Sr. Associate Brand Manager

Who are we

Yamamotoyama U.S.A. stands as a testament to the art of traditional Japanese green tea and nori seaweed products, upholding a commitment to unparalleled quality since 1690. Our culture is enriched by diverse backgrounds, all striving to find their unique voice in a harmonious blend. This spirit of unity in diversity extends to our portfolio, which includes the globally recognized Stash Tea Company, offering an expansive array of premium teas. In addition, we proudly present Ujido, a brand deeply rooted in the art and tradition of Japanese Matcha. Our dedication to excellence is not just in our products, but in the mosaic of voices that shape our legacy.

In this role, you’ll report to the Sr. Brand Manager of STASH Tea and work in lockstep with our VP of Marketing, R&D, Sales, and broader cross-functional teams to shape the next generation of teas that align with our brand purpose and delight modern consumers. You’ll combine a passion for disruptive innovation with strong consumer empathy, business acumen, and an entrepreneurial mindset.

At Stash, we’re reimagining what tea can be. If you’re ready to build, test, lead, and launch breakthrough ideas in a collaborative, fast-paced environment, let’s talk.

We Encourage You to Apply:

We understand that not everyone fits perfectly into a list of qualifications. If you are passionate about this role, our product, and our history, we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the listed requirements. We value diverse experiences and are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive. 

Key Role Responsibilities:

• Lead Innovation Strategy & Portfolio Optimization - Define and evolve our innovation roadmap (including new products, line extensions, new pack types, packaging innovation), informed by deep consumer understanding, category trends, whitespace mapping, and business needs. Develop the 3-Year New Product Strategy for the Brand keeping in mind portfolio optimization, lead white space exploration and ideation sessions, develop Year-2 and Year-3 plans for new product launches and line extensions.
   
• Uncover Growth Opportunities - Leverage syndicated data, custom insights, and cultural signals to identify unmet needs, inspire new product ideas, and build compelling business cases. Constantly monitor category trends and product performance.
• Drive End-to-End Development - Own the new product lifecycle—from concept through commercialization—partnering with Product Development, R&D, PM, QA, Sales, and Creative to bring bold ideas to life
   
• Champion Cross-Functional Execution - Be the connective tissue between functions to ensure on-time, on-budget, and on-brand innovation delivery.
   
• Communicate with Clarity and Impact - Translate data and consumer insights into compelling stories that influence internal stakeholders and external partners.
   
• Monitor, Learn & Optimize - Monitor and analyze category data (trends, new news, shifts in competitive landscape), the performance of new products (ours and competitive), and make adjustments to the NPD strategy as necessary. Report on key metrics for at least 1 year post-launch. Critically analyze data and present impact of key findings to executive leadership in a clear and intentional manner. 

• Project Management: Serve as Project Leader and occasional project manager, overseeing all innovation/NPD projects from conception to completion, ensuring they are completed on time and within budget.

Core Skills:

• Innovative Mindset: Ability to foster and champion new product launches, encouraging new ideas and driving the development of innovative products. 
• Project Management: Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and meet deadlines. Commitment to strategic prioritization, involving strategically managing tasks and projects and making the most of available resources to achieve goals. 
• Industry Knowledge: Solid understanding of the tea industry, including consumer trends and competitive landscape.
• Enterprise Mindset: Innate enterprise mindset, always thinking about the bigger picture and recognizing how Marketing decisions impact organizational objectives. 
• Effective Communication: Excellent verbal and written communication skills to effectively collaborate with internal teams, external agencies, and to represent the company.

Core Behaviors:

• Creativity: Ability to develop innovative marketing campaigns and strategies that increase brand awareness, consumer engagement, and profitability.
• Analytical Skills: Ability to analyze market data and consumer behaviors to identify innovation opportunities and to assess the performance of new products. You are consistently integrating the “so what” into your analyses and presentations.
• Agility: Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, often under pressure. Ability to handle multiple tasks and projects simultaneously. Ability to quickly incorporate feedback and coaching to drive optimized results. Good problem-solving abilities and detail-oriented. Openness to travel as needed for the role.
• Accountability: Strong sense of accountability and willingness to own work outside of your remit as necessary. Demonstrated self awareness, including ability to own mistakes and learn from them. You are a resourceful self-starter who is excited to lean into the work and be a team player.
• Relationship Building: Emphasis on cross-functional collaboration, determined to understand others’ motivations, and dedicated interest in building rapport with team members both in and outside of the Marketing department. 

Requirements:

• Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field. Master's degree or an MBA would be a plus.
• At least 5 years of experience in marketing / brand management, preferably in the beverage or FMCG sector.
• Proficiency in using marketing software and social media platforms.

Physical Requirements: 

For the role of Senior Associate Brand Manager the physical requirements are generally minimal due to the office-based nature of the job. However, some physical demands may include:

• Regularly required to sit for extended periods.
• Frequently required to use a computer, including typing and viewing a monitor.
• Regularly required to talk and/or listen in conversations with customers and team members, both in-person and over the phone.
• Occasionally may need to lift and move small office supplies, up to 25 lbs.
• Occasional travel may be required for trade shows or meetings, which could involve standing for long periods, walking long distances, and transporting light materials.
• Good manual dexterity for the use of common office equipment such as computer keyboards, monitors, copiers, and scanners.

Note: The above physical requirements are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Yamamotoyama USA / Stash Tea Company is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

The annual pay range for this full-time position is $105,000 -  $120,000 with a yearly bonus. Our pay ranges are guided by the discipline, level, and experience required. Within the range, individual pay may vary based on additional factors, including your specific location, desired skills/ technical competency, relevant experience, and advanced education/ training. Benefits include Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, AD&D, LTD, EAP, Wellness Stipend, Vacation Accrual, and 401(k) with Safe Harbor Contribution.  In addition, we offer our employees discounts on our product, tuition reimbursement, continuing education support, and more!