CHEERS! Founded in 1981, Deutsch Family Wine and Spirits markets quality wines produced by prestigious families from major wine regions of the world. With our headquarters in Stamford, CT, DFWS is the 4th largest wine company with one of the fastest growing spirits portfolios. With our family values and unique culture, DFWS was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces in the U.S. in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits seeks a Senior Brand Manager, Innovation, reporting to the Director of Innovation, to conceive and develop new products that engage consumers, enhance brand equity and build long-term profit growth for the company. This is a hybrid home/office opportunity at the company’s headquarters in Stamford, CT.

Description:

The Senior Brand Manager, Innovation, will join a team of Innovation specialists in developing a pipeline of products in both wine and spirits that broaden our existing brands and create new opportunities for development.

This position requires a creative mindset that encourages others to think bigger, and to work cross-functionally with internal stakeholders and external agencies to produce best-in-class results. Using the Stage-Gate process, this individual will ensure a disciplined and consistent approach to idea development from concept, to liquid, to packaging to brand asset creation.

Responsibilities:

Uses consumer & occasions insights, industry trends and data, competitive intelligence, and knowledge of product innovation and culture to form a holistic understanding of consumer needs and leads the process of creating concepts and products to better meet those needs.
Write exceptional briefs that inspire our creative partners to think bigger and deliver concepts/ideas that crush our consumer research success criteria.
Lead the process of bringing ideas to life (first case produced and shipped) by demonstrating a mastery of our stage-gate process.
Develop benchmarking criteria and best practices for DFWS Innovation that enables quicker decision-making by management.
Provide creative thinking & visual positioning support to drive breakthroughs in concepts and effective packaging that raise the standard for creative development at DFWS.
Drive thought leadership in brand and packaging design, including identifying and interpreting design trends and assessing implications of competitive, consumer behavior.
Review, evaluate and guide design development work to inspire creative and find big ideas that address business challenges.
Lead the development of launch strategies and exciting D1 national launch presentations in close partnership with the Brand Teams.
Recommend and manage the innovation budget on a project-by-project basis.
Has expert knowledge of the Stage Gate process and key success thresholds to drive projects through gates.
Has deep knowledge of brand P&Ls and cost structures.

Critical Skills:

Has a vision for how to structure projects, work autonomously, and deliver reliable results on tight deadlines.
The ability to anticipate, problem solve, and make quick decisions in an environment of ambiguity.
Articulate new ideas, create compelling stories and translate data/trends into usable strategies.
Write effective strategies and briefs, leveraging CI, BI and other resources.
Demonstrate financial competency in managing project budgets.
The ability to inspire internal and external partners to produce superior strategic and creative output.
Extensive understanding and experience with consumer research.
Deep curiosity and the ability to think of creative solutions to problems.
Excellent organizational and project management skills.

Qualifications:

BS/BA degree, preferably in Marketing or Communications; MBA preferred.
7+ years of innovation and/or brand management experience.
Experience in Wine & Spirits or CPG a plus.
Passionate design advocate with extraordinary design taste.
Exceptional visual storyteller.
Balance of strong strategic and creative thinking and flawless execution.

What We Offer:

Competitive compensation
Career development opportunities
Medical, dental, vision and life insurance, PTO
401 (k) match
Product allowance to enjoy on DFWS products
Tuition Reimbursement and a Pot Secondary education scholarship program for employees' children
Gym reimbursement
Employee Assistance Program

We Value Diversity

At DFWS, we believe that our differences are our strengths. We embrace and celebrate the diversity of our team members, customers, and communities. We strive to create a work environment that fosters inclusion, respect, and collaboration.

About Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits

The company was founded in 1981 by Chairman Bill Deutsch to market quality wines produced by prestigious families from major wine regions of the world. In 2009, it announced the expansion to include a Spirits Portfolio. Today the company is renowned for its brand-building prowess.

Learn more about Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits at www.deutschfamily.com

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W J Deutsch & Sons Ltd

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Senior Brand Manager, Innovation