Director, Marketing Systems & Enablement

Director, Marketing Systems & Enablement locationFranklin, Tennessee, United States categoryMarketing Job ID: R156738 Job Description: Director, Marketing Systems & Enablement Franklin, TN Onsite The Director, Marketing Systems & Enablement is a key part of the transformational journey to data driven brand building with the aim to transform the way we connect with the pet parents and build relationships with them at the heart of everything we do. Reporting to the VP, Marketing Operations & Transformation you will own the marketing-side leadership of how the Marketing function uses technology, data, and ways of working to operate effectively — and incubates the new disciplines, practices, and capabilities the function will need next. Translates marketing's business needs, use cases, and requirements into clear direction for the Digital and technology organizations who deliver against them, and stewards the cross-functional work that ensures every platform investment actually creates marketing value. What are we looking for? Bachelor’s Degree required 12+ years in marketing operations, marketing technology leadership, business operations, or a closely related discipline CPG experience strongly preferred — multi-brand portfolio environments most relevant for the complexity and scale this role requires Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-scale platform decisions, integrations, and consolidations Track record building enablement and capability programs that shifted how an organization works, not just trained people on tools Experience designing cross-functional workflows, governance models, and operating standards Comfort operating at the executive table across marketing, IT, finance, and procurement Proven people leadership with a demonstrated commitment to developing talent and building team engagement Experience managing senior stakeholders in matrixed environments What would be your key responsibilities? Optimizing & evolving digital experience for business value Owns the digital experience that engages and drives mutual value for pet parents — including but not limited to brand sites, registration and retention flows, owned email programs, and content hubs Accountable for the Digital Consumer Experience strategy and optimization function: experimentation, journey design, personalization, and conversion across owned digital properties Driving direct consumer engagement Accountable for the CRM and lifecycle marketing function as relevant for CPG: email and social CRM, and the automated journeys that convert recruited consumers into engaged ones and engaged consumers into repeat purchasers Ensures CRM operates as the connective layer between recruitment, retail activation, and the broader integrated communications plan — turning first-party data into an asset that compounds business value over time Discoverability & AI-first brand visibility Accountable for the Search and GEO discipline: how brands surface in classical search and how they're represented in AI-generated answers across the emerging generative search ecosystem Owns the function's approach to AI-assisted writing and content production at scale: editorial discipline, brand voice fidelity, prompt and playbook infrastructure, and the workflows that integrate AI writing into the brief-to-publish engine Incubation of emerging practices Owns the incubation of new disciplines, practices, and capabilities Marketing needs next — including current bets like AEO/GEO and AI writing, and the future practices yet to emerge Designs the operating model that allows new practices to be piloted with discipline: clear hypotheses, defined measurement, structured experimentation, and honest assessment of what's working Graduates mature practices into operationalized homes elsewhere in the organization when they're ready, keeping the team focused on the next big thing Marketing requirements & use case leadership Owns the consolidation, prioritization, and articulation of marketing's business needs, use cases, and requirements; serves as the senior marketing voice that briefs the Digital and technology organizations on what the function actually needs to deliver against business objectives Translates marketing problems into technology requirements — and translates technology capability back into marketing language — fluently in both directions Value realization & investment stewardship Owns the marketing-side accountability for ensuring the value of every platform, data, and capability investment is worth its cost; stewards the business cases that connect technology and operations spend to measurable marketing outcomes Defends long-term investments when short-term pressure mounts; resists vendor-led agenda-setting and protects the function's center of gravity Capability building & enablement Owns the capability development agenda for the IC&M function — what skills the organization needs to build, how learning and adoption happen — treating capability as infrastructure, not training Drives adoption of Mars-approved AI platforms and emerging practices across the function to improve productivity and marketing effectiveness Team leadership & cross-functional accountability Accountable for the standards, outcomes, and development of the full team — across Digital CX, CRM, Search/GEO, AI Writing, and the disciplines yet to be added; provides the executive cover, prioritization, and sponsorship the team needs to do their best work Attracts, leads, and develops direct reports to be recognized as top-talent with high-quality objectives and development plans What can you expect from Mars? Opportunity to bring your pet to work. Commitment to create a safe, healthy, and sustainable world for our partners and the communities in which we operate. Commitment to make A Better World For Pets™ a world where they’re healthy, happy and welcome. Commitment to our consumers and focus on positively impacting the planet and the population. This role is based in Franklin, TN with regular in-office collaboration expected. Flexibility is a key enabler—empowering associates to make choices that support both business outcomes and personal needs, including occasional remote work. Mars does not sponsor visas for this role. This position is not eligible for relocation benefits. #LI-MS1 #LI-Onsite About Mars: Mars is a family-owned business with more than $50 billion in global sales. We produce some of the world’s best-loved brands: M&M’s®, SNICKERS®, TWIX®, MILKY WAY®, DOVE®, PEDIGREE®, ROYAL CANIN®, WHISKAS®, EXTRA®, ORBIT®, 5™, SKITTLES®, BEN’S ORIGINAL® and COCOAVIA®. Alongside our consumer brands, we proudly take care of half of the world’s pets through our nutrition, health and services businesses such as Banfield Pet Hospitals™, BluePearl®, Linnaeus, AniCura, VCA™ and Pet Partners™. Headquartered in McLean, VA, Mars operates in more than 80 countries. The Mars Five Principles – Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom – inspire our 150,000 Associates into taking action every day towards creating the world we want tomorrow. Commitment to Equal Employer Opportunities:All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment in accordance with applicable law and without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other category protected under federal, state, and local laws. If you need assistance or an accommodation during the application process because of a disability, it is available upon request. The company is pleased to provide such assistance, and no applicant will be penalized as a result of such a request. A Note to Candidates Regarding AI Embracing AI as a vital skill for today and tomorrow, we welcome candidates to use AI to assist with your preparation as you engage with our recruiting process—from helping to perfect your CV/resume to using it to refine your interview skills. While AI can assist you, we expect that your ideas, responses, and demonstration of competencies throughout the recruitment process are authentically your own. We value genuine engagement and want to see the real you shine. At Mars, AI is here to support—not replace—the human connection at the heart of our recruitment process. Note to Search Firms/Agencies: Mars, Incorporated and its subsidiaries and affiliates (Mars) do not compensate search firms for unsolicited assistance unless they have a written search agreement with Mars and the requisition is position-specific. Any resumes, curriculum vitae, and other unsolicited assistance from search firms that do not have a written search agreement or position-specific requisition submitted to any Associate of Mars will be deemed the sole property of Mars and no fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by Mars.