Role Overview for Chief Marketing Officer – Food & Beverage – Chicago, IL
JRG Partners is proud to partner with a premier, rapidly growing Food & Beverage powerhouse in their search for a visionary Chief Marketing Officer (CMO). Based in the vibrant heart of Chicago, IL, this is a career-defining opportunity for a transformative marketing leader to shape the future of a beloved portfolio of brands. As the CMO, you will be the chief architect of our client’s brand narrative, market presence, and growth trajectory. You will join a dynamic executive team and be entrusted with the critical responsibility of connecting with consumers on a deeper level, driving brand loyalty, and capturing significant market share in a competitive landscape.
This is more than a marketing role; it is a strategic business leadership position. You will be the voice of the customer in the C-suite, translating consumer insights and market trends into actionable strategies that fuel innovation across product development, sales, and customer experience. The ideal candidate is a seasoned veteran of the Food & Beverage or CPG industry, possessing a rare blend of creative ingenuity, analytical rigor, and inspirational leadership. You are a storyteller at heart, capable of building an emotional connection between brands and consumers, yet you are equally comfortable diving deep into data to justify marketing spend and demonstrate ROI. You will inherit a talented team and be empowered to build a world-class marketing organization that is agile, data-driven, and relentlessly focused on results. If you are a strategic thinker with a passion for food and a proven track record of building iconic brands, we invite you to explore this exceptional opportunity to make a lasting impact.
Key Responsibilities of Chief Marketing Officer – Food & Beverage – Chicago, IL
As the Chief Marketing Officer, you will have a broad and impactful remit, overseeing all aspects of the marketing function. Your primary goal is to accelerate growth through innovative and effective marketing strategies. Key responsibilities include:
Strategic Leadership & Vision
- Develop and execute a cohesive, multi-year marketing strategy that aligns with and advances the company’s overall business objectives and financial goals.
- Serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, providing critical marketing insights and contributing to high-level strategic planning and decision-making.
- Conduct comprehensive market, competitor, and consumer analysis to identify untapped opportunities, potential threats, and emerging trends to maintain a competitive edge.
- Own and manage the multi-million dollar marketing budget, ensuring strategic allocation of resources across all channels to maximize return on investment and achieve performance targets.
- Establish and champion a clear brand vision and positioning for the company’s entire portfolio, ensuring consistency and resonance across all consumer touchpoints.
Brand Management & Integrated Marketing
- Lead all brand-building initiatives, from defining brand architecture and identity to crafting compelling brand narratives that engage and inspire consumers.
- Oversee the development and execution of fully integrated marketing campaigns across a diverse media mix, including digital, social, traditional advertising, PR, and experiential marketing.
- Ensure brand integrity and a consistent voice across all communications, packaging, and marketing materials.
- Manage relationships with external agencies and partners (creative, media, PR) to ensure they deliver high-quality work that is on-brand, on-time, and on-budget.
Digital Transformation & Performance Marketing
- Champion a digital-first mindset, overseeing the strategy for all digital channels including SEO/SEM, e-commerce, social media, content marketing, influencer marketing, and email automation.
- Leverage data analytics, marketing technology (MarTech), and CRM platforms to create personalized customer journeys, enhance engagement, and drive conversions.
- Establish rigorous KPIs and performance metrics for all marketing initiatives. Implement robust tracking and reporting systems to continuously monitor, analyze, and optimize campaign effectiveness and ROI.
- Drive the e-commerce strategy, working closely with sales and operations to grow the direct-to-consumer (DTC) channel and optimize the customer experience on digital platforms.
Product Innovation & Go-to-Market Strategy
- Collaborate closely with the Product Development and R&D teams to infuse consumer insights into the innovation pipeline, guiding the development of new products that meet market needs.
- Develop and execute comprehensive go-to-market strategies for all new product launches, ensuring successful introductions that achieve sales and market share objectives.
- Lead the development of pricing strategies, promotional plans, and trade marketing programs in partnership with the sales team to drive velocity and growth across all retail channels.
Team Leadership & Development
- Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-performing, multi-disciplinary marketing team, fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, accountability, and continuous learning.
- Structure the marketing department for optimal efficiency and effectiveness, ensuring clear roles, responsibilities, and career development paths for all team members.
- Inspire and motivate the team to push creative boundaries and achieve ambitious goals.
Requirements for the Chief Marketing Officer – Food & Beverage – Chicago, IL
We are seeking a candidate with a distinguished career in marketing leadership, specifically within the dynamic world of food and beverages. The qualifications for this executive role are stringent and reflect the level of responsibility and impact.
Experience
A minimum of 15+ years of progressive marketing experience, with at least 7 years in a senior leadership capacity (e.g., VP of Marketing, Senior Marketing Director) overseeing a significant team and budget.
Industry Expertise
Deep and demonstrable experience within the Food & Beverage or Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry is mandatory. Experience with both established brands and challenger brands is highly desirable.
Educational Background
A Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field is required. An MBA or other advanced degree is strongly preferred.
Proven Track Record
A history of developing and executing successful marketing strategies that have resulted in measurable brand growth, increased market share, and positive ROI.
Leadership Acumen
Exceptional leadership skills with the ability to inspire, develop, and manage a large, diverse team. Experience building a marketing function from the ground up or significantly scaling an existing one is a plus.
Strategic & Analytical Mindset
Strong strategic thinking capabilities combined with a highly analytical and data-driven approach to decision-making. Proficiency with marketing analytics tools and financial acumen, including P&L management, is essential.
Full-Funnel Expertise
Mastery of the entire marketing funnel, with proven experience across brand marketing, performance marketing, digital strategy, product marketing, and communications.
Consumer Insight
A profound understanding of evolving consumer behavior trends, market dynamics, and the retail landscape (including grocery, mass, club, and e-commerce channels).
Communication Skills
World-class communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to articulate a clear vision and influence stakeholders at all levels, including the Board of Directors.
Benefits & Perks Offered
Our client offers a comprehensive and competitive executive compensation package designed to attract and retain top-tier talent. This includes:
- Highly competitive base salary commensurate with experience.
- Significant annual performance-based bonus potential.
- Meaningful equity participation/long-term incentive plan (LTIP).
- Comprehensive health and wellness benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your dependents.
- 401(k) retirement plan with a generous company match.
- Generous paid time off (PTO) policy, including vacation, sick days, and company holidays.
- Executive-level perquisites, which may include a car allowance and professional development stipend.
- Relocation assistance for qualified candidates moving to the Chicago area.
- An opportunity to work in a collaborative, innovative, and growth-oriented culture with a passionate team.
How to Apply
JRG Partners is leading the exclusive search for this Chief Marketing Officer position. We are looking for a candidate who is not only qualified but also aligns with our client’s ambitious vision and collaborative culture. If you are a passionate and proven marketing leader ready to take on your next great challenge, we encourage you to apply.
To be considered for this transformative leadership opportunity, please submit your resume and a compelling cover letter detailing your specific successes in the Food & Beverage industry through our secure Consumer Packaged Goods executive search portal. All inquiries and applications will be handled with the strictest confidence.
JRG Partners and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
