The Director, Brand Experience is responsible for designing impactful and effective interactions between the SFA brand and SFA product brands and their target audiences. Under guidance of the SVP, Marketing & Communications, and in collaboration with departmental leads, the Director, Brand Experience translates the positioning, messaging, history, and graphic identity of the organizational brands into tangible in-person, digital and traditional marketing experiences, and promotional content and materials that help meet objectives around brand awareness, engagement, perception, and sales.
Essential Functions & Responsibilities:
Identifies opportunities to engage target audiences in new and unique ways that align with brand positioning and perception goals.
Ideates and evaluates potential of live experiential activities at Summer and Winter
Fancy Food Shows; collaborates with Show Operations and Resource Development on implementation.
Develops vision and oversees production of at-Show and year-round events, activations, and brand experiences with operations
Identifies and develops partnerships with organizations that enhance brand experiences with Member Relations
Leads development of high-quality promotional/marketing content that supports brand objectives and resonates both rationally and emotionally with target audiences.
Develops and implements an audience journey mapping strategy that aligns with brand strategies and drive engagement with target audiences across multiple channels, including digital, social, experiential, and traditional media.
Collaborates with Resource Development/Education team in production of at-Show and year-round educational content.
Collaborates with Member Relations teams to develop high-impact, high-value sponsorship opportunities related to productions.
Collaborates with PR/Communications partners to identify, produce, and promote consumer and trade media content, activations, and related pitches.
Develops and oversees implementation of social media influencer campaigns promoting SFA and SFA products to the industry; and SFA thought-leadership and member products to consumers.
Collaborates with other marketing and communications team leads to develop annual marketing plans leveraging content and creative assets.
Directs execution of creative marketing materials including, but not limited to, marketing campaign concepts, marketing/promotional content, sales materials, advertising, digital marketing, and audio/video assets.
Mentors and directs team of creative and communications marketing professionals to implement plans and achieve goals.
Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging brand experience technologies.
Position Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or equivalent education, training, and experience.
10+ years of strategy, programming, or marketing experience with demonstrated increased responsibility in strategic marketing and promotional content development, live event and videography production and design, and experiential marketing.
Experience in initial concept program and event creation through production.
Experience in new product development including new ideas, product configuration and market launch.
Experience blending educational content with delivery mechanisms that enhance engagement.
Demonstrated success in elevating live and online event experiences.
Demonstrated success working within diverse budget ranges and logistical parameters.
Record of successful collaboration with operational and logistical colleagues to achieve objectives.
Experience overseeing internal creative professionals and and managing external vendor and partner relationships.
Microsoft Office Products, including Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Technology savvy – intuitive understanding of how new technologies might impact and/or advance experiences.
Strong communication skills (written and verbal) and ability to collaborate with multiple departments.
Physical Demands & Work Environment:
The Association is headquartered in an office building in NYC, though the workforce is primarily home-based. This position is primarily remote but will require your presence in the office at various times. Regardless of location, job demands may require long periods of sitting; telephone work and/or computer work, as well as interactions with other staff members, external vendors and SFA external constituents. There will be periodic travel required both to industry events and for team and department meetings. Occasional lifting of heavy boxes up to 40 pounds may be required, particularly around events.
