Jennifer Mennes
Director of NA Media and Digital, was recently recognized as a 201 "Working Mother of the Year" by She Runs It, a non profit paving the way for more women to lead at every level of marketing, media and tech. We caught up with her to get her thoughts on leadership and motherhood how she makes it all work.
Wednesday, July 01, 2020
Who are we at MDLZ? At the core, we’re a diverse team of nearly 80,000 colleagues around the world who are passionate about snacking! Our Makers & Bakers series shines a spotlight Team MDLZ colleagues across the business who are leading the future of snacking!
Tell me about your role at MDLZ. How do you bring our Purpose/Mission/Strategy to life?
Jennifer: As the Director of Media and Digital across our US and Canada Business Units, I am constantly looking for creative solutions to make our brands relevant to consumers and drive brand love. To me, Snacking Made Right speaks to reaching our consumers with the right message in the right channel that will best resonate with them. How often does one work with such iconic brands and connect with consumers through multiple touch-points to drive growth? It is an exciting time to be part of the MDLZ journey!
What characteristics have you been intentional about developing to become the leader that you are today?
Jennifer: Hard work, focus, collaboration and compassion have been focus areas – the same things I value in leaders that I work with. I have found that they serve me well both at work and at home.
How do you Grow Every Day?
Jennifer: I am always up for a challenge and working on projects that maybe slightly outside of my comfort zone. I am not afraid to ask questions and seek the advice of others regardless of level in the organization.
What single piece of advice would you give your younger self and what is the best career advice you've received?
Jennifer: Speak up. No one will just give you the career you want, you have to ask for it and prove you can do it. A mentor of mine told me to make sure to always be ‘present’ in meetings and interactions at the office. People will notice. It’s not about being the loudest in the room, but about making a point of being engaged. This has been tremendous advice both for my career and for being the best mom.
What are you most passionate about at and outside of work?
Jennifer: At work, solving problems and coming up with solutions that drive impact. Outside of work, my amazing family. I could not be successful in my career without their support. Balancing it all is not easy and some days can be overwhelming, but I find putting everything in perspective is key. At work focusing on the key deliverables and projects that will make the most impact is required. At home, it’s all about spending time together, even if it’s over chicken nuggets and French fries again for dinner. Perfection is not always possible and learning to be okay with good vs. perfect is reassuring.
Is it possible to have a fulfilling career and be a great mom/wife/partner/etc. at the same time?
Jennifer: Absolutely. Companies has come a long way. Women are now powerhouses and showing young women how being a mom does not mean you cannot succeed in your career. I think we are fortunate to work at a company like MDLZ which understands that families aren’t only important for the growth of our organization, but also for the growth of our people and teams. We are consumer centric and we need to treat ourselves and our teams the same way. We have a culture that embraces and respects flexibility which lets me succeed both at work and at home. I think it is important to remember that everyone is balancing multiple things in and out of work, and giving our people to flexibility to make it work for them is key.