Retail Marketing Manager

Who We Are

The Quark Group was founded in 1977 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. We are the largest privately-owned Canadian retail footwear chain in Western Canada. At Quarks and Urban Trail, we offer high quality name brand footwear and accessories for men and women, bringing the best in quality, selection and fit. We provide leading customer service in Canada's premium comfort footwear and apparel industry, in a responsible and ethical manner while being a positive force for our communities and corporate family.

The Quark Group currently operates 38 stores across British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick.

Summary

This newly created position will report to the Vice President. The successful candidate for this position must be an experienced and dynamic Retail Marketing Manager. This role is responsible for planning and executing marketing strategies specific to retail environments, aiming to drive sales, enhance brand visibility, and engage customers effectively. The Retail Marketing Manager's accountability also includes creating, tracking and analyzing the performance of advertising campaigns, managing the marketing budget and ensuring that all marketing material is in line with our brand identity. To be successful in this role, you should have hands-on experience with web analytics tools and be able to turn creative ideas into effective advertising projects.

The ideal candidate should have a strong background in retail marketing, be a strategic thinker, and have a proven track record of successful campaign development and execution.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Manage/supervise and collaborate with a marketing team of 2 FTEs (Graphic Designer, Marketing Coordinator) providing direction, guidance and feedback as needed.
• Manage and monitor current and upcoming creative, advertising and promotional campaigns, ensuring staff meet deadlines and complete necessary tasks.
• Consistently exhibit your natural abilities as a people person with excellent interpersonal and management skills.

Retail Marketing Manager Essential Responsibilities

• Passion for retail, and a customer-centric mindset.
• Build the foundation and strategy for launching campaigns and advertising packages.
• Manage marketing strategies, overseeing advertising and promotional activities.
• Lead the development and execution around the creation of marketing collateral, including signage, displays and promotional materials.
• Content ideation and copywriting. Generate compelling content ideas and create engaging copy for various marketing materials.
• Deploy successful marketing campaigns and own implementation from ideation to execution.
• Primary point of contact with our marketing agency Metric Marketing, and marketing teams from our various premium national brands, i.e., Birkenstock, Blundstone, Canada Goose, and Merrell.
• Drive bi-weekly meetings with Metric Marketing to review and develop current and future programs and annual project plans.
• In charge of high-level coordination with all 3rd party marketing agencies.
• Development of marketing plans for each store location on a rotating seasonal basis.
• Develop and create “New Store Location” advertising package templates that include current and future planning, process development and programming (including radio, billboards, websites, etc.).
• Creative mindset to develop and implement innovative and effective campaign ideas and unique problem-solving approaches.
• Strong understanding of retail operations, merchandising and customer behaviour.
• Excellent strategic thinking and analytical skills.
• Collaborate with the Executive team and other cross-functional groups to create compelling in-store promotions, displays, and campaigns.
• Develop and present plans and results to Executives, clients, vendors and agencies.
• Monitor and report on the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.
• Analyze sales data and customer insights to optimize marketing strategies and improve campaign performance.
• Provide creativity, vision and big ideas into all programs.
• Utilization of high level organizational, detail-oriented, and analytical skills.

Day-to-Day Duties

• Ensure accurate budget management of our video and photography costs that are used for websites, TikTok, Instagram, X and other social platforms.
• Consistently exhibit professional judgment and discretion.
• Strong project management, with the ability to multitask and meet deadlines.
• Develop advertising plans for brand recognition in new locations as they apply to in-store, digital, print, flyers, etc.
• In conjunction with your Marketing team, develop in-store advertising (signage, campaigns, new display material) for all existing and upcoming locations.
• Work in collaboration with store location mall management/landlords to coordinate and develop in mall advertising, mall social media advertising, etc.
• Work with your team members to appropriately delegate tasks and map out budgets, timelines, and all the big-picture details.
• Update Executive team on the progress of marketing activities and reporting on the results of campaigns.
• Plan and implement product launches, ensuring effective communication and promotion.
• Oversee digital marketing initiatives, including social media campaigns, website, and email marketing, to drive online and offline traffic.
• Collaborate with retail teams to ensure brand consistency and enhance the overall customer experience.
• Stay informed about retail industry trends, emerging technologies, and best practices in marketing.
• Utilize your skills as an exceptional verbal and written communicator.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• 3 - 5 years of related marketing experience.
• Minimum 2 years of experience managing and/or supervising a marketing team of 2 or more.
• Experience in retail or a related industry is desired .
• Relevant certifications or training in marketing, creative content development, retail management, etc.
• A degree or diploma in Marketing would be considered an asset but not a requirement.
• Extensive experience collaborating with executive leadership and internal/external key stakeholders.
• Solid knowledge of Google Analytics, AdWords, etc.
• Understanding of graphic design with a good sense of layout best practices.
• Solid experience and knowledge of various digital and traditional marketing platforms and software.
• Digital and print production knowledge.
• Flexible yet able to stay on point.
• Excellent change manager.

Please include a short cover letter with your resume, outlining how your professional work experience fits the needs of this new role.

Job offers are contingent upon a successful background check.

Candidates must be residents of the country and legally entitled to work in Canada.

The Quark Group is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing an inclusive, accessible environment, and collaborating with applicants, employees, customers, clients and guests to identify and effectively remove barriers, in a manner that respects the principles of independence, dignity, integration, and reasonable accommodation. We welcome and encourage applications from all persons.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $60,000.00-$75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company events
• Dental care
• Disability insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Extended health care
• Life insurance
• On-site parking
• Paid time off
• Store discount

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Education:

• Bachelor's Degree (preferred)

Experience:

• Retail Marketing: 2 years (required)

Work Location: In person