Senior Manager, Brand

Potbelly Corporate•Chicago, IL

2d•Remote

About The Position

Potbelly Sandwich Shop is seeking a Senior Brand Manager to lead brand strategy, marketing calendar management, and creative oversight. This role is responsible for developing and executing promotional and brand initiatives across various channels, managing media relationships, and overseeing a team. The position requires a hands-on approach to drive work from concept through execution. Potbelly is committed to creating a welcoming and respectful environment and is an equal opportunity employer.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or related field preferred
7–10+ years of progressive experience in brand, integrated, or category marketing
Experience in QSR, food & beverage, retail, hospitality, or consumer brands preferred
Proven ability to lead brand strategy (positioning, messaging, voice, identity) and translate it into execution
Demonstrated success building and managing high-velocity marketing calendars with 6+ month forward planning
Strong creative leadership experience, including briefing, feedback, and overseeing development across internal and external teams
Experience managing creative, media, and PR agencies, including performance and ways of working
Experience overseeing production for brand content (photo/video) and/or in-shop creative ecosystems preferred
Strong strategic thinker with ability to connect brand, creative, and business outcomes
Highly hands-on operator who drives work from concept through execution
Clear and decisive communicator with strong judgment and prioritization skills
Collaborative cross-functional leader able to influence without direct authority
High level of organization with strong planning and calendar discipline
Creative judgment and ability to evaluate work against brand and performance goals
Learning mindset with focus on testing, iteration, and continuous improvement
Ability to balance brand-building with performance-driven marketing
Must be able to perform the role from a state not listed (Alaska, California, Hawaii) at the time of hire and for the duration of employment.

Nice To Haves

Experience overseeing production for brand content (photo/video) and/or in-shop creative ecosystems

Responsibilities

Accountable for brand strategy, marketing calendar management, and creative oversight.
Build and steward an insights-led annual marketing calendar.
Develop compelling promotional and brand initiatives.
Oversee the execution of all activities across paid, owned, and earned channels.
Play a primary role in overseeing media and the relationship with the media agency.
Manage two direct reports: Manager, Graphic Design & Art and Associate Manager, Brand Marketing.
Partner closely with a Marketing Operations Associate to support execution.
Own brand positioning, messaging, tone, look and feel, and brand guardrails.
Ensure consistent application of brand voice and visual identity across all channels.
Translate insights and performance into actionable brand strategies.
Build and manage a 6+ month forward-looking marketing calendar.
Ensure the right balance of traffic-driving and brand-building initiatives.
Define initiative timing, sequencing, and success metrics.
Lead development of promotions and key initiatives across cross-functional teams.
Define offer strategy, messaging, and business objectives.
Ensure campaigns align to brand strategy and deliver against business objectives.
Define channel roles across paid, owned, earned, and in-shop environments.
Ensure channel requirements, asset needs, and readiness timelines are clear.
Partner with media agency on planning, execution, and optimization.
Own and develop clear, strategic creative briefs.
Lead end-to-end creative development across internal and external teams.
Provide clear, consolidated feedback tied to strategy, brand standards, and performance.
Ensure creative is developed for channel-specific formats and optimized for performance.
Manage creative agency roster, including partner selection, scope, and performance.
Partner with PR agency on earned media strategy and key moments.
Hold agency partners accountable for quality, performance, brand adherence, and timelines.
Partner with Operations, Digital, Finance, and Field teams to align on initiatives.
Drive readiness, coordination, and execution across all functions.
Operate as a hands-on leader, personally driving progress and solving problems.
Establish and lead a testing and learning agenda across campaigns and channels.
Use data and insights to refine strategies, creative, and channel plans.
Drive continuous improvement without compromising brand consistency.
Lead post-campaign analysis and translate findings into clear actions.
Provide leadership visibility into performance and calendar health.
Build and maintain operating rhythms, processes, and governance.
Manage and develop direct reports across creative and brand/production functions.
Foster a collaborative, high-performing team environment.
Establish clear expectations, processes, and development opportunities.