Manager of Consumer Insights and Strategy

Company Description

Ocean Spray is a vibrant agricultural cooperative owned by more than 700 cranberry farmers in the United States, Canada and Chile, who have helped preserve the family farming way of life for generations. The cooperative’s cranberries are currently featured in more than a thousand great-tasting, good-for-you products in over 100 countries worldwide. With more than 2,000 employees and nearly 20 receiving and processing facilities, Ocean Spray is committed to managing our business in a way that respects our communities, colleagues and the environment.

Ocean Spray believes that our colleagues are our best assets and we offer an environment where you can work with exceptionally smart, innovative and passionate teams that are motivated to deliver Ocean Spray products around the world. If you are looking for a rewarding career where you can Grow, Own, Live and Drive your career every day, Ocean Spray is for you!

Job Description

Position Summary:

Ocean Spray’s Insights Team is looking for a Manager of Consumer Insights and Strategy who will play a key role in the development and execution of Ocean Spray’s brand and innovation strategy by leading key stakeholders through the insight discovery and validation process. This position will serve as the strategic business partner to the Ocean Spray business unit working together to identify big ideas that drive significant growth to the business and for Ocean Spray. The ideal candidate should have proven ability to deploy strong consumer mindset & business acumen, with the ability to synthesize across all insights disciplines. The ability to inspire and socialize insights with others is critical to success in this role.

The position is located at our Boston office in the Seaport District. Ability to travel to Lakeville office as needed is required.

A Day in the Life of the Manager of Consumer Insights and Strategy:

• Embedded into the cross-functional business team with a seat at the table representing the integrated voice of the consumer to ensure learnings are embedded in and influence decision making
• Provides an in-depth understanding of the consumer, customer and market to provide insights that are embraced, acted upon and lead to business growth
• Possess a broad business acumen that allows engagement in the entire business, including building empathy for the consumer as well as a sound understanding of trends and market analytics
• Works to raise the cross functional team’s consumer and analytic understanding for their business, a continual learning environment
• Develop and establish annual learning plan for business unit ensuring that it links to strategic issues that drive towards growth from front end innovation to live in market tests
• Responsible for methodology selection and external insight partner selection
• Identify key market and cultural trends relevant to business objectives. Develop insights to feed idea generation phase
• Identify consumer demand using segmentation and other custom studies
• Uncover functional and emotional benefits and connections to the Ocean Spray brand as well as competitive brands
• Manage relationships with various agency and research partners to improve quality and impact of insights

Required Competencies:

• Strong ability to influence and speak to insights with passion, leveraging storytelling skills
• Knowledge of insights tools and processes including segmentation and demand spaces (need states), positioning and concept development and optimization, product development and optimization, packaging development, volumetric assessment and cannibalization, behavioral science
• Ability to conduct and interpret market research, including strong skill set in ethnographic research
• Synthesis of insights from disparate sources of both primary and syndicated data sources
• Proficient in statistics, experimental design, survey creation and analysis, qualitative research (traditional focus group techniques and ethnography)
• Must be a creative collaborator who can lead both internal and external teams in through both the ideation and development phases
• Speed. As Ocean Spray transforms into a Health & Wellness Company, innovation will come at twice the speed and in many different channels from where we have played historically (Shelf Stable Juice)

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher. MBA or Psychology background preferred
• Minimum 5+ years’ experience in consumer brand planning/innovation/brand/insights & in managing/integrating syndicated and primary consumer research
• Experience in discovering, identifying, and analyzing consumer/user and mega trends
• Must demonstrate both analytical AND creative thinking abilities
• Proven record of establishing internal and external partnerships
• Ability to tell a story and simplify complex data in a concise manner
• Ability to work in both innovation and existing product lines

Additional information

Work Perks:

• ½ Day Fridays in the Summer
• Dog Friendly office
• Free coffee & beer on tap
• Waterfront views
• Collaborative workspace
• Nestled among the vibrant array of shops, restaurants, and cultural attractions of Seaport Square