Brand Manager

PeopleHive is partnering with Solely — Fast Company’s #2 Most Innovative Company in the World – on a Brand Manager search. Our client is a mission-driven CPG brand scaling radically simple, organic fruit snacks from farm to shelf, and they need a strategic brand leader to drive growth and innovation. Solely (

• Love owning end-to-end brand strategy – from consumer insights to innovation launches to influencer campaigns?
• Energized by building brands consumers crave while driving measurable business results?
• Thrive at the intersection of creativity and analytics, balancing storytelling with ROI?

This isn’t a back-office marketing role. You’ll own brand strategy, budget management, innovation commercialization, and influencer leadership while partnering across Sales, R&D, Supply Chain, and Customer Success. High visibility, high impact, high autonomy, perfect for someone who combines strategic thinking with execution excellence and thrives in lean, fast-paced startups.

WHAT MAKES THIS ROLE UNIQUE

• Full P&L Ownership: You’ll have real brand ownership with budget authority and strategic decision-making power
• Farm to Shelf Integration: Work directly with our Latin America farms and understand our vertically integrated supply chain from crop to consumer
• Innovation at Speed: Lead product innovation in a lean environment where you can test, learn, and scale quickly without layers of bureaucracy
• Direct Leadership Access: Regular touchpoints with VP Marketing and C-suite
• Build What’s Missing: You’ll have the autonomy to create systems, tools, and processes that don’t exist yet as we scale
• Mission-Driven Impact: Every decision you make connects to reshaping how people think about snacking and food transparency

THE ROLE IN DETAIL

As Brand Manager, you’ll own strategy, execution, and results for the Solely brand with full brand responsibility spanning consumer insights, innovation pipeline, budget management, integrated marketing leadership, and influencer strategy. You’ll be the bridge between strategic thinking and flawless execution, equally comfortable analyzing Nielsen data and briefing creative agencies.

Brand Strategy & Budget Management

• Own brand strategy, positioning, and annual brand plan for assigned categories
• Manage marketing budgets (six figures ), ensuring efficient investment and measurable ROI across channels (digital, influencer, retail activation, PR, events)
• Translate consumer and category insights into strategies that drive brand growth and long-term equity
• Track brand health metrics (awareness, consideration, purchase intent, household penetration) and adjust strategy based on performance data
• Build business cases that connect brand-building activities to revenue impact and present to leadership

Innovation & Commercialization

• Lead end-to-end innovation pipeline: concept development, consumer testing, business case creation, cross-functional commercialization, launch execution, and post-launch tracking
• Partner with R&D, Operations, and Supply Chain to bring new products from idea to shelf—you’ll own the timeline, the business case, and the go-to-market strategy
• Identify and evaluate innovative partners (co-packers, ingredient suppliers, technology partners) that can enhance brand growth and help us stay ahead
• Manage innovation timelines, budgets, and cross-functional workstreams
• Own post-launch analysis: Did it work? Why or why not? What do we do next?

Communications & Influencer Leadership

• Lead agency partners (creative, PR, digital) to deliver breakthrough brand communications across all channels
• Own Solely’s influencer strategy and execution—from identifying partners to managing content creation, negotiating partnerships, and measuring impact (reach, engagement, conversion, sales lift)
• Develop integrated campaigns that connect brand storytelling with business objectives—ensuring every dollar spent ladders up to growth
• Manage creative briefs, campaign calendars, and content production workflows
• Stay ahead of social and cultural trends to keep Solely relevant and resonant with evolving consumer expectations

Sales & Trade Support

• Partner with Sales to create compelling, fact-based selling stories rooted in consumer and category insights—the decks and tools that help us win at retail
• Provide marketing tools, presentations, and assets to support retail growth and customer engagement
• Translate brand strategy into sell-in materials that resonate with retail buyers at Whole Foods, Target, Kroger, and beyond
• Support trade shows, customer presentations, and retailer-specific activations

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Customer Success, Field Marketing, and Shopper Marketing to deliver cohesive brand activations and in-store excellence
• Collaborate with Finance and Leadership on budgeting, forecasting, and strategic planning
• Lead cross-functional project teams with accountability and alignment (even without direct authority)
• Act as the voice of the consumer and brand guardian across all internal stakeholders

Consumer & Market Insights

• Own the consumer and category insight agenda, leveraging Nielsen/IRI/SPINS, custom research, retailer data, and brand health trackers
• Translate syndicated data and consumer research into actionable strategies for innovation, brand building, and retail execution
• Identify category trends, whitespace opportunities, and competitive threats—then build strategies to capitalize or defend
• Build and maintain dashboards that track brand performance, category dynamics, and competitive activity
• Commission and interpret custom research (concept testing, usage & attitude studies, brand tracking) to de-risk decisions

Team Leadership

• Manage, mentor, and develop a Marketing Assistant
• Provide leadership to cross-functional teams, ensuring alignment and accountability

WHO YOU ARE

Required Qualifications:

• 5-7 years of CPG marketing or brand management experience (we want someone who understands retail velocity, trade spend, and category dynamics)
• Proven track record of leading brand strategy, innovation launches, influencer campaigns, and integrated marketing
• Strong analytical skills with experience using syndicated data (Nielsen, IRI, SPINS) to drive decisions
• Budget management experience required – you know how to allocate spend and when to pull back or double down
• Demonstrated leadership and people management experience (direct reports or leading cross-functional teams)
• Exceptional communication, storytelling, and presentation skills
• Passion for food, wellness, and building brands with purpose

Preferred Attributes:

• MBA preferred but not required if you have equivalent experience
• Bilingual (English/Spanish) due to manufacturing partnerships in Latin America
• Experience with natural/organic food brands or emerging CPG companies
• Large and small company experience—you’ve seen what “good” looks like at scale but can build scrappily
• Startup or high-growth environment experience
• Digital and social media savvy
• Passion for Solely’s mission and product (bonus if you’re already a customer!)

Personality & Work Style:

• Strategic thinker with execution excellence: You can craft the vision AND roll up your sleeves to get it done
• Consumer-centric: You start with consumer insights and let that guide all decisions — you’re obsessed with understanding the “why” behind behavior
• Results-driven: You set ambitious goals and hold yourself accountable to delivering them
• Collaborative and influential: You build relationships, manage up, and lead without authority
• Adaptable and resilient: You pivot quickly when things change and stay focused on what matters most
• Detail-oriented with urgency: You balance speed and quality

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

First 100 Days

• You’ve built trust with cross-functional partners by delivering on commitments and being responsive
• You’ve taken ownership of the brand plan and identified 2-3 quick wins or optimizations
• You’ve established strong relationships with agency partners and set clear expectations around deliverables, timelines, and communication
• You’ve reviewed the innovation pipeline and identified opportunities to accelerate, pause, or course-correct based on consumer insights and business priorities
• You’ve built rapport with your Marketing Assistant and established a working rhythm

First Year

• Brand performance metrics (velocity, market share, household penetration, repeat rate) are trending positively
• You’ve successfully launched at least one innovation with measurable retail and consumer success
• Your influencer strategy is driving measurable brand awareness and engagement
• Marketing ROI has improved, and you’re trusted as the strategic voice of the brand
• Your Marketing Assistant is growing under your leadership and taking on more responsibility
• Leadership relies on your insights to make strategic decisions about the brand’s future

WHAT WE OFFER

Compensation & Benefits:

• Base salary: $120,000 – $125,000 (commensurate with experience)
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance
• Competitive paid parental leave policy—we support families

Why Solely:

• Mission-driven work: Join a brand reshaping how the world snacks with radical transparency, no BS, just fruit
• High impact: Your work directly influences brand equity, revenue, and consumer loyalty
• Growth opportunity: Scale with a fast-growing national brand
• Entrepreneurial culture: Own your work, move fast, and see results
• Passionate team: Work with people who care deeply about food innovation and sustainability
• Learn and grow: You’ll be stretched in the best way

Work Environment:

• Hybrid (La Jolla HQ) OR remote in Southern California with bi-monthly travel to La Jolla
• Fast-paced startup culture with high expectations and high autonomy
• Collaborative team that values diverse perspectives and bold ideas

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