Sr. Marketing Specialist - New Stores

Ace Hardware•Oak Brook, IL

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Sr. Marketing Specialist – New Stores engages with new store owners to successfully on-board 300+ stores. This role educates them on national and local Ace marketing programs, costs, and execution, while also owning the Grand Opening/Grand Re-Opening process for these new stores. The position requires cross-functional collaboration with Retail Operations, District Managers, Retail Business Managers, Market Development Managers, Promotions, RSC’s, vendors, and other key business partners to effectively and efficiently onboard New Stores to Ace Marketing and plan their Grand Opening strategy and event.

Requirements

3 years’ experience
BA Degree in Marketing, or a Business-Related Field
Project and detail driven with a sense of urgency
Excellent written and verbal communications skills, with ability to interact and influence all organizational levels
Excellent teamwork skills with proven ability to influence cross-functional teams without formal authority
Ability to multi-task and work in a fast-paced environment
Ability to develop strategically sound, well thought through programs that demonstrate the benefits to all new retailers and field staff
Merchandising, Marketing and/or Analytics experience
Strategic thinker that questions the status quo
Passion and energy to build relationships and programs
Ability to travel to Grand Openings
Ability to travel to 2 Ace conventions per year
This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Responsibilities

Planning and executing new store marketing timelines, activities, events and execution of onboarding all marketing programs for 300+ new stores per year.
Collaborating with vendors and cross-functional corporate teams (Merchandising, marketing, inventory, creative services, etc.) to ensure all marketing programs are properly and timely activated (BOPIS, BODFS, online, Ace Rewards, promotions, Etc.).
Coordinating and planning Grand Opening events for all new stores including creative development, offer creation, securing inventory, and deploying creative (Print and digital) on behalf of the retailer.
Executing an 18-month marketing roadmap for all new stores to include National and Local Marketing strategies to help drive store awareness and build consumer confidence and loyalty.
Working cross-functionally with the Retail Operations field staff (DMs and Retail Business Coaches) and the Consumer Marketing field staff on all new store projects for each store's onboarding, first-year marketing plan, and Grand Opening event.
Conducting Store webinars to onboard and train multiple new stores at one time and/or individually.
Training and educating all new retailers on all Consumer Marketing programs (Sign Kit, ecomm, Ace Rewards, Digital/Local Lift Max, Marketing Muscle, Local Email, SOCi, etc.).
Updating all New Store training, education, and onboarding materials throughout the year to contain the most up-to-date information.
Taking ownership of all New Owners Institute trainings each year, including conducting the training and preparing all training materials and presentations specific to each training.
Attending 2 conventions per year which includes travel within the United States to talk to new investors, educate on all Ace marketing programs, and plan Grand Openings/Events.
Attending at least 5 Ace Grand Openings/Grand Re-openings per year and 2-4 competitive Grand Openings per year to analyze what's working/not, how to be more impactful for Ace Retailers, and ensuring everything runs smoothly for the new store owners.
Executing event plans for 100+ Elevate store projects – Special offers, creative, demo ideas, etc. for stores completing store projects.

Benefits

Incentive opportunities
Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution the first year in addition to quarterly contributions and annual discretionary contribution
Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability – up to 26 weeks short-term disability and long-term disability) & life insurance benefits for you and your dependents
21 days of vacation immediately available (prorated in the first year) and up to 6 paid holidays depending on the month of hire
Company Car, phone and fuel card are provided for field-based positions
Annual Ace Cares Week
20 hours off work per year to volunteer at an organization of your choice
Opportunities to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation
On-site classes, facilitator-led courses, and a generous tuition assistance program
Frequent campus events like Employee Appreciation Week, vendor demos, cookouts, and merchandise sales
Services such as mobile spas, auto maintenance, car wash and detailing, dry cleaning, dentists, eye doctors, flu shots, recycling
Employee discounts on Ace merchandise (including top brands like Weber, Traeger, Yeti, Craftsman, DeWalt and more), travel, fitness, computers and thousands more
Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off
Adoption cost reimbursement
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to free visits to therapists and lawyers, guidance on financial matters, elder and childcare, and assistance with tickets to entertainment events
Identity theft protection