with strong business acumen who understands how to partner with Sales to shape the business, identify growth opportunities, and influence commercial decisions. Success will come from owning the business like a P&L leader, diving deep into data, uncovering insights, understanding what is driving performance, and translating those insights into actionable recommendations that accelerate growth.

This individual will develop and lead insight-driven customer marketing strategies that strengthen our brands with National Accounts, influence shopper behavior, and drive conversion across retail channels. They will collaborate cross-functionally with Sales, Brand Marketing, Category Leadership, Analytics, and agency partners to ensure marketing investments deliver measurable business results while enhancing brand equity.

The ideal candidate possesses an intense hunger to win, a relentless curiosity to understand the business, and the confidence to lead through influence. They are comfortable operating in ambiguity, proactively bringing strategic recommendations to the table rather than waiting for direction. While execution remains important, the primary expectation is to elevate the business through thought leadership, commercial partnership, and a deep understanding of the numbers that drive growth.

The Marketing Manager, Commercial Development will work remotely, and report to the SVP, Commercial Development or Director. The key responsibilities and duties of this position include, but are not limited to:

-Cross-functional Collaboration 

• Act as the key link between brand marketing and sales to ensure consistent messaging and effective activation. 

• Partner with creative and external agencies to develop compelling shopper assets and experiences. 

-Shopper Strategy & Planning 

• Lead the development of retailer-specific marketing strategies rooted in consumer, shopper, and category insights. 

• Build annual and quarterly shopper marketing plans aligned with brand objectives and customer priorities. 

-Retailer Program Execution 

• Manage end-to-end execution of shopper programs across omni-channel touchpoints (in-store, e-commerce, social, display, events). 

• Develop customized programs for key national accounts (i.e. PetSmart, Petco and Pet Supplies Plus), working closely with sales and customer teams. 

• Measurement & Optimization 

• Track program performance using sales lift, ROI, and engagement metrics; apply learnings to future programs. 

• Manage budget and agency resources effectively to maximize impact. 

• Retailer Relationships 

• Build strong partnerships with retailer marketing teams, ensuring alignment and unlocking co-marketing opportunities. 

• Present and sell in programs to internal stakeholders and retailers.   

-Intrinsic Values & Qualities That Need to be Demonstrated

• Leadership, Influence & Thought Leadership: Brings a strong point of view and new thinking to the table, using knowledge of the business, customer, and marketplace to help shape direction. Able to influence and manage up, across, and through teams without direct authority. Challenges the way we’ve always done things, brings fresh thinking, and helps the team see new opportunities and better ways forward.

• Understanding of the Business: Understands the broader business, its key drivers, and what it takes to drive and deliver growth. Connects day-to-day decisions to broader business objectives and acts like an owner, proactively identifying what the business needs and taking action to move it forward.

• Ownership & Follow-Through: Doesn’t need to have every answer in the moment, but takes ownership of finding it. Knows when to ask questions, pull in the right people, and dig deeper. This person can be counted on to follow through, close the loop, and come back with an answer or path forward.

• Strategic & Analytical Thinking: Sees beyond the immediate task to understand the bigger picture: where the business is going, what will drive growth, and what could stand in the way. Connects data, insights, past performance, and business context to identify opportunities, anticipate challenges, prioritize what matters most, and translate learnings into clear, forward-looking recommendations and actions that move the business forward.

• Proactive Problem Solving & Foresight: Able to solve problems quickly as they come up, while also staying a step ahead. Anticipates potential challenges, identifies issues before they become bigger problems, and puts solutions in place to keep the business moving forward. Focuses not just on fixing what’s happening today, but preventing the same issues tomorrow. Continuously asks, “What could get in the way, and what can we do now to stay ahead of it?”

• Courageous & Direct Communication: Communicates clearly, simply, and with conviction. Willing to speak up, challenge thinking, and deliver candid feedback, even when it may be uncomfortable. Brings a strong point of view while remaining open to other perspectives and focused on achieving the best outcome for the business.

• Energy, Presence & Drive: Brings energy, urgency, and a bias for action. Is an active and vocal contributor who engages others, creates momentum, and pushes themselves and the broader team to continuously raise the bar.

• Collaboration & Accountability: Builds strong cross-functional relationships while maintaining a focus on results. Knows how to bring people together, navigate competing priorities, and push teams toward decisions and action rather than allowing work to stall.

• Creativity & Growth Mindset: Challenges conventional thinking and generates innovative ideas, solutions, and approaches. Continuously looks for better ways to operate, solve problems, and drive growth.

• Motivation & Entrepreneurial Spirit: Demonstrates initiative, resilience, and personal accountability. Does not wait to be told what needs to happen. Identifies the opportunity, develops a path forward, rallies the right people, and gets it done.

• Executive Presence & Leadership: Shows up with confidence, credibility, and a strong understanding of the business. Able to represent the team and its priorities with senior leaders and cross-functional partners, stepping in for their leader when needed and confidently driving the conversation, decisions, and next steps.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or related field; MBA is a plus 

• Minimum 3–5+ years of experience in shopper marketing, customer marketing, or brand marketing (preferably in CPG, retail, or pet food) 

• Proven track record of developing and executing shopper marketing campaigns that deliver results 

• Strong understanding of the retail environment and shopper behavior across channels including brick and mortar, Amazon and Ecommerce 

• Extensive experience partnering with both brand marketing and sales 

• Heavy Excellent project management, communication skills and leading agency partners 

• Heavy Experience with syndicated data tools (e.g., Nielsen, Stackline) and retail media platforms 

• Strong presentation and storytelling skills 

• Estimated travel, on average, one two/three day trip every month. 

• Must be willing to submit a background check and pre-employment drug screening

• Must be eligible to work in the US

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Management of 1-2 direct reports 

• Experience working with national retailers and understanding their shopper marketing platforms 

• Ability to interpret data and insights to shape strategy and storytelling 

• Sales team experience 

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times

• Must be able to relay accurate information via multiple communication vehicles including verbal and written mechanisms

• Ability to remain in a stationary position for up to 8 hours

• Ability to operate a computer and other office technology

• Ability to observe details at close range

• Occasionally travel for work up to 15% of the time

• Occasionally Ascend/descend stairs

BENEFITS

• 401K

• Medical

• Dental

• Vision

• HSA & FSA

• Short Term Disability

• Long Term Disability

• Pet Insurance

• Life Insurance

• Employee Assistant Program

• And more!

Ethos is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.