Sample Management Associate Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Position Summary:

The Senior Associate Brand Manager is responsible for driving brand performance, leading key marketing initiatives, and translating consumer, category, and competitive insights into actionable brand plans. This role will serve as the analytical and strategic backbone of the brand team, blending rigorous data analysis, commercial strategy, and crossfunctional leadership to drive brand growth across both consumer and dental professional markets. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in ambiguous, fastmoving environments where problems are not clearly defined and solutions require curiosity, analytical rigor, and crossfunctional influence. 

• Business & Performance Analytics
  • Lead monthly business reviews using syndicated data (Circana/IRI), panel data, dental professional data, and internal shipments & financials.
  • Translate brand strategy and marketplace insights into actionable Distribution, Pricing, Shelving, Merchandising guidance for sales and customer teams.
  • Work with media agency to analyze media performance reports, including CPM, CPC, CTR, impressions, to assess effectiveness on brand KPIs.
  • Interpret professional recommendation data (e.g., survey results, A&U studies, rep feedback, CRM insights) to understand drivers of recommendation and barriers to adoption.
  • Track the effectiveness of professional programs, sampling initiatives, and social media marketing with retail performance.
  • Support the development and management of a forecast model working with Finance, Category Management, Sales and Supply Chain.
  • Monitor competitive activity and identify share shifts, pricing moves, and innovation trends

• Strategic Direction:
  • Support longrange planning through category forecasting, whitespace identification, and portfolio modeling.
  • Support portfolio strategy and assortment optimization with clearly defined roles for each segment of the business.
  • Develop factbased DPSM (Distribution, Pricing, Shelving, Merchandising) guidance for customer teams.
  • Partner with Sales to build customerspecific selling stories grounded in data and insights.
  • Partner with Professional Marketing and Sales teams to optimize sampling strategy and professionalfacing messaging, and support development of chairside tools and professional engagement programs.
  • Identify emerging trends and opportunities to strengthen brand equity and accelerate growth.

• Annual Planning:
  • Contribute to the development of the annual brand plan/budget and mid-term plan (3-5-year plan) by supporting short and mid-term innovation plan.

• Project Management:
  • Lead project management and execution for priority initiatives, including new product launches, pricing actions, promotions, and merchandising programs.
  • Lead shopper marketing and consumer promotion initiatives (FSIs, digital coupons, retail media, instore tactics), partnering with Sales and agencies.
  • Support packaging and renovation projects through consumer insights, business case development, and commercialization.
  • Monitor ROI of marketing initiatives and optimize plans based on performance.

• Leadership & Collaboration:
  • Collaborate with Sunstar GUM teams across Canada, Latin America, Europe, and Asia, as well as Global Marketing to align on marketing activations, packaging updates, artwork development, and shared best practices.
  • Collaborate with Creative/Media and Shopper Marketing agencies to guide briefs, shape strategic direction, and ensure optimal execution.

Education

• Bachelor’s Degree required. Master’s preferred.

Knowledge/Experience

• 4-6 years of CPG marketing experience or 2-3 with master’s degree. 
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross functional teams and manage complex projects

Skills  

•  Strong analytical skills with experience using syndicated data (Circana/IRI)
• Ability to think strategically while executing with strong attention to detail
•  Strong ability to navigate ambiguity and operate in a growing and evolving organization
•  Proactive and action-oriented, sees opportunities to add value and optimize,
• Excellent written and verbal communication, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Financial acumen, ability to navigate a P&L and connect marketing and business strategies to financial levers

Abilities

• Communicating clear, insight driven recommendations that influence senior stakeholders
• Making recommendations for plans to deliver improved brand performance metrics (share, penetration, velocity)
• Effective cross functional leadership, project management, and prioritization skills
• Delivery of high-quality marketing programs, on-time and on-budget

 Other Duties:

•  This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time.

 What Makes Sunstar Special:

• A business focused on health and wellness of people around the world
• High Quality Products
• Beautiful state-of-the-art facility
• Diversity and Inclusion
• Corporate Social Responsibility Program and partnership with charitable organization
• Strong value placed on company culture.
• Excellent, comprehensive insurance coverage that includes Medical, Vision, and Dental benefits. 
• Opportunities for career growth and advancement
• Employee discount on Sunstar product
• 401K retirement plan with employer match (Pretax and Roth options)
• 401K profit sharing contribution based on company performance.
• Paid holidays and generous paid time off. Pet, Legal and Identity Theft Insurance Plans
• Competitive bonus
• On-site café
• On Site Fitness Center
• Corporate Perks Discount Program (Auto, Retail, Electronics, Entertainment, Computers, Personal Vacations, Cell Phones, Movie Tickets, Eating Out and Much More)
• Beautifully maintained walking trails
• Hybrid Schedule
• Numerous employee appreciation events throughout the year.
• Recognition and Rewards Programs

 If you’d enjoy a career helping others attain overall health through oral health, consider joining the Sunstar Americas, Inc. team.

The employer is subject to certain governmental record keeping and reporting requirements for the administration of civil rights laws and regulations. In order to comply with these laws, the employer invites employees to voluntarily self-identify their gender, and race or ethnicity. Completion of this data is voluntary and will not affect your opportunity for employment or terms or conditions of employment. Information collected will be used for EEO-1 reporting purposes only and will be kept separate from all other personnel records, only accessed by Authorized Users. Information collected will be kept confidential and will only be used in accordance with the provisions of applicable laws, including those that require the information to be summarized and reported to the federal government. When reported, data will not identify any specific individual. 

 The pay range for this position of Sr. Associate Brand Manager is $103,500 - $126,500. However, base pay offered may vary depending on skills, experience, job-related knowledge and location. This position is also eligible for an annual bonus as part of total compensation.