Columbia Sportswear, Inc.:
Sr. Brand Marketing Specialist - Community & Partnerships Job in Burlington, VT

CALLING THOSE WHO LIKE TO GO A LITTLE OFF ROUTE

When our founders established the Bay as our base back in 1993, Mountain Hardwear was destined for a life of play. They wanted to make equipment and apparel that climbers and mountaineers could depend onbut they wanted to have fun doing it, too.

We bring the same stoke we have in the mountains to the drawing board. We express our brand through climbing, but more importantly, through the culture that we as climbers, riders, artists, innovators, movers, shakers (insert your thing here) create.

ABOUT THE POSITION

A member of the Marketing team, the Sr. Brand Marketing Specialist is responsible bringing the Mountain Hardwear brand to life through our people and community partners. This individual will manage the global Athlete & Ambassador team in addition to our community partners ensuing alignment with brand values and fields of play. The person in this role will be our eyes and ears on the ground keeping their finger on the pulse of our community to inform where and how Mountain Hardwear shows up in the community.

Our athlete and ambassador program connects the brand to core users, enthusiasts, and communities through a team of individuals who share our values. These are the people who we turn to first when collaborating for product design or expressing our brand or product at the crag or in the mountains. They are an extension of our internal family.

You will focus their efforts on supporting and maintaining three main levels of the business: (1) Athlete & Ambassador Team (2) Community Partners and (3) Branded Events Marketing, in partnership with the Brand Manager and Wholesale Marketing Lead. This team member will have strategic oversight of the athlete and ambassador team and community partners and will be responsible for ensuring ROI across these areas of the business. In addition, they will facilitate external product requests, craft communication around those products, and offer on-site support at events to build brand awareness, consumer engagement, and product conversion.

The Brand Marketing Specialist will be an excellent communicator with the ability to track multiple projects at one time while keeping in mind long term goals and anticipating future opportunities. This individual will work near our Richmond, CA-based corporate office and have the ability to visit the office on a weekly basis, this role will report to the Brand Manager.


HOW YOU'LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Manage Mountain Hardwears Athlete & Ambassador team, and Community Partners (AAC).

Work directly with Brand Manager and Sr. Marketing Manager of Operations to establish seasonal strategy for AAC program to support and enhance seasonal initiatives.

Work with cross-functional marketing managers (Brand, Creative, Digital, Wholesale, Product Marketing, etc.) to support key seasonal stories and campaigns with our AAC program.

Build and maintain strong relationships, identifying strategies for athlete activations or involvement in brand or product campaigns e.g., across social channels, events, photo, video.

Deeply rooted in our field of play and mountain sport communities, with consumer insights through a mix of subjective and objective data.

Evaluate all partnerships (athlete, ambassador, and community partners) on an annual basis to ensure ROI, identify and screen sponsorship opportunities.

Ensure each athlete & ambassador is knowledgeable about the brand values and seasonal product relevant to their fields of play

Negotiate and create athlete & ambassador contracts and agreements

Maintain a high level of project ownership and accountability for AAC Program, contributing substantially to company efficiency and brand growth.

Responsible for working with athlete and ambassador team and community partners to build brand awareness and expand our consumer base across our fields of play.

Coordinate in-person PR and media activations for athletes and ambassadors, with support of PR agency team.

Provide Branded Event Marketing support, from planning to on-site execution. Serve as main point of contact for all Athlete & Ambassador team for all event related needs including travel, logistics, etc.

Coordinate communication efforts with AAC team.

Partner with Brand Creative team to identify storytelling opportunities on a seasonal basis (including but not limited to organizing biannual all team meetings, athlete summits, etc.)

Receive and distribute product to external clients (AAC team, , PR, Product Donations, etc.)

Be a product expert and help identify pinnacle pieces for AAC team.

Assist with sample solicitation, receiving and distributing products.

Manage AAC annual budget ensuring team stays on budget and AAC partners are paid/reimbursed in a timely manner

Mix:
70% Athlete & Ambassador Team Management

20% Community Partner Management

10% Events (may vary depending on current state of covid)



YOU ARE

An amazing brand ambassador and champion for Mountain Hardwear

Successful at working with both internal and external teams and providing accurate direction and goals.

Able to lead group discussions/meetings, work under pressure and to meet strict timelines, manage multiple tasks simultaneously and work extended hours if necessary

Possess strong written and verbal communication skills



YOU HAVE

Bachelors degree in marketing, communications, or related field.

5 years professional experience minimum.

Experience in related outdoor or sporting industry is beneficial. A strong connection to and understanding of mountain sports (climb, snow sports, trail, mountaineering, camp, etc.).

High level of ownership of responsibilities, forward thinker, always working toward elevating brand opportunities.

Highly organized with a strong attention to detail and the ability to multitask, prioritize, and problem solve in an entrepreneurial, deadline-driven environment

Must be self-motivated and able to work independently, as well as part of a team.

Capable of managing multiple concurrent projects with a high level of detail and quality.

Ability to stay informed on the latest marketing and culturally relevant trends.

Travel to trade shows, events, etc.

Ability to lift and move up to 30 lbs.

Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Understanding of Apple OS and Adobe CS (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) with ability to envision a finished product and execute accordingly.



Job located in Richmond, CA at Mountain Hardwear HQ.


#LI-JC1

To learn more about our hiring process during COVID-19, click here.







Our purpose is to build essential gear for climbers, mountaineers, and outdoor athletes. Mountain Hardwear expedition tents have summited more of the worlds highest peaks than any other brand. This level of technical precision inspires everything we do. Every stitch deliberate, every angle preci