Director of Marketing

Pronghorn•New York, NY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Our client, an upscale rum brand based in New York City, is seeking a strategic, creative, and highly motivated Director of Marketing to lead brand marketing, consumer engagement, trade marketing, experiential activations, and market growth initiatives. The ideal candidate will bring strong experience in spirits, beverage alcohol, luxury lifestyle, hospitality, CPG, or premium consumer brands, with a proven ability to build culturally relevant marketing programs that elevate brand awareness, deepen consumer connection, and support commercial growth. This role will be responsible for developing and executing marketing strategies that strengthen the brand’s premium positioning, expand its presence across key on-premise and off-premise accounts, and bring the brand story to life through compelling campaigns, partnerships, events, and trade programming. The Director of Marketing will work closely with sales leadership, distributor partners, agencies, hospitality groups, retailers, influencers, event partners, and internal stakeholders to ensure all marketing initiatives align with brand standards and growth objectives. This is a highly visible, hands-on role that requires both strategic leadership and strong field execution. The Director of Marketing should be comfortable operating in the pace and sophistication of the New York market, with the ability to build relationships across bars, restaurants, hotels, private members clubs, retailers, cultural partners, and lifestyle communities. This role will require some evenings, weekends, and travel to support events, account activations, trade programming, and brand-building opportunities.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, Hospitality, or related field preferred.
Must be 21 years of age or older.
7+ years of progressive marketing experience, ideally within spirits, beverage alcohol, luxury goods, hospitality, lifestyle brands, CPG, or a related industry.
Experience with premium or upscale spirits brands strongly preferred; rum category experience is a plus.
Strong understanding of the New York City hospitality, cocktail, nightlife, retail, and cultural landscape.
Proven ability to build and execute marketing strategies that drive brand awareness, consumer engagement, and commercial growth.
Experience managing experiential marketing, trade programming, sponsorships, partnerships, product launches, influencer campaigns, and content development.
Strong understanding of on-premise, off-premise, distributor, retail, hospitality, and event marketing channels.
Ability to work cross-functionally with sales, distributors, agencies, retailers, hospitality partners, and executive leadership.
Strong digital, social media, content, storytelling, and consumer engagement experience.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, PowerPoint, Excel, CRM platforms, project management tools, and social media platforms.
Strong presentation, communication, copywriting, and brand storytelling skills.
Ability to manage budgets, vendors, timelines, and multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Willingness to travel as needed and work evenings or weekends for events, promotions, account activations, and market support.
Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation preferred.

Nice To Haves

Rum category experience is a plus.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute a comprehensive marketing strategy that drives brand awareness, consumer engagement, distribution support, and long-term brand equity.
Lead integrated marketing planning across experiential, digital, social, trade, retail, PR, partnerships, influencer, and hospitality channels.
Ensure all marketing efforts reflect the brand’s upscale positioning, rum heritage, craftsmanship, quality, and lifestyle appeal.
Serve as a steward of the brand, maintaining consistency across messaging, visual identity, activations, partnerships, and consumer-facing touchpoints.
Translate commercial objectives into marketing programs that support awareness, trial, conversion, velocity, and loyalty.
Build annual and seasonal marketing calendars aligned with key cultural moments, account priorities, sales goals, product launches, and market opportunities.
Monitor competitive activity, category trends, and consumer behavior within rum, premium spirits, cocktail culture, and luxury lifestyle spaces.
Create elevated consumer experiences that bring the brand to life across tastings, launch events, cocktail experiences, sponsorships, nightlife activations, cultural partnerships, and private events.
Identify opportunities to connect with target consumers through premium hospitality, music, art, fashion, culinary, travel, and lifestyle platforms.
Lead event strategy from concept through execution, including creative direction, partner coordination, staffing, budgets, logistics, guest experience, and post-event reporting.
Ensure every activation delivers a polished, premium, and memorable brand experience.
Build strong local relevance in New York City while supporting expansion into additional priority markets as needed.
Develop programming that introduces consumers to the brand’s flavor profile, versatility, craftsmanship, and story in an authentic and compelling way.
Partner closely with sales leadership to create marketing programs that support on-premise and off-premise growth.
Develop account-level marketing initiatives that increase menu placements, back bar presence, retail visibility, shelf placement, display activity, velocity, and repeat purchase.
Collaborate with distributor partners, buyers, bartenders, beverage directors, retailers, hotel groups, restaurant groups, and nightlife operators to drive brand presence and advocacy.
Create trade assets including sell sheets, account presentations, cocktail menus, POS materials, staff training resources, and promotional materials.
Support cocktail strategy, menu development, bartender education, tasting programs, and high-impact account activations.
Work with sales to ensure marketing initiatives directly support new points of distribution, case sales, account engagement, and brand visibility.
Lead digital and social media strategy to build brand awareness, strengthen consumer connection, and showcase the brand’s personality, lifestyle, and use occasions.
Oversee content planning, storytelling, campaign messaging, creative development, and production across digital channels.
Partner with agencies, creators, influencers, photographers, videographers, designers, and internal stakeholders to produce high-quality content.
Develop content that highlights cocktail culture, rum education, brand heritage, premium occasions, hospitality partnerships, and cultural relevance.
Track social media performance, engagement, audience growth, campaign results, and content effectiveness.
Use digital insights and consumer feedback to refine strategy and improve performance.
Identify and manage strategic partnerships that align with the brand’s upscale positioning, target audience, and growth priorities.
Build relationships with tastemakers, bartenders, beverage directors, hospitality leaders, lifestyle influencers, media contacts, event producers, and cultural partners.
Support PR initiatives, product launches, media opportunities, brand collaborations, sponsorships, and industry events.
Represent the brand at tastings, account visits, events, trade shows, media opportunities, and community activations.
Develop partnerships that connect the brand to relevant cultural spaces, including food, music, fashion, art, design, nightlife, travel, and luxury lifestyle.
Ensure all partnerships feel authentic, brand-right, and commercially meaningful.
Manage assigned marketing budgets across campaigns, events, partnerships, trade programming, content, promotional materials, and agency/vendor support.
Track and evaluate marketing performance, including event ROI, campaign engagement, account impact, trade support, social performance, and sales-related outcomes.
Provide regular reporting, insights, and recommendations to leadership.
Use data, account feedback, consumer insights, competitive activity, and market trends to optimize marketing plans.
Manage vendors, agencies, freelancers, and external partners to ensure work is delivered on time, on budget, and at a high standard.
Maintain strong organization around timelines, deliverables, budgets, approvals, and post-program recaps.