category manager, social media: Starbucks Coffee Company

In the past eighteen months, Starbucks has invested in a world class digital team to lead the future of customer and partner (employee) digital experiences for the global organization. These efforts have resulted in such recognition as the most engaged brand in social media, the number one brand on Facebook with five million fans and record-setting digital advertising initiatives. The company considers digital marketing and social media core to our overarching marketing strategy.

The Starbucks digital strategy team is looking for seasoned, digital strategists who are passionate about ideating and executing best in class digital marketing experiences. If you're a passionate digital strategist interested in helping Starbucks stay on the cutting edge in the digital space by delivering unparalleled website, digital advertising and social web experiences that help to achieve business objectives, we have an opportunity for you.

The digital strategy team at Starbucks drives the strategic development and tactical implementation of holistic digital experiences for customers and partners. Therefore, candidates should have strong subject matter expertise across a variety of digital channels, however, this role is accountable for delivering the social web strategies within holistic digital programs.

Candidates should have a solid track record for developing successful social media and online community strategies to meet brand and financial objectives.

Summary of Key Responsibilities

Responsibilities and essential job functions include but are not limited to the following:

• Creates and manages financial operating category plan. Develops ands tracks appropriate metrics. Leads integration of financial activities, including planning, forecasting and business analysis, to drive category planning and strategies. Manages the category budget, profit and loss plan and financial metrics against sales and operating margin targets.
• Creates annual operating plan for category, including products, pricing, packaging, and distribution. Manages products through their lifecycle. Recommends strategic direction of category to senior management. Evaluates, prioritizes and leads decisions regarding new products and marketing opportunities based on financial viability and brand fit. Identifies and leads integrated programs in collaboration with other categories and marketing.
• Creates positioning strategy for category based on competitive and marketplace strategic assessment. Leverages understanding of competitive marketplace to project potential threats to category.
• Initiates and leads appropriate cross-functional teams to deliver category business objectives. Builds and maintains relationships with strategic industry and cross-functional partners. Leads discussions and presentations with cross-functional senior leadership teams.
• Leads customer research to define customer targets and marketing mix. Applies customer research to make decisions regarding category direction.
• Leads performance development of category team members. Sponsors and leads change efforts.

• Product or brand management with profit and loss responsibility (5 years)
• Creating marketing plans (4 years)
• Developing social web strategies
• Developing online community strategies
• Leveraging social media platforms to acheive business results
• Leading the development of new product concepts from conception through implementation
• Team leadership

• Organization and planning skills
• Strong presentation skills
• Ability to work independently
• Decision-making skills
• Working knowledge of gross margin, financial planning, forecasting, assortment planning and inventory management
• Ability to influence others