Director - Brand Partnerships & Influencers

Kohler Co.•Kohler, WI

2d•Onsite

About The Position

This role leads the development of the North American Strategic Partnership and Influencer strategy and roadmap, as well as delivers on the full omni-channel integrated GTM activation plans in priority kitchen and bath categories as assigned to deliver key brand metrics and business growth plans. The Director will develop the 3–5-year rolling roadmap for Strategic Partnerships across product collaborations, celebrity/VIP endorsements, sponsorship, and influencer-based amplification in accordance with business goals, brand strategy, our brand values, and the values/insights of the target audience(s). They will maintain a tight pulse on cultural, industry, and consumer trends in order to identify, onboard, and manage a winning roster of Strategic Partners. This role also leads strategic cross-category marketing strategy and execution (CMFP, Suites/Collections, Cast Iron) including trend expertise, advising on product strategy, launch/campaign GTM, paid/earned/owned media direction, and omni-channel asset development + activation planning and execution. Acts as SME for Earned Media across marketing touchpoints. Delivers KBNA Business Briefs + Omni-Budget prioritization in areas of responsibility. Leads a team of junior to senior marketers, collectively owning the onboarding of all Strategic Partners as well as full GTM and campaign execution for all Partnership and Cross-Category launches.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree.
10+ years of diverse marketing experience, preferably with lifestyle or consumer goods brands.
Ideal candidates have experience guiding/advising on product strategy and development, in service of brand objectives and goals.
Experience evaluating, critiquing, and collaborating on creative, in partnership with subject matter experts.
Strong leadership experience managing a broad range of team.
Experience with a range of marketing channels across paid, earned and owned.
Quantitative skills with a track record of driving and measuring results across channels.
Proven ability to assess talent, build talent capabilities, coach/mentor and motivate/inspire a high-performing team.
Proven ability to manage annual marketing plans, risks, and opportunities.
Trained in brand strategy development, strategic business planning, and long-term vision + goal setting.
Proven track record of crafting clear, inspiring, and focused innovation and communications briefs that leads to winning consumer new products and activations.
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams to executional excellence in category and customer-facing selling.
Excellent leadership and interpersonal skills, with experience in influencing and getting results in a highly matrixed environment, exposure to a global brand-building matrixed organizations, and ability to effectively communicate at all levels of organization.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

MBA in Marketing preferred.

Responsibilities

Leads & develops a high-performing team of 5+ Marketers (across Manager & Sr. Manager levels), building best-in-class brand, partner and influencer skills and capabilities within the team while fostering career development and continually curating a diverse team of independent thinkers & doers who drive the brand vision forward and are accountable for brand/business results.
Inspire, lead, and motivate team through regular feedback, 1:1s, Personal Development Plans, goal/objective setting, & Succession Planning.
Implement management processes and priorities to ensure the team is as effective as possible to meet business goals.
Identify gaps in knowledge and skills in the team and build appropriate development solutions.
Intimately understands brand and product priorities across the full business in order to identify the most compelling opportunities for collaborative partnership, spanning in-line and limited-edition releases, brand or product endorsement, and brand or product influencer amplification.
Develops a customer-centric, culturally relevant strategic roadmap for assigned categories that inspires and differentiates the Kohler brand while supporting and aligning to overall business objectives and priorities.
Leads the identification and successful onboarding of a best-in-class roster of Strategic Partners, including leadership of all contract negotiations in order to maximize ROI for Kohler.
Leads the development and activation of diverse, best-in-class omni-channel marketing campaigns that leverage cultural and interior trends, customer segmentation insights and personalized, strategic communication tools to strengthen storytelling and maximize impact/effectiveness.
Leads cross-functional teams (i.e. In-House Agency, PR, Product Marketing, Industrial Design, BEVM, Channel Marketing, Sales) to maximize the impact that Strategic Partnerships and Cross-Category launches have on Consumers, Architects, Designers and Retailers.
Links multiple sources of data and consumer insights to create a cohesive consumer story.
Collaborates with peers and colleagues across the business (retailer sales, direct sales, finance, and marketing).
Measures and meaningfully reports on campaign performance to identify trends, insights and optimalization opportunities both within and across team’s campaigns.
Develops, monitors, and demonstrates an ROI of the marketing budget as assigned, including accountability of performance-driven marketing.