Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada and with team members across the US, Open Farm is one of the fastest growing CPG companies in North America. We are transforming the way people feed their pets, with a focus on producing premium, healthy food and treats, all ethically sourced from farm-to-bowl. We believe the best foods are made with consciously sourced, top quality ingredients from farmers and fisheries who believe in doing good for all animals and the environment.  

In 2021, Open Farm raised >$80MM CAD in our latest round of funding, led by leading global growth equity firm General Atlantic, who joined Open Farm’s leadership team and existing minority partner, Encore Consumer Capital, on Open Farm’s long-term growth journey. With annual sales growth exceeding 100 percent over the last five years, our products can be found in over 7,500 neighbourhood pet retailers across North America as well as online at OpenFarmPet.com. Our product line, initially three products, is now recognized as a category-leader in product innovation, with a full suite of premium offerings ranging from kibble to fresh meals and supplements. Throughout our growth journey, we have stayed true to our values, partnering with international recycling leader TerraCycle™ to offer a national recycling program, and became the first pet food brand in North America to offer reusable packaging on the Loop platform. Additionally, we work with ethical sourcing partners Certified Humane®, Global Animal Partnership, and Ocean Wise Seafood to provide better quality ingredients to pets, and ensure we are sourcing ingredients in a way that respects farm animals and the planet.  

The Opportunity

In our accelerated growth journey and mission to Do Some Good® for animals and the planet, we are looking for an exceptional, innovative, mission-driven marketing leader to build a globally loved brand and scale into the most successful omni-channel and sustainably focused CPG company in the world.  

Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, the Vice President, Marketing will be an integral member of the Senior Leadership Team and will lead the full marketing function including brand, retail, growth, mission and innovation.  The Vice President of Marketing will be a strategic visionary, with the ability to see and communicate the big picture (current and future) and apply a strong emphasis on establishing Open Farm’s brand architecture, while optimizing acquisition and retention efforts in both retail and online channels. We are looking for someone who is an adaptive out-of-the-box-thinker, with strong analytical skills and a humble hands-on approach to leading teams.  

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Thought Leadership

• Lead the development of an integrated marketing strategy to achieve the organization’s long-term goals of rapidly scaling our global presence and building an iconic and loved brand amongst pet parents.
• Effectively champion this strategy within your marketing team and the broader organization to drive alignment and collaboration in execution across the business.
• Establish clear metrics that correspond and drive towards the long-term plan.
• Lead with a strong consumer orientation, always focused on new and better ways to serve the needs of and engage with our community of pet parents and prospective new customers.
• Bring a data and insights driven approach to strategy development and tactical execution across the business.

Brand Marketing

• Oversee 360 degree brand marketing elements, including consumer insights, creative strategy, media planning, retail marketing, PR, partnerships, and performance channels.
• Develop and launch integrated campaigns aimed at building brand awareness and brand love, driving new customer acquisition and increasing loyalty and the lifetime value of our customers over time.
• Enhance creative efforts through the work of the in-house creative team and external partners, ensuring creative execution reflects our brand personality and values, and is informed by data-driven consumer insights that align with overall brand marketing strategy.
• Partner with the SVP Sales to align pricing, merchandising, trade and marketing strategies at retail, with a keen eye on current and future markets, as well as play a key role in partnering with our key retail accounts.
• Oversee all media and performance channel marketing activities and budgeted spend.
• Work collaboratively with our Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer to ensure the brand vision comes to life across all applications, and manage the customer experience to plan at all touchpoints.
• Use insights to deeply understand our customers and amplify our brand in all channels and all customer touchpoints.
• Build and maintain relationships with key agencies, local partners and cross-functional teams to achieve these goals.

Leadership & Business Impact

• Build, coach and develop a best-in-class marketing team.
• Assume a leadership role across the business, with a deep understanding of how we operate and the ability to create strong cross-functional collaboration to advance overall business objectives.
• Be a strong voice in determining the evolving path of our overall marketing strategy as we continue to scale.
• Manage significant P&L ownership, with a focus on revenue, margin and end-to-end marketing spend.

What you bring to the table:

• 10 to 15 years of proven marketing leadership experience developing and executing a successful marketing strategy at scale, MBA (preferred).
• Success building high-growth consumer brands that reshape consumer perception.
• Strong storytelling skills and ability to translate mission into compelling consumer messaging across all channels.
• Experience in data-driven and analytical environments (marketing, consulting, PE, etc.).
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and cross-functional influence skills.
• Outstanding communication, presentation and leadership skills.
• Passion for sustainability, innovation, and consumer-centric brand building.

What We Offer: 

• The opportunity to lead and shape a brand and make an impact with a mission driven, dynamic and fast-growing company.
• Join a dynamic and supportive work environment with a team of dedicated, high–performing professionals.
• Great office culture (with lots of adorable pets!) and people who are thoughtful and passionate about work and community.
• Competitive compensation and a full suite of benefits - including a monthly pet feeding program for someone who loves to keep their pet well-fed year-round.