Associate Marketing Director

An Associate Director of Marketing job is available with Storm Search. This is a Direct Hire job opportunity offering a competitive salary, generous bonus incentive, excellent benefits package, and growth potential!

The ideal candidate will reside in either the Kansas City, MO or Richmond, VA area.

The Associate Director of Marketing is responsible for developing clear strategies that define market opportunities, building category attractiveness, and ensuring the sustained profitability of product lines. The position oversees global coordination of category marketing, product line management, and innovation initiatives to support the organization’s growth objectives.

The role involves collaboration with internal teams such as Sales, Operations, R&D, and Finance, as well as external stakeholders, including customers. It also includes direct leadership of two Product Line Managers and serves as a key internal and external expert within the segment.

Responsibilities:

Thought Leadership

• Develop and maintain expert knowledge of market segments, trends, packaging solutions, brands, and consumer needs.
• Serve as the primary industry expert, representing expertise both internally and to customers.

Strategy Development

• Own strategic responsibility for the product portfolio, ensuring profitability and growth of assigned categories.
• Identify adjacent markets and emerging technology needs through market insights.
• Develop forward-looking segment, product, and category business strategies.

Customer Engagement

• Collaborate with commercial teams to strengthen customer connections, define innovation agendas, and establish long-term strategic partnerships with key brand owners.
• Actively promote the product portfolio and support sales efforts with tailored strategies.

Value Proposition and Pricing Strategy

• Leverage key trends, customer insights, and internal capabilities to craft compelling product value propositions.
• Implement and refine pricing strategies across regions, customer types, and product segments.

Innovation Strategy

• Build a culture of customer- and consumer-driven insights to foster differentiated innovation solutions.
• Coordinate cross-functional partnerships and innovation initiatives within the segment.

Leadership

• Lead and manage the Product Line Managers to ensure alignment between commercial and manufacturing teams.
• Guide the team in supporting innovation projects, providing sales quotes, and maintaining product relevance in the market.
• Oversee competitive benchmarking, product lifecycle management, and training for the Sales team on product performance.

Communication and Branding

• Partner with Marketing Communications to develop high-impact sales tools and promotional materials that showcase the organization’s branding, products, values, and insights.

Requirements:

Experience and Skills

• A "general management" mindset with strong business, financial, and commercial acumen.
• Proven ability to translate complex market dynamics into actionable strategies.
• Experience in leading and developing teams.
• Effective communicator with the ability to inspire both internal teams and external stakeholders.
• A global perspective on markets, consumers, and customer needs.
• High integrity with a collaborative, team-oriented approach.

Preferred Experience

• Background in consumer end markets such as Home, Garden, Professional, or Personal Care.
• Familiarity with customers and trends within these markets.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or a related field (required).
• Advanced degree (MBA or similar) preferred.

Professional Experience

• Minimum of 10 years in strategic marketing, business management, sales, or other relevant areas.