Trade Marketing Director, Beverage

The Role:

As more Americans turn to cannabis for well-being, we are looking to grow our team to help us bring additional safe, trusted products to even more consumers and channels across the country. The Trade Marketing Director, Beverage will be a key player in expanding our THC-infused beverage business and growing consumer access to our best-in-class products. This early hire role is designed for an innovative hands-on marketing leader with a deep understanding of trade marketing and bringing our brands to life through the distribution network. You will develop and implement our trade marketing strategy through programs that drive customer and consumer engagement, product visibility, and distribution by working closely with sales and brand marketing teams to ensure successful product placement and consumer adoption across on-premise and off-premise channels.

This is a hybrid role based out of our Chicago, IL office.

Responsibilities:

Trade Marketing Strategy & Execution:

• Lead the development of the launch trade marketing strategy and playbook, focusing on bringing our brand(s) to life by maximizing product visibility and engagement across channels 
• Develop and execute promotional campaigns, merchandising plans, sampling programs, and in-store activations to drive brand presence and product uptake 
• Build and manage a small team to execute trade marketing activities in our initial launch market ahead of broader expansion 
• Monitor competitor activity, consumer trends, and market data to refine trade marketing strategies and identify new opportunities

Channel & Partner Engagement:

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with most influential on-premise (bars, restaurants) and off-premise (liquor, grocery, c-store, etc.) partners 
• Collaborate with distribution partners and sales teams to optimize product placement, promotions, and in-store experiences 
• Develop point-of-sale (POS) materials, display programs, and other merchandising tools that align with brand guidelines and enhance customer engagement

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Partner with brand marketing teams to translate and leverage our brand visual identity and standards to the beverage channel 
• Work closely with the sales team to align trade marketing efforts with sales goals and strategies, ensuring unified messaging and execution 
• Partner with the product, supply chain, and compliance teams to ensure campaign alignment with inventory, regulatory requirements, and overall brand standards 
• Support new product launches and seasonal campaigns through targeted trade programs and in-store marketing tactics

Performance Analysis & Optimization:

• Track, analyze, and report on the effectiveness of trade marketing campaigns, leveraging insights to drive continuous improvement 
• Manage the trade marketing budget, optimizing spend to achieve maximum ROI and campaign impact 
• Establish KPIs and reporting frameworks to measure campaign success and monitor retail partner performance

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field preferred; MBA optional 
• 8+ years of relevant experience in trade marketing within the beverage industry (alcohol beverage and/or canned beverage experience highly desirable) 
• Proven experience in launching and scaling trade marketing programs with measurable impact across channels 
• Strong understanding of the Illinois market and established relationships within off-premise and on-premise channels preferred 
• Ability to balance high-level strategy with hands-on execution, ensuring flawless campaign delivery 
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple initiatives and timelines effectively 
• Comfort operating in a fluid and rapidly developing team and market landscape 
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with a talent for building relationships across sales, marketing, and distribution teams.

Additional Requirements:

• Must pass any and all required background checks
• Must be and remain compliant with all legal or company regulations for working in the industry 
• Must be a minimum of 21 years of age