Senior Manager, Creative Brand Marketing

We’re looking for a Sr. Manager, Creative & Brand Marketing who will oversee the creative and field marketing functions of the marketing team, reporting to the Head of Marketing. This individual will have the unique opportunity to re-envision our 70+ year-old brand by elevating our brand strategy and execution throughout the customer journey and in the marketplace overall.

We’re looking for a leader who understands how to push creative boundaries in the B2B space, is driven by data and is constantly looking for ways to innovate beyond the status quo. This individual will understand and be excited by a brand vision that creates a visceral connection with customers in both online and offline moments.

Our corporate headquarters is located in Chicago, IL. This role operates on a hybrid work model; employees spend two days working in the office and three days working remotely. We offer 401k plus vision, dental and medical benefits, as well as a paid holiday and PTO package.

Responsibilities:

• Leads the continual development and execution of the brand’s creative vision, aligned with business and brand goals across multiple audiences. 
• Oversees and supports the creation of compelling content, including, but not limited to, digital assets (websites, apps, channels), print materials, advertising campaigns, events and multimedia assets. 
• Maintains and continually evolves the brand strategy with the Head of Marketing and other key leaders. 
• Maintains and evolves the brand architecture, collateral and asset architecture and other frameworks within the Brand team. 
• Collaborates with cross-functional teams to create impactful content for digital and offline channels including email marketing, advertising, social media, sales enablement, print + digital catalogs and web campaigns. These teams include Sales, IT/Tech, Product, HR and Legal. 
• Uses analytics to identify business growth opportunities and translates this into revenue or market share improvement. 
• Teaches and mentors the Brand team in their ability to leverage data for decision-making. 
• Monitors and analyzes the performance of creative and experiential initiatives, providing recommendations for continuous improvement. 
• Drives breakthrough creative work with a focus on building brand equity and establishing key points of differentiation in the marketplace. 
• Oversees the Brand team in developing and distributing key selling tools and materials to the Sales team in support of achieving sales objectives. 
• Oversees the Brand team in developing and executing multiple events and tradeshows throughout the year, continually elevating our presence while ensuring a strong value proposition. 
• Participates in special projects and events to help drive growth and unity among the Marketing team at large. 
• Guides brand and agency partners to ensure that compelling messaging reaches our target audiences, leveraging research to test concepts with those audiences. 
• Spearheads and implements creative exploration exercises to drive brainstorming and white space discussions based on insights for brand and our product categories. 
• Establishes UX strategy and best practices within the team and across the organization. 
• Maintains knowledge of the latest trends of visual and event trends. 
• Ensures prioritization of the team’s work in accordance with business goals, establishing QA process and governance for work outputs. 
• Leads, manages, and grows a team of 6-8 employees, including creatives (visual design, copy and video) and field marketers. 
• Other duties, responsibilities, and qualifications may be assigned as necessary.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) required, preferably in Art and Design with an emphasis in Creative Arts, Graphic Arts or a related area, with experience in Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and/or InDesign, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Please provide a link to portfolio and/or provide PDF samples of your work. 
• At least 7 years of proven brand and creative experience, ideally in B2B. 
• Experience in the distribution and/or manufacturing industries is a plus! 
• Ability to thrive in the trenches and in front of leadership 
• Ability to influence, collaborate and be adaptable within cross-functional teams and internal clients 
• Understanding of traditional and eCommerce websites including UX, design and content best practices 
• Proven track record of developing and executing successful creative campaigns and initiatives within the B2B sector 
• Strong leadership and management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate a creative and experiential team 
• Ability to articulate creative concepts and strategies to stakeholders at all levels 
• Strategic thinker with a deep understanding of brand development, storytelling and audience engagement 
• Ability to inspire creativity and innovation in the team 
• A sharp eye for detail 
• Proficiency in project management, multitasking and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment 
• Experience in or working with professional photography and videography 
• Ability to think out-of-the box and drive creative solutions 
• Understanding that the input of the team is critical while guiding everyone to be better at what they do and how they perform--we are better, together 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills while being process-orientated 
• Organized and focused on optimal team productivity and efficiencies