Salaried Positions

Director of Brand Communications

Location: Minnesota Corporate Office

Position Code: DBC

Date: Oct 23, 2009

Position Mission: Leads the development, implementation and management of our Brand Identity Model and ensures all consumer touch point elements are in alignment. This position will lead and manage the development of all brand operations and corporate communication programs to more effectively leverage the key opportunities and to grow the company's business. This position manages our brand voice and provides a clear comprehensive communication strategy while effectively leading projects and people to achieve department and company goals.

Essential Function Responsibilities Include:

• Develop a Brand Identity Model and implement and communicate brand operations and corporate communication programs to more effectively grow the company's business and competitive advantage.
• Responsibility for day-to-day leadership of brand marketing communications, both internal and external, including partnerships with internal communications and external agencies.
• Develop and lead implementation of all customer communication initiatives.
• Responsibility for identifying market research and metrics to evaluate marketing communications effectiveness and efficiency, and to make timely changes as needed.
• Lead the Field Marketing Initiatives to ensure alignment with brand & business growth strategies.
• Responsibility for making connections between consumer needs, business assets and attributes and the right messages and methods to more effectively communicate the brand and grow the business.
• Supervise the Brand Communications Team with responsibility for overall supervisory direction, training and development, coordination and performance evaluation including providing performance feedback on a regular basis.
• Guide Executive leadership thinking and resources towards significant business building opportunities for the brand.
• Manage Vendor relationships for "How We Win" value added and cost effectiveness and efficiencies.
  

Required Skills, Knowledge and Abilities:

• Demonstrated strong working knowledge in brand communications and P&L management coupled with the ability to make informed business decisions using business intelligence.
• Results-based self-starter with proven ability to work independently and as a strong team player and to foster a cooperative work environment.
• Possess marketing business acumen and be able to produce results and quantify success.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong problem solving, organization and presentation skills and the ability to champion product initiatives to a wide range of stakeholders.
• Excellent technical and computer skills including Microsoft Office products and on-line web communications and other marketing tools.
• Ability to deal effectively and timely with all levels of employees and external business contacts and to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.
• Highly motivated, self-directed, and results driven.
• Able to maintain complete confidentiality and discretion in business relationships and exercise sound business judgment.
• Proven track record of successfully managing multiple priorities in a fast paced, rapidly changing work environment.
  

Required Experience:

A Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business or related is required. A Communications degree is preferred. Minimum of 7-10 years hands-on experience in development, execution and leading leadership thinking and action in the communications and/or brand development field. Minimum of 3 years in product marketing in a consumer products or service company required. Marketing and/or promotions experience in the consumer packaged goods, retail or food related industries highly preferred. Significant experience in leading teams, including developing direct reports required. Knowledge of advertising trends and digital marketing preferred.

Brand Insights Manager

Location: Minnesota Corporate Headquarters

Position Code: BIM

Date: Sep 25, 2009

Position Mission: The Brand Insights Manager will provide actionable consumer and marketplace insights to use in the strategic development of marketing and new product initiatives to drive business results. This position represents the consumer voice in the Caribou Coffee Marketing decision making processes.

Responsibilities Include:

• Provides support in the development and assessment of marketing and product development best practices.
• Assesses and integrates newer 'thinking tools' into new product development best practices.
• Provides support in the execution of new product development research protocols and practices.
• Enhances and contributes to new product development process by providing consumer-focused category development strategies.
• Proactively analyzes consumer trends and translates learnings into new business and menu development opportunities.
• Synthesizes best practices and learnings into actionable initiatives.
• Acts as a consultant in cross functional teams.
• Develops and maintains strong relationships with key team members in cross-functional teams.
  

Principal Skills Required:

• Ability to build strong business relationships with key research counterparts and other functional stakeholders.
• Ability to develop and deliver clear, concise and compelling executive-ready communications with minimal guidance.
• Ability to synthesize data and research learnings into coherent, actionable insights and recommendations.
• Ability to make decisions and act without having all the information and ability to cope with change and shift gears comfortably.
• Ability to respond effectively in a very fast moving environment with continuously changing needs.
  

Required Experience:

Minimum of 5 years marketing, strategy and/or research experience. Background in new product development, sales analytics, or category management in a food service company or consulting firm. Ability to effectively manage large amounts of data to identify business opportunities, research design, budgeting, and development of research insights and implications. Demonstrated success in influencing cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

Category Manager

Location: Minnesota Corporate Headquarters

Position Code: CategoryMgr

Date: Sep 10, 2009

Position Mission/Summary: The Category Manager is responsible working with the Director of Product Management in coordinating the activities surrounding the inception, business case, development and the long-term support and enhancement of the Caribou Coffee product portfolio. They will assist with all aspects of beverage, food and merchandise encompassing the full lifecycle of all Caribou Coffee products. The Category Manager will partner with key positions in Category Management and Marketing to generate innovative new business ideas, improve operations efficiency and better integrate the food business within the field. He/she will assist in driving retail store revenues/profits by increasing ticket and traffic counts by providing best in class, forward thinking food and beverage offerings.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Manage the Product Inception Process within the Category Management Lifecycle.
• Partner with other key positions in Category Management and Marketing to capture ideas and identify opportunities, research and explore feasibility through contact with consumers, and initiate industry comparisons and conduct competitive benchmarking.
• Participates in product analysis and evaluates market opportunities based on the competitive landscape.
• Participates in the development of product concepting, and works with product marketing on customer insights and product trends.
• Manages cross-functional teams through testing, analysis and execution of new products and innovations.
• Acts as a key member of cross-functional product management team including SMEs from product development, marketing, sourcing, quality assurance, finance, logistics, retail store operations, distribution, coffee sourcing, production, and training to provide input in decision making.
• Partners with Quality Assurance and Sourcing on the selection, integration and ongoing management of 3rd party supplier partners.
• Responsible for evaluating customization needs of products as necessary to accommodate particular international/non-traditional venues.
• Effectively execute rollout and implementation into retail store environment.
• Manages, maintains and measures product development processes that deliver effective and efficient products to Caribou Coffee retail stores.
• Seeks out, analyzes and identifies best practices in product development; educates Caribou Coffee team members on new implementations, opportunities and solutions.
• Manages product guidelines and standards for Caribou Coffee franchise locations.
• Provide Maintenance and on going support and evaluation of Product Portfolio
• Supports ongoing competitive product analysis and review.
• Provides ongoing product performance evaluations to ensure continued profitability and feasibility
• Supports continuing economic and profitability expectations and provides input on best practices to phase out underperforming products.
  

Education/Training/Experience:

Minimum 5 �“ 7 years previous experience with product lifecycle management in a consumer packaged goods, retail or restaurant environment. Must have solid experience working with cross functional teams in bringing new and revised products to market including experience with marketing, operations, training, finance and purchasing. Process training (i.e. Six Sigma, LEAN) certification or training a plus.