Director of Marketing Brand Strategy and Communications

Wawa, Inc.

About The Position

The Director of Brand Marketing Strategy and Communications is accountable for defining, activating, and continuously optimizing the company’s end‑to-end brand strategy and brand communications. This role owns the vision, strategy, execution, and measurement of brand positioning, advertising, brand communications, and digital brand activation—including personalization, optimization, and loyalty/rewards marketing—across in‑store, digital, mobile, and off‑premise channels. Operating in a high‑frequency, fast‑paced, value‑driven environment, this leader ensures the brand is clearly positioned and consistently communicated while remaining locally relevant, operationally executable, and deeply connected to customer needs and behaviors. The role partners closely with Merchandising, Store Operations, Technology, and various analytics teams to drive brand preference, customer growth, visit frequency, basket expansion, and long‑term loyalty.

Requirements

10–15+ years of progressive experience in brand marketing, customer experience, or digital strategy within retail, QSR, foodservice, or consumer-facing environments.
10+ years of experience collaborating cross-functionally with key stakeholders, marketers, analysts, engineers, and visual designers.
Experience or working knowledge of current web/native technologies and trends.
Well-versed in collaborative design techniques, Agile and Lean frameworks, application and requirements design, rapid prototyping, UI design, UI patterns, and information architecture.
Strong experience driving channel growth and adoption.
Proven success leading brand and experience strategy in high‑volume, high‑frequency customer businesses.
Demonstrated ability to translate strategy into execution and measurable business results.
Deep understanding of omnichannel customer journeys, loyalty ecosystems, and data‑driven personalization.
Experience balancing national brand strategy with local execution and operational realities.
Strong executive presence, strategic storytelling, and ability to influence cross‑functional leaders.
Strong executive leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Responsibilities

Brand & Experience Strategy Define and evolve a differentiated brand strategy that reflects the realities of convenience/QSR retail: speed, value, accessibility, and trust. Establish clear brand and experience principles that guide all customer interactions—from forecourt and counter to mobile app and loyalty touchpoints. Balance enterprise‑level brand consistency with localized and day-part relevance across diverse customer segments and markets.
Advertising, Digital, and Omnichannel Leadership Own the strategy and performance of brand marketing and advertising across paid, owned, and earned channels, including in‑store, digital, mobile app, CRM, social, and media. Create and deliver integrated campaign planning that drives traffic, trial, frequency, and emotional connection to the brand. Lead creative, media, and digital product teams to deliver seamless omnichannel experiences from awareness to purchase to loyalty.
Personalization, Optimization, and Loyalty Drive personalization and optimization strategies informed by transaction data, loyalty behavior, and real‑time customer insights. Oversee loyalty and rewards strategy, ensuring it meaningfully differentiates the brand, increases customer lifetime value, and scales across physical and digital environments. Champion test‑and‑learn approaches to offers, messaging, and experience design to improve conversion, engagement, and retention.
Measurement, Performance, and Business Impact Define and own KPIs for brand health, advertising effectiveness, experience performance, loyalty engagement, and financial impact. Partner with analytics, finance, and marketing teams to connect brand and experience investments to outcomes such as traffic, sales lift, frequency, and retention. Regularly communicate performance, insights, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
Leadership & Cross‑Functional Influence Influence senior leaders across marketing, operations, merchandising, digital, and technology to align around brand and experience priorities. Act as a trusted advisor to executives on brand strategy, customer experience, and growth initiatives in a competitive, operationally complex environment. Partner and collaborate closely with key internal stakeholders to develop new opportunities and hone existing strategies to maximize our communications and experiences. Provide overall direction and support for team and monitor and assess individual work in accordance with high standards of excellence. Provide feedback, coaching, support, opportunities for development, complete performance appraisals, take corrective action when appropriate, and participate in hiring decisions.