Director, Brand and Content

Independent Pet Partners•Woodbury, MN

9h•$120,000 - $162,000•Hybrid

About The Position

At Independent Pet Partners (IPP), we’re more than a retailer—we’re a community of passionate pet experts dedicated to making life better for pets and the people who love them. Loving your pet is the easiest thing in the world. Taking care of them should be just as easy. IPP brings everything pet parents need into one trusted place. Through our local pet store brands, Chuck & Don’s and Kriser’s, we create welcoming neighborhood stores where knowledgeable team members help pet parents make the best choices for their pets’ health and happiness. Our approach is guided by the 5 Pillars of Pet Wellness®, a philosophy that shapes everything we do - from the products we carry to the services we offer and the advice we share. With more than 80 neighborhood pet stores, we’re proud to serve pet communities across Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas and Colorado. The Brand Director is responsible for shaping and protecting the Independent Pet Partners brand family including the Chuck & Don's and Kriser's brand experience across every customer touchpoint. This leader develops compelling brand campaigns, oversees creative execution, champions exceptional design and storytelling, and inspires a high-performing creative team. The Brand Director partners closely with Marketing, Merchandising, Ecommerce, Store Operations, and external agency partners to bring integrated marketing campaigns to life while ensuring every customer interaction reflects our brand promise. This role is a strategic creative leader who is well versed in creative operations. Success is measured by building a distinctive brand, producing effective creative that drives business results, and developing an engaged, collaborative creative team.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Graphic Design, Advertising, Communications or related field
6+ years of creative leadership experience
2+ years managing creative teams
Experience leading integrated marketing campaigns
Strong portfolio demonstrating strategic creative thinking
Experience building and maintaining consumer brands
Expertise in creative direction, design, and storytelling
Experience with project management tools
Strategic thinker who connects creative work to business outcomes
Inspiring leader who develops people and fosters collaboration
Excellent communicator who influences across functions
Curious, customer-focused, and data-informed
Balances creativity with pragmatism and execution
Thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial retail environment
Willingness to travel regularly to support retail store brand management in all markets
Passion for pets and the pet parent community
Located in Minneapolis or Denver metro areas
Must be able to work around pet hair and dander

Nice To Haves

Retail or consumer brand experience
Experience with omnichannel marketing
Experience with visual merchandising or retail environments
Experience managing agencies and freelancers
Experience with Asana project management platform

Responsibilities

Serve as steward of the IPP, Chuck & Don's and Kriser's brands across all customer touchpoints
Develop and evolve brand standards, messaging, visual identity and creative guidelines
Ensure consistent customer experience across digital, social, CRM, paid media and retail stores
Partner with executive leadership to strengthen long-term brand strategy
Lead concept development in partnership with creative team for integrated marketing campaigns
Establish the creative vision for campaigns, promotions, product launches and brand initiatives
Provide art direction and copy direction to ensure exceptional creative quality
Review and approve creative work before production
Partner with marketing leaders to translate business objectives into compelling creative solutions.
Support initiatives including promotional campaigns, new store openings, customer acquisition, loyalty marketing, salon services, vendor partnerships, brand storytelling and community engagement
Provide creative oversight for In-store signage, Window campaigns, Point-of-sale materials, Store graphics, Visual merchandising standards, Brand photography and Video production
Partner with Store Operations and Merchandising to create engaging retail experiences
Work closely with Marketing, Merchandising, Channel Operations, Store teams and Vendor partners to ensure creative solutions meet business objectives while maintaining brand integrity for both customer and internal team member experiences.
Partner with Creative team to ensure smooth creative operations including project intake, team prioritization, workflow automations, and resource allocation.
Lead and develop the internal creative team including coaching and mentoring designer and copywriter, providing clear creative feedback and building creative capabilities
Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, creative excellence and operational efficiency
Manage agency and freelance partners when needed
Participate in quarterly extended leadership team and annual marketing planning
Help prioritize marketing initiatives based on business impact and creative capacity
Partner with the VP of Marketing to balance promotional, brand, CRM and store support initiatives across available resources

Benefits

Paid bi-weekly on a W2 basis
PTO (paid time off) – Unlimited
Paid Parental Leave and Paw-Ternity (paid Pet Adoption bonding time)
Medical, dental, and vision insurance
Health Savings Account (HSA)/ Flexible Spending Account (FSA) – medical and dependent care
401(k) Program
Greatly discounted, employer-subsidized pet insurance
Generous discounts on goods and services
$25K life insurance policy (employer paid)
Short and Long-term disability (employer paid)
Employee Assistance Program/ 24X7 – completely confidential