Program Manager, Brand & Experiences

Description

• Whole Foods Market is the leading natural and organic foods retailer, and we're building the brand programs, partnerships, and storytelling to match. Our Brand Engagement & Experiences team sits at the

Description

• Whole Foods Market is the leading natural and organic foods retailer, and we're building the brand programs, partnerships, and storytelling to match. Our Brand Engagement & Experiences team sits at the intersection of food culture, purpose-driven content, and immersive activations that connect customers, Team Members, and communities to the higher purpose at the heart of our brand: nourishing people and the planet. In the next five years, our goal is to make Whole Foods Market a lifestyle brand. We are seeking a Brand Content & Partnerships Manager to own two interconnected workstreams: (1) serve as the team's lead writer across internal and external brand programs, and (2) develop and manage strategic partnerships that amplify our experiential platform, content storytelling, and purpose-driven initiatives. This role will identify, build, and activate collaborations that elevate our Quality Standards, celebrate our suppliers, and deepen Whole Foods Market's role in the communities we serve. The right candidate is equal parts exceptional writer and strategic relationship builder. You are someone who can craft a compelling briefing document, a go-to-market narrative, or a partnership pitch with the same level of rigor and creativity. You think big, operate with discipline, and are energized by food culture, sustainability, and the power of brand storytelling to create real-world impact. Key job responsibilities • Lead Writer & Voice of the Team — Serve as the team's primary writer, crafting articles, talking points, briefing documents, go-to-market plans, runs of show, and executive communications for brand programs, events, and activations. (Insist on the Highest Standards) • Partnership Strategy & Execution — Develop and execute partnership strategies that expand the reach and impact of Whole Foods Market's experiential and storytelling programs, thinking beyond conventional retail partnerships. (Think Big; Bias for Action) • Partner Identification & Evaluation — Identify, evaluate, and secure collaboration partners — including mission-aligned brands, culinary and cultural organizations, media platforms, creative voices, and suppliers. You are applying high judgment to ensure every partnership aligns with our brand, standards, and values. (Customer Obsession; Have Backbone, Disagree and Commit) • Narrative Development — Build compelling partnership narratives that translate food culture, sourcing standards, and community impact into persuasive, insight-driven stories that earn trust with internal and external audiences. (Earn Trust; Learn and Be Curious) • Cross-Functional Activation — Responsible for go-to-market strategy, planning and execution of integrated marketing programs and partnerships across brand and product. Collaborate across Sustainability, Quality Standards, PR, Social, Culinary, Merchandising, and Private Label teams to activate partnerships that are purposeful and on-brand, removing barriers and driving alignment without direct authority. (Deliver Results; Earn Trust) • End-to-End Storytelling — Own creative storytelling from concept through activation, ensuring every partnership reflects our values, elevates our suppliers, and strengthens brand identity with no compromises on quality. (Ownership; Insist on the Highest Standards) • Experiential Integration — Support experiential programming by integrating partnerships into immersive moments that inspire Team Members, customers, and communities. (Customer Obsession; Deliver Results) • Measurement & Optimization — Define and track success metrics using data and insights to measure partnership impact across brand perception, community value, sentiment, engagement, and business alignment. (Dive Deep; Deliver Results) • Cultural Relevance — Stay ahead of food, culture, and sustainability trends, proactively identifying opportunities for Whole Foods Market to show up meaningfully and authentically. (Learn and Be Curious; Think Big) About the team Our team's mission is to make WFM’s higher Purpose tangible by creating programs and experiences that foster connection and inspiration for our TMs, customers, suppliers and communities. We build brand love and reputational trust by bringing our higher Purpose, core values and differentiators to life -- whether it is through Team Member engagement programs, customer facing activations or delivering on community needs through nonprofit collaboration.

Basic Qualifications

• - 5+ years of program or project management experience - Experience using data and metrics to determine and drive improvements - Experience working cross functionally with tech and non-tech teams - • Demonstrated excellence in writing across multiple formats: articles, executive communications, briefing documents, go-to-market plans, and marketing copy - • Experience developing and managing external partnerships or collaborations with brands, organizations, or media platforms - • Experience working cross-functionally across marketing, communications, and/or merchandising teams - • Track record of taking projects from concept through execution with minimal oversight - • Strong verbal communication and presentation skills, including comfort presenting to senior leadership and external partners - • Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, English, or a related field

Preferred Qualifications