Brand Marketing Manager

About Gazelle Sports: Gazelle Sports is a run specialty & active lifestyle retailer. We're Michigan-based, locally owned and operated, and proud to be born and raised in Michigan. It is our mission to inspire movement through exceptional experiences. We do that by striving to provide the best customer care, building relationships and empowering and inspiring others to move. We seek to foster and support an active community in every place we call home. This was true when we opened our first store in downtown Kalamazoo, Michigan in 1985, and it’s still true today across our seven retail locations, Gazellesports.com and at Team Gazelle.

Position Vision: The Brand Marketing Manager is responsible for strategic oversight and execution of brand content and digital advertising, and represents marketing on the Extended Leadership Team. This is a data-driven management role, focused on developing, deploying, and analyzing digital advertising and brand presentation through Social Media and Email Marketing. This person will work in close collaboration with the Ecomm Manager and CMO to best align messaging and resources with customer acquisition and retention tactics to grow ecommerce and brick and mortar sales.

Supervisory Expectations:

• Manage and lead Retail Marketing Coordinator
• Lead team member experience that supports Gazelle Sports core values
• Recruit, interview, hire, and train new team members as needed
• Provide constructive and ongoing feedback, timely performance evaluations, and implement team member policies according to the Gazelle Sports handbook
• Coach and develop team members to provide a best brand forward social media and store market presentation
• Develop goals and KPIs for team members that inspire and align to Gazelle Sports strategic priorities

Position Expectations:

• Represent marketing and engage actively on the Extended Leadership Team
• Develop and own a holistic brand marketing strategy aligned with brand priorities, content calendar, and seasonal sales goals
• Continuously evaluate emerging and existing digital advertising opportunities, including CTV, streaming, podcasts, and beyond
• Plan, create and manage ads for social media and other brand digital ad platforms 
• Collaborate with Ecommerce Manager to build strategy alignment between brand digital ad spends and ecommerce focused advertising to grow customer acquisition and maximize ROAS across all platforms
• Own the strategy and execution of email marketing campaigns — including regular, seasonal messaging and automated email flows — to increase retention and sales
• Support execution of ecommerce driven marketing strategies, as outlined by the ecommerce manager
• Analyze customer list health and set audience growth goals annually
• Manage vendor partner digital co-op creative, execution, and budget adherence to maximize ROAS and deliver co-op performance reports to vendor stakeholders on a monthly basis
• Make strategic recommendations for marketing budget allocations
• Manage best brand forward presentation in all marketing communications, including organic social media, email, digital ads and more
• Deliver regular marketing performance reports to the CMO and Leadership Team, translating campaign data into clear insights and forward-looking recommendations on a monthly and quarterly basis
• Deliver co-op performance reports to vendor stakeholders on a monthly basis
• Manage relationships with external agencies and strategic partners to ensure brand standards and campaign goals are met
• Define media needs across channels, and collaborate with Graphic Designer on media vendor partnership and asset delivery 
• Ensure digital marketing strategies support and amplify the in-store customer experience, partnering with retail leadership to align brand messaging across both ecommerce and brick and mortar touchpoints

Position Requirements:

• 3–5 years of experience in digital email marketing or advertising, preferably in a retail or multi-channel environment
• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, or a related field preferred
• Proficient in social media advertising platforms including Meta Ads Manager, and working knowledge of TikTok, Pinterest, and emerging paid social channels
• Proficient in data analytics tools including Google Analytics, Meta Ads Manager, and platform-native reporting dashboards
• Fluent with modern AI tools and motivated to find new ways to apply them to the role and team
• Proficient in email marketing platforms and list management — experience with Klaviyo or similar ESP preferred
• Prior experience managing or mentoring direct reports, with the ability to set clear goals, provide ongoing feedback, and develop team members
• Strong cross-functional communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams
• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple campaigns, vendor relationships, and priorities simultaneously
• Willingness to engage in and support Gazelle Sports company-wide initiatives
• Ability to support key retail season needs in-store, including (but not limited to): Summer Sale, Event Expos, Team Nights, and other possible retail floor support as needed

Preferred Skills and Experience:

• 3 years experience in digital advertising
• 2 years graphic design experience
• Experience and passion for the running/movement community and/or industry
• Experience in specialty retail marketing

Other Requirements: 

• This position is eligible for hybrid work, requiring a minimum of 50% time in-office
• Some evening and weekend availability may be required

Benefits Include:  Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K w/ company match, PTO, EAP, Athletic Reimbursement, Paid Bonding Time, LTD, Employee Discount.