Senior Manager, Customer Strategic Insights & Category Leadership – Foodservice and On-Premise Analytics

About arenaflex

At arenaflex, we believe that the most meaningful growth happens when deep consumer understanding, sharp analytical thinking, and bold storytelling come together. Our Customer Strategic Insights team sits at the heart of the Foodservice and On-Premise (FSOP) organization within the arenaflex North America Operating Unit, acting as the strategic compass that guides how we partner with customers, grow categories, and unlock value across the marketplace. We are a dynamic, insight-driven group embedded directly with Customer, Growth, and Customer Marketing teams, translating complex data into clear strategies and memorable narratives that move business forward. If you are a seasoned insights leader who thrives at the intersection of analytics, strategy, and customer collaboration, this is your opportunity to shape the future of one of the most iconic portfolios in the world.

Position Summary

We are seeking a visionary and execution-focused Senior Manager, Customer Strategic Insights & Category Leadership to lead a portfolio of high-impact category management and guest insights initiatives. This role is designed for a strategic thinker who is equally comfortable architecting research studies, presenting to C-suite leaders, and rolling up their sleeves in Excel or Power BI. You will serve as a trusted advisor to senior stakeholders across Sales, Customer Marketing, Growth, and Human Insights, ensuring that arenaflex remains at the forefront of analytic and data innovation in the foodservice space. Reporting to senior leadership within the FSOP organization, you will own end-to-end delivery of insights that influence assortment strategies, customer commitments, and long-term category plans for some of the nation’s most important portfolio customers.

Key Responsibilities

1. Serve as the Department’s Subject Matter Expert

• Lead by example in the usage of FSOP analytics and data asset tools, becoming the go-to authority for how the broader organization extracts value from internal and external data sources.
• Continuously identify new methodologies, platforms, and approaches that elevate the team’s analytical maturity and storytelling capabilities.
• Champion a culture of data fluency, coaching colleagues on best practices for accessing, interpreting, and activating insights.

2. Insights Generator and Storyteller

• Craft compelling, executive-ready narratives that bring the state of the FSOP category and customer landscape to life for Customer teams.
• Translate complex datasets into clear, actionable stories that drive strategic conversations and influence business decisions.
• Model best-in-class usage of analytic assets, setting the standard for how insights are visualized, contextualized, and presented.

3. Strategic Customer Collaborator

• Partner closely with key portfolio customers on strategic and informed business planning, ongoing customer commitments, and assortment strategies.
• Build and nurture long-term relationships with customer leaders, acting as a strategic advisor who helps them unlock growth opportunities.
• Ensure that customer plans are grounded in robust insights, category trends, and forward-looking forecasts.

4. Network Promoter and Cross-Functional Connector

• Sync seamlessly with Human Insights, Retail Category Leadership, Planning & Strategy, and the broader Customer Value and Growth department to ensure consistent, aligned messaging.
• Represent arenaflex in cross-functional forums, building bridges between teams and breaking down silos.
• Influence internal and external stakeholders through credibility, clarity, and a collaborative spirit.

5. Capability Advocate and Innovation Driver

• Align with Platform Services, Retail Category Leadership, and Human Insights to ensure the North America Operating Unit remains at the forefront of analytic and data assets in FSOP.
• Actively pilot new tools, solutions, and research methodologies, serving as an ambassador for emerging programs.
• Identify opportunities to scale successful pilots into enterprise-wide capabilities.

6. Research Leadership and Budget Stewardship

• Lead the fielding of primary qualitative and quantitative research studies, connecting business needs to the most appropriate research methods.
• Manage research budgets with discipline, ensuring that every dollar invested generates strategic, actionable value.
• Partner with external research vendors to design studies that deliver differentiated insights and competitive advantage.

Essential Qualifications

• Experience: 8+ years of progressive work experience, preferably within the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or other advanced degree strongly preferred.
• Customer Engagement: Regular, direct engagement with customers is strongly preferred, with a demonstrated ability to build trusted advisor relationships.
• Research Ownership: Proven background in owning and deploying primary research projects, including budget management and vendor oversight.
• Industry Knowledge: Experience within Foodservice and On-Premise channels is preferred.
• Executive Presence: Demonstrated experience presenting to senior leaders, both within arenaflex and at external customer organizations.
• Track Record: A consistent history of delivering sustainable, measurable results that drive business growth.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior consulting, category management, or sales experience is a significant plus.
• A balanced mix of strong analytical rigor, exceptional project management capabilities, and persuasive storytelling experience.
• Prior leadership roles within insights, strategy, or customer development functions.

Technical and Functional Skills

• Data Mastery: Heavy usage with arenaflex Foodservice data sources and subscribed platforms, including Dine, CBL, NPD, Datassential, Technomic, Mintel, and Euromonitor.
• Tool Agility: Willingness and ability to learn new tools and solutions quickly, becoming an active ambassador of new programs and capabilities.
• Research Expertise: Leadership in fielding primary qualitative and quantitative research, with the ability to connect business needs to appropriate research methods and extract strategic, actionable value from studies.
• Strategic Thinking: Advanced strategic thinking skills, including the ability to frame complex issues, develop solutions, and chart clear paths to implementation.
• Business Planning: Sophisticated business planning capabilities that account for both corporate and customer needs, considerations, and constraints.
• Analytical Acumen: Highly analytical mindset, incorporating market research, customer research, financials, and feedback from sales teams into cohesive recommendations.
• Stakeholder Influence: Proven ability to collaborate with key internal and external cross-functional partners and effectively influence a wide variety of stakeholders.
• Prioritization: Strong ability to manage multiple deadlines from different stakeholders and prioritize the highest-leverage opportunities.
• Communication Excellence: Effective communication and relationship-building skills across all organizational levels, with the ability to champion initiatives end to end.
• Data Visualization: Highly proficient in Excel and PowerPoint, with experience in Power BI, as platforms for integrating disparate data sources with compelling visuals and language.

What arenaflex Can Do for You

Joining arenaflex means becoming part of a legacy of innovation, impact, and inclusion that spans more than a century. Here’s what you can expect:

• Iconic Brand: Work on one of the most recognized brands in the world and play a meaningful role in shaping its next chapter.
• Exposure to World-Class Leaders: Gain direct access to global marketing and insights leaders who will expand your network and expose you to emerging digital platforms, marketing innovations, and category disruptors.
• Creative Team Culture: Be inspired by the best brand leaders and agencies in the world, fostering a creative culture that supports thoughtful risk-taking and continuous innovation.
• Growth and Development: We empower every employee to prioritize their career development by building capabilities, developing new skills, and leaning into new experiences. You will receive the support and clarity needed to define your own career path and thrive.
• Inclusive Environment: We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture grounded in our company purpose. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible, and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves.
• Comprehensive Benefits: A full range of medical, financial, and other benefits is offered, dependent on position and location. Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.

Compensation and Travel

The estimated base salary range for this role is $140,791 to $168,416, with final offer dependent on geography, experience, and skill set. Estimated travel for this role is approximately 20–25%, allowing you to build deep customer relationships and represent arenaflex at key industry forums. This position is US Virtual (Home Based), giving you the flexibility to work remotely while staying connected to a vibrant, collaborative team.

Our Purpose and Growth Culture

At arenaflex, our purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference every single day. We are guided by four key behaviors: curious, empowered, inclusive, and agile. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive, and we value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace makes us a stronger, more innovative organization, and we are committed to supporting the financial and personal well-being of every team member.

Equal Opportunity Employer

arenaflex is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state, or local protected class. When we collect your personal information as part of a job application or offer of employment, we do so in accordance with industry standards, best practices, and applicable privacy laws.

How to Apply

If you are ready to bring your analytical horsepower, strategic vision, and storytelling flair to one of the most respected insights teams in the industry, we encourage you to apply today. This is more than a job — it is an opportunity to influence the trajectory of an iconic brand, partner with some of the brightest minds in the business, and grow your career in a culture that celebrates curiosity, empowerment, and bold thinking. We are excited to learn more about you, your experience, and the unique perspective you will bring to arenaflex. Take the next step in your career and join us in refreshing the world and making a difference — one insight at a time.