Associate Brand Manager Intern - Private Label & Emerging Brands

Join Riverside Natural Foods Ltd., a $300 million+ Canadian-based, family-owned, and globally operating business, committed to leaving the world better than we found it. As a B-Corp certified, Triple-Bottom Line company, we proudly manufacture nutritious, 'better-for-you' snacks such as MadeGood and GOOD TO GO. We value teamwork, humility, respect, ownership, adaptability, grit, and fun.

We’re on an ambitious mission to double our business by 2027, and we need talented individuals like you to help us reach new heights. At Riverside, you’ll have the opportunity to chart your own path to success while contributing to ours. We believe anything worth doing is worth doing right, and our values will guide us through the rugged terrain – and yes, it will get rough. But that’s what makes the journey worthwhile.

So, lace up your boots and let’s tackle the climb together.

You can learn more about us at www.riversidenaturalfoods.com.

Job Description: Associate Brand Manager Intern – Private Label & Emerging Brands

Position Summary:

We are seeking an energetic, organized, and impact-driven Associate Brand Manager to support the growth of both our Private Label and Emerging Brands portfolios. This is a highly cross-functional and executional role — ideal for a rising marketing professional eager to gain experience across innovation, brand development, operations, and commercialization.

Reporting to the Director of Marketing – Private Label and Emerging Brands, this individual will also work closely with the Senior Brand Manager – Emerging Brands and Brand Manager – Private Label, supporting brand lifecycle activities, packaging execution, budget management, and cross-functional project work. From launching new brands to supporting customer-specific innovation, the ABM will play a key role in helping bring better-for-you innovations to more people.

Key Responsibilities:

Marketing Budget Management

• Own and manage the marketing budget tracking process across both Private Label and Emerging Brands.
• Lead monthly budget routines, including PO creation, invoice processing, reconciliation, and reporting.
• Partner with Finance to ensure budget accuracy and flag variances or optimization opportunities.

Packaging & Artwork Coordination

• Lead the packaging development process for Private Label projects, serving as the main point of contact between customers, suppliers, and internal teams.
• Manage packaging timelines, version control, regulatory reviews, and final artwork approvals.
• Support creative brief development and ensure packaging aligns with brand and customer expectations.

Brand Development and Marketing Tactics:

• Work closely with the Senior Brand Manager to translate brand strategies into compelling brand plans
• Develop and execute comprehensive brand marketing tactics, ensuring alignment with the brand’s overall goals.
• Measure the financial impact of investments, institutionalize learnings, and optimize marketing spend for efficiency. Specifically tracking the efficiency and ROI and new marketing tactics used for new brands.

Innovation & Product Development Support

• Support execution of new product development initiatives across the team, from idea to launch.
• Assist in the development of sell-in materials (e.g., decks, sell sheets) using data-driven insights.
• Partner with R&D, Sales, and Supply Chain to keep innovation timelines on track and launches on time and on budget.

Research, Analysis & Strategic Input

• Help analyze market trends, consumer insights, and competitive activity to identify white space and emerging opportunities.
• Track and report on brand and product performance, drawing insights to inform decision-making.
• Support the Emerging Brands team with test-and-learn launch approaches, pilot program evaluation, and post-launch performance reviews.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Project Execution

• Work collaboratively with R&D, Operations, Finance, and Sales to coordinate key project milestones.
• Assist in coordination and documentation for internal meetings, gate approvals, and customer presentations.
• Provide general project support across both teams, stepping into a wide range of tactical marketing responsibilities as needed.

Education & Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field.
• 1–2 years of experience in a marketing, brand, or CPG support role (internship or co-op experience considered).
• Prior exposure to packaging development, innovation projects, or budget management is an asset.

Skills & Abilities:

• Highly organized and detail-oriented — excels at managing timelines, tracking data, and coordinating multiple stakeholders.
• Strong communicator and collaborator, able to work effectively across teams and levels.
• Analytical and data-literate — comfortable working in Excel and drawing insights from consumer or financial data.
• Proactive self-starter with a sense of ownership and a passion for getting things done.
• Creative thinker who’s curious about what’s next in food and eager to bring ideas to life.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with shifting priorities and quick turnarounds.

What we expect:

• Values-led: You’ll be a member of a thoughtful and compassionate team that prioritizes respect, teamwork and resourcefulness along with a good dash of fun. Sometimes, even making granola bars is hard, and life’s too short to take ourselves so seriously that we don’t enjoy the journey.
• Unparalleled experiences and opportunities: We’re still determining who we are and what we can be. Help us shape what this organization will look like and what we’ll offer the world, into the future. This means rolling up your sleeves and sometimes building the process – fast! – while employing it. At Riverside, progress occasionally means proceeding imperfectly, and we’re okay with that, as long as we’re staying true to our values and learning and improving along the way.
• Access to everyone: We’re a flat organization with few silos which means you’ll have full access to everyone from our founders to our production staff. Even when employees dress up, they wear steel-toed shoes. So don’t be shy. Speak up, share your ideas and go places you normally wouldn’t – like the plant, or the boardroom.
• Personal development: We’ll support and empower you to chart your own path and reach any heights you set for yourself. Career paths at Riverside are carved by the people walking on them, not dictated by leaders. Count on us to give you the training and tools to grow and progress.
• Gratitude: As a growing business, we can’t always offer formal recognition like awards programs, but we do show our true gratitude and appreciation. At Riverside, we’re all in this together and we value you.

What We Offer:

• Values-led: We don’t cut corners or step on anyone or anything on our way to our summit. There is no winning at all costs here. Every step you take must align with our values, no compromises.
• Courageous determination: As a family-run, rapidly growing business, we are often challenged to find ways to deliver that aren’t obvious or easy. You must be willing to try, ask and answer challenging questions, test and learn, turn over every stone, keep moving forward and help us find a way through. Resourcefulness and grit will be your constant companions at Riverside and will serve you well.
• Humility: We’re a small (but growing) fish in a sea of whales and sharks. We know the products we offer are some of the healthiest and most sustainable, but we don’t brag about it, and know we have a steep path ahead. We pride ourselves in being respectful and supportive of others while shining brightly through our innovative, high-quality products. There isn’t one superstar at Riverside. We take turns leading the way as we climb to the summit.
• Continuous improvement: As a learn-as-we-go organization, we rely on each other to continuously improve everything we touch to make it better, more efficient, more sustainable, and more endearing to customers, consumers, employees, vendors, partners and the community. We own our mistakes and learn from them as we wind our way to the top.

Wait! There’s more!

• Immerse yourself in our comprehensive benefits program, with Riverside taking care of the costs!
• RRSP matching or IRA matching for an empowered financial journey
• Join Employee-Led Resource Groups (ERGs) championing mental health, sustainability, diversity, women, and LGBTQ+ rights
• Develop your career further through our Riverside University program and with our Tuition Reimbursement Program
• An open concept work environment that embodies our Values

How to Apply:

If you have the commitment to excellence, the energy, the attitude and experience we need, then please submit your resume to careers(AT)riversidenaturals.com with the job title you are applying for in the subject line or click the apply button!

Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. is committed to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for everyone. If you have a disability and require accommodation in the interview process, please let us know when you apply. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, due to volume, please note that only candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.