📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Chief Marketing Officer
🔹 Company: Bagel Brands
🔹 Location: Denver, CO (S Bellaire St. Skybox)
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: July 11, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Developing and implementing branding, digital, performance marketing, menu, advertising, and public relations strategies to drive profitable sales.
- Leading a team of 27 people, including seven direct reports, and managing a +$10 million annual marketing budget.
- Creating an annual marketing calendar to drive in-store traffic, increasing frequency and incremental purchases that grow market share and increase profitability.
- Overseeing and evolving the guest experience team responsible for responding to all guest inquiries and complaints and analyzing guest feedback for actionable operational insights.
- Growing the consumer-packaged goods business, a $30M channel offering an alternative to the in-bakery experience and critical to increasing consumer awareness.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic and creative mindset, with a strong focus on driving sales growth and consumer loyalty across new and existing markets.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Bringing tremendous energy and creativity to unlock the brand’s relevance to maximize its full potential.
✅ Delivering profitable sales growth through all branding and communications activities.
✅ Creating a buzz-worthy brand strategy that is rooted in the spirit of innovation, calculated risk-taking, and quick-to-market actions.
✅ Providing thought leadership and strategic contributions to the company’s Executive Leadership Team; actively participating in developing and executing annual, mid-, and long-range planning.
✅ Evolving and fine-tuning the brand’s competitive position across all consumer touchpoints and communication channels.
✅ Leading and developing a team of 27 people, including seven direct reports.
✅ Creating and implementing an annual marketing calendar to drive in-store traffic, increasing frequency and incremental purchases that grow market share and increase profitability.
✅ Evaluating and executing the appropriate marketing communication channels, including traditional and new media, streaming/radio/outdoor, digital marketing, social media, mobile marketing, field marketing, and CRM/loyalty.
✅ Overseeing, providing briefs for all creative, media, web, CRM, and PR agencies and ensuring an integrated media strategy.
✅ Leading the e-commerce strategy, reinforcing and digitizing the traditional ordering process through delivery, catering, order ahead, utilizing CRM/loyalty.
✅ Measuring the performance of all activities and campaigns, assessing them against goals (ROI, KPIs), and adjusting strategy to achieve them.
✅ Enhancing the organization’s research, consumer analytics, and insights, and linking this capability to inform menu development, promotions, and LTOs.
✅ Overseeing and evolving the guest experience team responsible for responding to all guest inquiries and complaints and analyzing guest feedback for actionable operational insights.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong understanding of the restaurant industry and experience in developing and implementing marketing strategies that drive sales growth and consumer loyalty.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in marketing, advertising, journalism, or equivalent from a four-year college or university; or a minimum of ten years related experience and/or training; or an equivalent combination of education and experience with an advanced degree preferred.
Experience: Proven ability to develop an omnichannel marketing strategy to drive sales growth and consumer loyalty across new and existing markets. Experience in the restaurant industry and companies of comparable size in revenues and unit count strongly preferred.
Required Skills:
- Brand marketing
- Performance marketing
- Digital and social marketing
- Consumer insights
- Advertising
- Project management
- Leadership
- Communication
- Problem-solving
- Data analysis
- E-commerce strategy
- Guest experience
- Market strategy
- Team development
- Creative thinking
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in the restaurant industry
- Mastery of digital and social marketing strategies
- Curiosity and continued learning to understand the overarching consumer/restaurant landscape
- Career rotations through various marketing sub-discipline assignments
- Strong project management, delegation, and time management skills
- Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of developing and implementing successful marketing strategies in the restaurant industry and a strong understanding of digital and social marketing strategies.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $278,532.80 - $487,427.20 per year
Benefits:
- Competitive benefits package
- 401(k) plan with company match
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Paid time off and holidays
- Employee discounts
Working Hours: Full-time, 40 hours per week. May require occasional evenings and weekends.
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for a Chief Marketing Officer role in the restaurant industry. The actual salary may vary based on the candidate's experience and qualifications.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Bagel Brands operates in the restaurant industry, specifically focusing on the fast-casual segment. The company specializes in high-quality foods for breakfast and lunch, with a neighborhood emphasis on fresh-baked bagels and made-to-order sandwiches.
Company Size: Bagel Brands is a mid-sized company with over 1,000 retail locations nationwide, including 540+ company-owned bakeries and 480 franchised or licensed locations. The business achieves nearly $700 million in top-line sales and is targeting a 6% to 7% annual growth rate.
Founded: Bagel Brands was founded in 2005 as a portfolio of complementary brands bound by common values, Panera Brands, comprised of Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee, and Bagel Brands.
Company Description:
- Bagel Brands is the parent company for Einstein Bros. Bagels, Bruegger's Bagels, Noah's NY Bagels, and Manhattan Bagels.
- The company operates over 1,000 retail locations nationwide, including 540+ company-owned bakeries and 480 franchised or licensed locations.
- Bagel Brands is part of a portfolio of complementary brands bound by common values, Panera Brands, comprised of Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee, and Bagel Brands.
Company Specialties:
- Breakfast
- Coffee
- Bagels
- Guest service
- Customer service
- Food & catering
- Fresh-baked
- Coffeehouse
- Community
- Clean ingredients
- Handcrafted
- Authentic
- Neighborhood
- High-quality
- Do Good
- Colorado
- Egg sandwiches
- Catering
Company Website: bagelbrands.com
ASSUMPTION: Bagel Brands is a well-established company in the restaurant industry with a strong focus on providing high-quality breakfast and lunch options to its customers.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Executive
Reporting Structure: The Chief Marketing Officer reports directly to the President and CEO and is a member of the Executive Leadership Team.
Work Arrangement: This role requires a full-time on-site presence at the corporate office in Denver, Colorado, with occasional travel up to 25%.
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to grow the consumer-packaged goods business and increase consumer awareness.
- Opportunity to develop and lead a team of 27 people, including seven direct reports.
- Possibility to shape the brand's competitive position across all consumer touchpoints and communication channels.
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth opportunities for the right candidate, with the potential to make a significant impact on the company's success.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Corporate headquarters
Office Location(s): 1720 S Bellaire St. Skybox, Denver, Colorado 80222
Geographic Context:
- Denver, Colorado, is a major city with a population of over 700,000 people.
- The city is known for its vibrant arts and culture scene, as well as its proximity to the Rocky Mountains for outdoor recreation.
- The cost of living in Denver is generally lower than in other major metropolitan areas, with a median home price of around $500,000.
Work Schedule: Full-time, 40 hours per week. May require occasional evenings and weekends.
ASSUMPTION: The Denver office provides a modern and collaborative work environment, with easy access to amenities and outdoor recreation opportunities.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Initial phone or video screen with the HR department
- In-depth behavioral and situational interview with the hiring manager and/or a panel of team members
- Final interview with the President and CEO
- Background check and reference check
- Job offer
Key Assessment Areas:
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
- Marketing and branding expertise
- Leadership and team development skills
- Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams
- Understanding of the restaurant industry and consumer behavior
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant marketing and leadership experience.
- Be prepared to discuss your experience with omnichannel marketing strategies and driving sales growth in a competitive market.
- Demonstrate your understanding of the restaurant industry and consumer behavior.
- Prepare examples of your past marketing campaigns and their outcomes.
- Follow up with the hiring manager after your interview to express your interest in the role.
ATS Keywords: Marketing strategy, branding, digital marketing, performance marketing, consumer insights, advertising, project management, leadership, team development, restaurant industry, consumer behavior
ASSUMPTION: The interview process for this role will focus on assessing the candidate's strategic thinking, marketing expertise, and leadership skills, as well as their understanding of the restaurant industry and consumer behavior.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Marketing automation platforms (e.g., Marketo, HubSpot)
- Customer relationship management (CRM) software (e.g., Salesforce, Zoho CRM)
- Social media management tools (e.g., Hootsuite, Buffer)
- Search engine optimization (SEO) and analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, SEMrush)
- Project management software (e.g., Asana, Trello)
- Design and creative tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Canva)
ASSUMPTION: The tools and technologies required for this role will depend on the candidate's specific marketing strategies and the company's existing technology stack.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Guest-obsessed: We put our guests first in all that we do.
- Supportive: We support each other and our guests in every way we can.
- Accountable: We take ownership of our actions and their outcomes.
- Inclusive: We embrace diversity and create an environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
- Joyful: We bring joy to our guests and to each other every day.
Work Style:
- Collaborative: We work together to achieve our goals.
- Adaptable: We embrace change and find innovative solutions to challenges.
- Data-driven: We use data and insights to inform our decisions and actions.
- Creative: We think outside the box and challenge the status quo.
- Customer-focused: We prioritize our guests' needs and preferences in all that we do.
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you align with Bagel Brands' value of being guest-obsessed, and how have you demonstrated this in your past roles?
- How do you approach supporting and developing your team members, and how have you demonstrated this in your past leadership roles?
- How do you balance creativity and data-driven decision-making in your marketing strategies?
ASSUMPTION: Bagel Brands values a collaborative, adaptable, and data-driven work environment, with a strong focus on guest satisfaction and employee engagement.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing a large marketing budget and ensuring maximum ROI.
- Balancing the need for innovation and calculated risk-taking with the preservation of the brand's heritage and history.
- Working with multiple agencies and ensuring an integrated media strategy.
- Managing a team of 27 people, including seven direct reports, and fostering a collaborative and inclusive work environment.
- Adapting to the evolving consumer landscape and changing market trends in the restaurant industry.
ASSUMPTION: The Chief Marketing Officer role at Bagel Brands presents significant opportunities and challenges, requiring a strategic and innovative approach to marketing and branding, as well as strong leadership and team development skills.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) roles in the restaurant industry typically require a strong understanding of consumer behavior and marketing strategies to drive sales growth and consumer loyalty.
- CMO roles in other industries may have different focuses, such as B2B marketing or product marketing, and may require different skill sets and experiences.
- Career paths for CMOs in the restaurant industry may include progression from marketing manager or director roles, with a focus on developing strategic and leadership skills.
ASSUMPTION: The Chief Marketing Officer role at Bagel Brands is similar to other CMO roles in the restaurant industry, with a focus on driving sales growth and consumer loyalty through strategic marketing and branding initiatives.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and implementing a successful omnichannel marketing strategy to drive sales growth and consumer loyalty for a new restaurant concept.
- Leading a team to create and execute a buzz-worthy brand launch campaign, resulting in increased brand awareness and market share.
- Conducting consumer research and analysis to inform menu development, promotions, and LTOs, resulting in increased sales and market share.
ASSUMPTION: The sample projects for this role will depend on the specific marketing strategies and initiatives developed by the Chief Marketing Officer and their team.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- How does the company support and develop its marketing team members, and what opportunities are there for professional growth and advancement?
- What are the biggest challenges facing the marketing team currently, and how can this role help address them?
- How does the company measure the success of its marketing campaigns, and what metrics are most important to track?
- What is the company's approach to innovation and calculated risk-taking in its marketing strategies, and how does this balance with preserving the brand's heritage and history?
- How does the company collaborate with its franchisees and understand their unique audiences and market dynamics?
ASSUMPTION: The key questions to ask during the interview for this role will focus on understanding the company's marketing strategies, team dynamics, and growth opportunities.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through the link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant marketing and leadership experience.
- Prepare examples of your past marketing campaigns and their outcomes.
- Research the company and its competitors to demonstrate your understanding of the restaurant industry and consumer behavior.
- Follow up with the hiring manager after your interview to express your interest in the role.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
