📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Director, Shopper Marketing
🔹 Company: McCormick & Company
🔹 Location: Hunt Valley, MD, United States
🔹 Job Type: Hybrid (50% onsite, 50% remote per month)
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: April 22, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site with hybrid flexibility
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Building and leading a new Shopper Marketing capability and center of excellence for McCormick US Consumer Sales and Marketing
- Driving topline sales across major accounts and largest brands via customer-specific solutions
- Developing and executing a modern, retailer-first shopper marketing strategy with an emphasis on retail media networks, omnichannel engagement, and driving incremental ROI
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including Brand Marketing, Sales, Trade Marketing, Category Management, and eCommerce
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic mindset and the ability to balance both visionary and hands-on execution.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Partner with Sales and Marketing Leadership to define shopper marketing vision, structure, tools, and team
✅ Develop and drive retailer-specific in-market growth strategies and tactics via in-store execution (shelf, display, and broader marketing leverage)
✅ Lead strategy and execution across retail media networks, ensuring data-driven activations
✅ Leverage shopper insights and loyalty data to inform targeting, content, and spend
✅ Build retail media and shopper marketing business processes, including a measurement framework for in-store and retail media activations, and report results to continuously improve ROI/ROAS
✅ Work with key cross-functional partners to develop new capabilities, tools, business planning processes to drive the build-out of the Shopper Marketing team
✅ Champion the value of Shopper Marketing across McCormick, establishing best practices and internal education
✅ Hire and mentor high-performing talent
ASSUMPTION: This role requires strong cross-functional leadership and collaboration skills with action orientation.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's Degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field
Experience: 10+ years of shopper marketing, brand management, or trade marketing experience within the CPG industry
Required Skills:
- Proven ability to build and scale a shopper marketing or customer marketing function
- Deep experience with retail media networks, shopper data platforms, and omnichannel retail strategy
- High commercial acumen and ability to connect brand strategy to customer-specific solutions
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate data into actionable strategies
- Developed communication skills required to guide, influence, and convince others (internal and external)
- Excellent cross-functional leadership and collaboration skills with action orientation
- Strategic thinker with the ability to operate both as a visionary and a hands-on executor
Preferred Skills:
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should have a strong understanding of the CPG industry and relevant experience in shopper marketing or related fields.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $140,610 - $253,080 per year
Benefits:
- Competitive compensation
- Career growth opportunities
- Flexibility and support for diverse life stages and choices
- Wellbeing programs including physical, mental, and financial wellness
- Tuition assistance
- Comprehensive health plans covering medical, vision, dental, life, and disability benefits
- Family-friendly benefits such as paid parental leave, fertility benefits, employee assistance program, and caregiver support
- Retirement and investment programs including 401(k) and profit-sharing plans
Working Hours: Full-time, with a hybrid work arrangement (50% on-site, 50% remote per month)
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is based on the information available in the job description. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, skills, education, experience, and internal equity.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Food and Beverage Manufacturing
Company Size: 10,001+ employees
Founded: 1889
Company Description:
- McCormick & Company, Incorporated (NYSE: MKC) is a global leader in flavor and one of the most respected and familiar names in the industry.
- The company manufactures, markets, and distributes spices, seasoning mixes, condiments, and other flavorful products to the entire food industry—retail outlets, food manufacturers, and foodservice businesses.
- McCormick creates flavors for a wide range of applications, such as beverages, snacks, dairy, bakery/confectionary, savory, performance nutrition, and health.
- The McCormick name represents a trusted source of flavor in millions of kitchens around the globe—in homes and in restaurants.
- Partnerships with farmers and suppliers around the world allow McCormick to provide great-tasting, quality spices with year-over-year consistency that you can trust.
Company Specialties:
- Spices
- Seasoning mixes
- Condiments
- Flavorful products
Company Website: http://www.mccormickcorporation.com
ASSUMPTION: McCormick & Company is a well-established and reputable organization in the food and beverage manufacturing industry, with a strong global presence and a commitment to quality and innovation.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Experienced (10+ years of relevant experience)
Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Vice President of Marketing and is responsible for leading a team of shopper marketing professionals.
Work Arrangement: Hybrid (50% on-site, 50% remote per month)
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to grow the Shopper Marketing team and expand the function's impact across the organization
- Opportunities to collaborate with cross-functional teams and contribute to the overall success of McCormick's marketing efforts
- Potential to advance within the marketing organization or explore other leadership opportunities within McCormick
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with opportunities to build and shape the Shopper Marketing function and contribute to McCormick's overall success.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Global headquarters with a hybrid work arrangement
Office Location(s): Hunt Valley, MD, United States
Geographic Context:
- Hunt Valley is a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States
- The area is known for its suburban atmosphere and proximity to Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
- Hunt Valley is home to several corporate headquarters, including McCormick & Company
Work Schedule: Full-time, with a hybrid work arrangement (50% on-site, 50% remote per month)
ASSUMPTION: The hybrid work arrangement allows for flexibility and a balance between on-site collaboration and remote work.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application submission
- Phone or video screening
- On-site or virtual interview with the hiring manager
- Final round interview with key stakeholders
- Background check and offer extension
Key Assessment Areas:
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
- Leadership and team-building abilities
- Cross-functional collaboration and communication skills
- Industry knowledge and understanding of shopper marketing trends
- Analytical skills and data-driven decision-making
Application Tips:
- Highlight relevant experience and achievements in shopper marketing, brand management, or trade marketing
- Demonstrate a strong understanding of retail media networks, shopper data platforms, and omnichannel retail strategy
- Showcase your ability to connect brand strategy to customer-specific solutions and drive incremental ROI
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to emphasize your fit for the role and the company
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on leadership, collaboration, and problem-solving skills
ATS Keywords: Shopper Marketing, Brand Management, Trade Marketing, Retail Media Networks, Shopper Data Platforms, Omnichannel Retail Strategy, Commercial Acumen, Analytical Skills, Communication Skills, Cross-Functional Leadership, Collaboration, Strategic Thinking, Visionary Execution, Team Building, Mentoring, Data-Driven Activations
ASSUMPTION: The interview process will focus on assessing the candidate's strategic thinking, leadership skills, and industry knowledge, as well as their fit with McCormick's company culture.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Retail media networks (e.g., Walmart Connect, Kroger Precision Marketing)
- Shopper data platforms
- Omnichannel retail strategy tools
- Data analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI, Tableau)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello, Jira)
ASSUMPTION: The required tools and technologies for this role are specific to the shopper marketing industry and may evolve as the function grows and expands.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Respect
- Recognition
- Inclusion
- Collaboration
Work Style:
- Data-driven and analytical
- Collaborative and cross-functional
- Innovative and energetic
- Focused on quality and excellence
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you align with McCormick's company values, particularly in the context of this role?
- How comfortable are you working in a hybrid work environment, balancing on-site collaboration and remote work?
- How do you approach mentoring and developing high-performing talent within your team?
ASSUMPTION: Candidates should be able to demonstrate a strong fit with McCormick's company values and work style, as well as a commitment to mentoring and developing talent.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Building a new Shopper Marketing capability and center of excellence from scratch
- Navigating a large, established organization and driving change
- Managing multiple stakeholders and balancing competing priorities
- Keeping up with the evolving retail landscape and consumer behavior
- Ensuring data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement in a fast-paced environment
ASSUMPTION: The challenges associated with this role require a strategic, adaptable, and resilient leader who can thrive in a dynamic and evolving environment.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- This role is unique in its focus on building a new Shopper Marketing capability and center of excellence for McCormick US Consumer Sales and Marketing
- Unlike related positions, this role requires a strong understanding of retail media networks, shopper data platforms, and omnichannel retail strategy
- Career path comparison: This role offers significant growth potential and the opportunity to shape the Shopper Marketing function, potentially leading to advancement within the marketing organization or exploration of other leadership opportunities within McCormick
ASSUMPTION: This role is distinct from related positions in its focus on building and scaling a new Shopper Marketing function and driving topline sales across major accounts and largest brands.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing a comprehensive retail media strategy for a major account, including data-driven activations and measurement framework
- Conducting a shopper insights analysis to inform targeting, content, and spend for a key brand campaign
- Building and implementing a new in-store execution strategy for a seasonal promotion, driving incremental sales and market share
ASSUMPTION: Sample projects for this role should demonstrate the candidate's ability to develop and execute strategic, data-driven shopper marketing initiatives that drive incremental ROI.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- How does the company envision the growth and evolution of the Shopper Marketing function in the next 3-5 years?
- What are the key priorities for the first 90 days in this role, and how can I best support the team during this transition period?
- How does the company support the professional development and growth of its employees, particularly in leadership roles?
- What are the most significant challenges facing the Shopper Marketing team in the near future, and how can I contribute to addressing them?
- How does the company measure the success of its Shopper Marketing initiatives, and what key performance indicators (KPIs) should I focus on?
ASSUMPTION: Asking insightful questions during the interview demonstrates the candidate's curiosity, engagement, and commitment to the role and the company.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Prepare for the interview by researching McCormick & Company, the role, and the industry
- Practice common interview questions and develop thoughtful responses that demonstrate your fit for the role
- Follow up with the hiring manager after the interview to express your interest in the position and reiterate your qualifications
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
