At Russell Stover, not only do we love chocolate, but we love our jobs! Every day we go to work exhibiting our values of excellence, innovation, entrepreneurship, responsibility, and collaboration. Working at Russell Stover you’ll be part of the leading manufacturer of boxed, seasonal, and sugar-free chocolates. For over 100 years, Russell Stover Chocolates, Whitman’s, and Pangburn’s have been crafted with the finest ingredients to bring happiness to generations. Today, we produce over 55 million pounds of chocolate annually, and our legacy brands can be found in 13 company-owned stores and over 9,000 wholesale accounts. Join our team and let’s continue making chocolate lovers happy!

A day in the life…

As Director of Digital Commerce, you will serve on Russell Stover's extended leadership team and lead the company's end-to-end eCommerce strategy across Amazon (1P), third-party marketplaces, omnichannel retail (click-to-mortar), and direct-to-consumer channels. Leading a team across these areas, you will drive profitable growth through a centralized digital commerce organization and a unified channel strategy.

As the ideal candidate, you will bring a proven track record of accelerating revenue and profitability across eCommerce channels, with deep expertise in the omnichannel shopper journey, retail media, paid search, digital shelf optimization, and direct-to-consumer operations. You will leverage data-driven insights to develop and execute growth strategies, deliver ambitious sales and profit targets, and build long-term plans with clear investment priorities and milestones.

As Russell Stover's eCommerce thought leader, you will partner cross-functionally to align and execute business priorities, drive organizational capability, and champion digital transformation. Success in this role requires strong leadership, influence, and collaboration skills, along with significant digital commerce experience within a consumer packaged goods organization, preferably including ownership of a brand-owned eCommerce channel.

Russell Stover is a Lindt & Sprüngli company, with direct Lindt Global leadership interaction and collaboration with Lindt Global Digital Commerce on best practices.

 This is a hybrid role that requires three days per week in our Kansas City, MO corporate office. Relocation assistance within the continental US will be considered for qualified candidates.

What You Will Be Doing…

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute Russell Stover's long-term ecommerce strategy to drive profitable growth across Amazon, DTC, marketplaces, and omnichannel retail partners.
• Lead omnichannel and direct-to-consumer initiatives while establishing best practices, capabilities, and tools that advance digital commerce performance.
• Identify and implement new technologies, insights, and resources to support strategic growth objectives.

Digital Commerce & Performance

• Lead digital merchandising, content, assortment, retail media, and performance marketing strategies across all ecommerce channels.
• Establish and monitor key performance metrics, leveraging data and insights to optimize traffic, conversion, profitability, and customer experience.
• Partner with Sales and Marketing to drive integrated ecommerce activation, content excellence, and competitive advantage.

Financial Management

• Own the consolidated digital commerce P&L, including click-to-mortar, Amazon, marketplaces, and direct-to-consumer business units.
• Deliver revenue and profitability targets through disciplined budget management, investment optimization, and performance oversight.

Partner & Stakeholder Leadership

• Build strategic relationships with key customers, retailers, vendors, and internal stakeholders to align priorities and accelerate growth.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration to develop and execute joint business plans and digital commerce initiatives.

Team Leadership

• Build, develop, and lead a high-performing digital commerce organization focused on accountability, innovation, and results.
• Establish Russell Stover as a recognized digital commerce and category leader across the ecommerce ecosystem.

This job posting is not all inclusive and other duties may be assigned.

Do you have what it takes?

(Basic Qualifications)

Skills & Knowledge:

• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science Degree
• Minimum 7+ years of ecommerce-related experience
• 5+ years in people leadership roles, with responsibility of teams 3 people or larger
• Direct P&L management experience with ownership of revenue growth goals
• Direct account management experience with ecommerce leading ecommerce or omnichannel strategy of national retailer(s) and Amazon 1P
• Experience stewarding ecommerce strategy and retail media with key retailers, i.e. Amazon Ads, Walmart Connect, Kroger Precision Marketing, and/or Roundel
• Understanding of Direct-to-Consumer ecommerce site merchandising, UI/UX, SEO/SEM, and performance marketing
• Extensive experience in collaboration with members of senior leadership (Director level and above)
• Ability to accelerate digital transformation across sales and marketing organizations by championing ecommerce agenda across the organization
• Capacity to both develop an inspiring long-term strategic plan while providing in-depth analysis to align digital investments and decisions
• Strong presentation skills and storytelling ability, creating frameworks for a senior leadership audience
• Strong influencing skills
• Proficiency in digital shelf execution with knowledge of best practices and measurement
• Ability to take a hands-on approach and contribute across multiple functions, demonstrating adaptability and a willingness to support evolving business needs
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to speak, read, and write English fluently, with or without an accommodation

Do you stand above the rest?

(Preferred Qualifications)

• Master’s Degree
• Ecommerce-related experience preferably within the CPG industry
• Experience with Salsify or Syndigo PIM systems
• Experience with Digital Shelf Analytics tools and scorecards (e.g. NIQ/Data Impact, Profitero etc.)
• Experience with Pacvue
• Experience with analyzing Ecommerce POS data
• Knowledge of AI/LLM trends in digital activation
• Past Direct-to-Consumer ownership
• Past execution of third-party marketplaces

If visiting our manufacturing plants, you will be expected to:

• Ensure adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) guidelines during plant visits to support product quality and uphold food safety standards.
• Complete and follow FSQA training and programs to comply with regulatory requirements, ensure consumer safety, and support the company’s food safety and quality objectives.
• Promptly report any observed or suspected issues that may impact food safety, quality, or compliance to the designated plant personnel, to support timely corrective actions and maintain compliance.
• Actively contributes to the continuous improvement of the company’s Food Safety Culture through engagement and actions aligned with your role.

At Russell Stover Chocolates, we don’t just accept difference — we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products, and our community. Russell Stover Chocolates is proud to be an equal-opportunity workplace.

We provide equal employment opportunities to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, religion, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, protected medical condition, genetic information, military service, veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by law.

Employment by Russell Stover Chocolates is contingent upon I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification, passing the urinalysis drug screen, education verification, and satisfactory reference and background checks.

Make Happy. Work Happy.