Brand Activation Manager

OVERVIEW

Edgard & Cooper (E&C) is an exciting NEW pet food brand in the U.S. This European brand was acquired by General Mills in 2024 because of their philosophy on sustainable, delicious, and healthy pet food. We are looking for a pet-passionate leader to manage a team of part-time brand ambassadors called Brand Activators (BAs).

The Brand Activators will provide an educational and engaging in-store pet parent experience, to recommend the best E&C nutrition for their pet(s). The E&C Brand Activation Manager will recruit, hire, train, motivate, coach, and develop their team to achieve goals within an assigned geographic area.

Candidates for this role must live in one of the following locations: New Jersey, Maryland, or Washington DC.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

PEOPLE LEADERSHIP

• Recruit, hire, train, motivate, coach and develop, on average, 45 to 50 BAs to drive awareness and achieve sales goals for Edgard & Copper
  • Passive recruiting to source BA talent in opportunistic markets
  • Conduct final interviews and select new BAs in alignment with company selection guidelines and policies
  • Manage the onboarding/training process for new BAs
  • Recognize, coach, and develop BA behaviors to drive performance
• Coordinate and communicate BA schedules to ensure optimal coverage during peak traffic in the store
• Lead virtual team calls to connect and educate BAs on new product/packaging, line extensions, and marketing events

SELLING EXPERTISE & INFLUENTIAL COMMUNICATION

• Achieve geographic sales goals by demonstrating superior sales and communication skills
• Develop a deep understanding of Edgard & Cooper, pet categories, and brand priorities to effectively coach the BA team
• Build and nurture relationships with district/store-level partners to offer continuous support.
• Educate on pet nutrition through impactful district/store-level presentations, direct store partner interactions, and Pet Parent conversions

EXECUTIONAL EXCELLENCE

• Utilize Salesforce to maintain detailed, timely, and accurate records of BA visits, including results, progress, and feedback
• Identify growth and performance opportunities by analyzing store-level data and BA behaviors
• Provide valuable market insights from BAs and Store Partners to management
• Manage payroll, sample, and travel budget for the assigned geographic area
• Successfully execute the role priorities by leading a productive and motivated Brand Activation Team

LEADERSHIP BEHAVIORS

Model General Mills leadership behaviors and values to foster an inclusive environment, embrace a learning and growth mindset, and demonstrate personal accountability

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Must live within the assigned geography
• High school diploma or equivalent
• Able to travel daily, drive on average 4 hours per day or more, 40% overnight travel
• Work a Thursday-Monday schedule with some weekends
• At least 2 years of relevant or transferrable experience
• Ability to adapt and learn new technology and tools
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with internal and external partners, including facilitating presentations
• Ability to lead and provide clear direction to a team
• Ability to work with a high degree of independence
• Proficient ability to use tablets (i.e. iPad) and Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• U.S. work authorization, valid driver's license, and satisfactory driving record

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to move a minimum of 30 pounds, using the appropriate lifting techniques and safety rules
• Prolonged walking, standing, and some climbing of ladders within an aisle

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Pet enthusiast with a passion for General Mills Pet products
• Bachelor's Degree

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

• International remote working arrangements (outside of the US) will not be considered
• Applicants for this position must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. General Mills will not sponsor applicants for this position for work visas.

We exist to make food the world loves. But we do more than that. Our company is a place that prioritizes being a force for good, a place to expand learning, explore new perspectives and reimagine new possibilities, every day. We look for people who want to bring their best - bold thinkers with big hearts who challenge one other and grow together. Because becoming the undisputed leader in food means surrounding ourselves with people who are hungry for what's next.