Executive Job Title	Vice President, Marketing Strategy
Type of Registrant	Rites-Honored Recruiter
Industry & Function 1:	Retailing--AllTypes--Incl.ValueAdded-Tech-Distrib. - MARKETING/Advertising/MarketResearch
Compensation	$200,000 to $400,000
Executive Job Description	The Vice President, Marketing Strategy & Business Development (VP) will provide vision and direction for the Marketing (including Database Marketing), Advertising and Customer Relations departments. The VP will be a brand management expert and will serve as the lead ambassador for guiding the organization regarding brand implementation. Leveraging research, developed insights, and other brand measurement instruments, this VP will carry the brand forward into the next phase of strategic leadership for 2012 and beyond. The role will require the use of innovation and judgment to deliver creative, impactful programs and achieve a higher standard of brand health. This leader will bring transformative ideas and vision to the team and will progress our brand appeal within all of our target segments resulting in a measurable lift in traffic performance. Reporting to the Senior Vice President of Marketing, the VP will partner with leaders across the organization to develop recommendations and overall marketing strategy for the enterprise as set forth by senior management. Key Responsibilities and Duties: • Drive Brand Awareness – be the keeper of the brands’ relevance, aesthetic and values • Manage $150M annual marketing budget, supporting $3B in company sales • Direct media planning and buying activities • Manage all CRM, and database mining and marketing activities • New store sales forecasting • Shape strategic marketing activities including building brand equity • Evaluate and lead the direction for product placement programs and integration opportunities in TV, feature films, newspapers, magazines, broadcast and blogs • Evaluate opportunities for partnerships, sponsorships, and advertising on an on-going basis • Ensure cross-functional alignment (Operations, Product, Merchandising, Finance, Legal, Brand Agency) in implementation of initiatives • Establish brand positioning and hierarchy of messages by channel • Partner with merchandising in the development of the future store environment for the stores • Contribute to future brand strategy planning, brand management initiatives, customer insight generation/analysis and creative direction for the brand • Partner with merchandising, product & innovation team, finance and operations leaders in the development and testing of brand equity support platform: messaging and testing methodologies • Direct and/or develop comprehensive marketing strategies and recommendations for company initiatives that align with business objectives and the brand promise • Contribute to 3 year brand strategy planning, global brand management initiatives, customer insight generation/analysis and creative direction for the brand • Understanding and ongoing evaluation of key drivers of the media mix and make insightful decisions regarding the media calendar that optimize brand investment and return • Analyze effectiveness of business and marketing efforts by measuring key criteria and metrics including category tracking, brand tracking, other consumer insights, associate feedback, traffic & conversion, and advertising effectiveness • Lead customer research activities as well as Customer Relations activities • Develop and execute promotional activities leveraging timing and marketing mix • Develop and maintain Marketing intelligence systems looking at macro-economic and consumer shifts as well as competitive activities and alternate channels of distribution • Develop recommendations for test opportunities based on event learning and brand objectives • Assess alternative channels of communications and distribution, and integrate new media channels into event execution such as web content, digital media, successful SEO/SEM and social media • Partner with brand communications team to ensure brand stories and experiences mirror and support the brand with clarity and consistency • Serve as lead architect of the marketing calendar, media strategy and customer segment development programs • Design a rigorous consumer insights plan for a timely and relevant flow of facts that inform the business • Serve as lead architect for all brand advertising, messaging, and campaign creative development • Leverage deep, insight-driven considerations into messaging strategy – psychographic attributes, purchase behaviors and lifestyle characteristics • Serve as a champion for insight-driven event planning. Foster a customer-centric culture and educate others on the full aspect of the customer continuum: awareness, consideration, trial, repeat, loyalty • Establish collaborative relationships with executives across the organization to promote an integrated approach to marketing planning and business development. Work with, Merchandising and Operations departments to synthesize multiple sources of information into a coherent understanding of market information and opportunities, emerging customer needs, and the competitive landscape. • Facilitate and coordinate the work of multiple project teams across the business to ensure that interdependent projects are appropriately coordinated, including development of product lines, investment in major new alliances, joint ventures, partnerships, and acquisitions • Research, evaluate and propose new store concepts and expansion opportunities within the U.S. and for existing and/or new brands/channels, including assisting in the formulation of the Marketing support plan • Identify enterprise strengths, weaknesses, and business opportunities. Research, evaluate and propose new product offerings, new lines of business and opportunities to enhance existing lines of business. • Monitor retail environment for competitive activities, technological advances, and when appropriate, recommend courses of future action • Develop and represent Marketing’s point of view for real estate strategy and site selection CANDIDATE EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS The successful candidate will possess a minimum of 10 years’ proven experience in a VP or Director level marketing role in a multi-billion dollar company, preferably with a major retailer or top CPG brand corporation. The candidate should have a proven track record of success in developing and implementing market growth/penetration, brand development, product development, and business development initiatives. The VP must embody the company’s core values and have a track record of demonstrated success in leading marketing strategy and business development initiatives during their career. The Vice President must have excellent people skills. The selected candidate must possess business savvy and make recommendations for continuous improvement and executional excellence for marketing plans The VP will be a confident, strategic and motivating leader with experience working in a retail or related industry. • Must have the ability to work comfortably across organizational boundaries, and quickly gain the credibility and respect of executives at multiple levels. Excellent networking skills are required in order to obtain market information necessary to anticipate customer needs and interpret industry trends as they evolve. • Proficiency with valuation and other financial models is desired. • Experience in leading or supporting special projects related to brand and product development, portfolio enhancement, and performance measurement. In addition, the hired candidate must: • Demonstrate the ability to effectively work in a corporate environment in a highly collaborative manner with a propensity to keep all stakeholders informed as appropriate. • Be highly team-oriented and be willing to serve their teams to achieve Company objectives. • Be results-oriented, with the ability to drive projects to conclusion (as agreed to by the executive team) and to achieve results through others, even when no reporting relationship exists. • Display practical decision making capacities. • Communicate clearly, effectively and persuasively, both orally and in writing. • Possess superior analytical and critical thinking skills. • Exhibit a strong work ethic, good judgment, and responsiveness to client requests. • Create and sustain constructive working relationships with employees at all levels. LEADERSHIP & TECHNICAL COMPETENCIES Personal Attributes: • High Integrity • Team Player/Partner • Organized and Efficient • Sense of Urgency • Passion for Company’s Success • Results Oriented • Quick Study • Solid Reasoning and Judgment • Multi-Tasking Skills Professional Skills Required: • Strategic – maintains focus on strategic priorities and vision • Innovative – out of box thinker • Analytical – ability to research and analyze complex information and prepare detailed plans to address opportunity areas • Financial – Solid financial acumen • Communications – ability to effectively communicate and influence in writing and verbally at all levels • Leadership – ability to inspire and motivate other leaders, employees, vendors and other business partners • Collaboration – ability to successfully complete objectives by effectively collaborating with team members from other functional areas EDUCATION Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Finance or related field; an advanced degree strongly preferred. Compensation is based on experience and proven expertise. Targeted base salary is competitive and commensurate with experience, and includes annual and long-term incentive opportunities and an excellent executive benefits plan. A relocation package will be available, if necessary.
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