Mars

Sr Manager, Strategic Initiatives

Mars  •  Chicago, IL (Onsite)  •  4 hours ago
Apply
AI can make mistakes so check important info. Chat history is never stored.

Job Description

The Sr Manager, Strategic Initiatives role exists to design and deliver high-priority, cross-functional initiatives that advance the Mars Snacking Commercial agenda. The role turns complex or ambiguous business challenges into executable plans, mobilizes the right partners, and drives work from strategy through implementation, adoption, and measurable outcomes.

The immediate focus for the role will be driving Mars Snacking Commercial integration priorities at pace across people, process/policy and digital and co-creating the future Commercial transformation agenda.

What are we looking for?

  • Bachelor's degree.
  • 5+ years experience in procurement/commercial, supply chain, business strategy or a related field.
  • Advanced degree and/or recognized project, program, change, or continuous-improvement certification preferred.
  • Significant experience leading complex, cross-functional strategic initiatives from problem definition through implementation and adoption.
  • Demonstrated ability to structure ambiguous problems, develop fact-based options and recommendations, and translate strategy into executable plans.
  • Strong project and program management discipline, including governance, milestones, dependencies, risks, resources, decisions, and benefits tracking.
  • Experience influencing senior stakeholders and leading teams through a matrix without relying on formal authority.
  • Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills, including preparation of executive-level materials.
  • Integration, transformation, operating-model experience preferred.
  • Working knowledge of change management, process design, digital enablement, and capability building preferred.

What will be your key responsibilities?

  • Strategic initiative design and execution: Lead end-to-end design and delivery of assigned Commercial strategic initiatives. Translate complex challenges into clear objectives, workplans, milestones, owners, decision points, risks, and success measures.
  • Cross-functional project leadership: Mobilize and coordinate teams across Commercial, Finance, Supply Chain, Digital Technology, Legal, People & Organization, and other relevant functions. Manage interdependencies and maintain accountability across workstreams.
  • Problem structuring and solution development: Apply rigorous analysis and structured thinking to define problems, test assumptions, develop options, and recommend practical solutions. Balance strategic perspective with the operational detail required for implementation.
  • Governance, risk, and decision support: Establish fit-for-purpose governance and maintain clear visibility to progress, risks, dependencies, resource constraints, and decisions. Escalate issues early and enable timely leadership trade-offs.
  • Stakeholder management and executive influence: Build trusted relationships with senior Commercial and functional stakeholders. Prepare concise, decision-oriented materials and communicate complex topics clearly in leadership forums.
  • Change enablement and adoption: Partner with Change & Communications and People & Organization to embed impact assessment, stakeholder engagement, communications, training, capability building, and adoption measures into initiative plans.
  • Portfolio and knowledge development: Support the identification, prioritization, and scoping of emerging Commercial initiatives. Capture lessons, tools, methods, and reusable practices to strengthen the Strategic Initiatives capability over time.

What can you expect from Mars?

  • Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
  • Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
  • A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
  • An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

#LI-Onsite

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.

The pay range shown is applicable to all US locations listed within the job posting:USD 119,040.00 - USD 163,680.00

Mars

About Mars

We’re a unified force of 150,000+ Associates, taking action every day toward the world we want tomorrow.

Our Five Principles have kept us true to ourselves and to our commitment to treat others in ways that are consistent with those values. Having stood the test of time, these principles will continue, keeping us free to move quickly and plan for the future.

Quality - The consumer is our boss, quality is our work and value for money is our goal.

Responsibility - As individuals, we demand total responsibility from ourselves; as Associates, we support the responsibilities of others.

Mutuality - A mutual benefit is a shared benefit; a shared benefit will endure.

Efficiency - We use resources to the full, waste nothing and do only what we can do best.

Freedom - We need freedom to shape our future; we need profit to remain free.

Note to Parents:

https://www.mars.com/about/policies-and-practices/note-to-parents/np-english

For more information, please visit mars.com.

Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, instagram.com/marsglobal/, youtube.com/mars

For more information about careers at Mars, please visit careers.mars.com

Follow us: facebook.com/LifeAtMars, instagram.com/LifeAtMars/, tiktok.com/LifeAtMars

Mars, Incorporated is not responsible for any content or activity made available via third party sites or services.

Page subject to:

mars.com/legal

mars.com/privacy

Industry
Food & Beverage
Company Size
10,000+ employees
Headquarters
McLean, Virginia
Year Founded
Unknown
Website
mars.com
Social Media