What are the responsibilities and job description for the Brand Manager for Apparel and Footwear position at Mid-States Distributing, LLC?
Who We Are
Mid-States Distributing ("Mid-States") is the leading Farm, Ranch, and Home Retail Cooperative. Our company is owned by 29 independent Farm, Ranch & Home retailers (“Members”) who operate over 700 stores in 33 states with combined annual sales in excess of 7 billion dollars. Our member/owners retail items such as agriculture parts & supplies, petroleum products, hardware & tools, pet food, lawn & garden, animal health supplies, apparel & footwear, sporting goods, and various other products for the Farm, Ranch, and Home.
We are looking for competitive people who like to win big and have fun doing it. We place a tremendous amount of emphasis on creating a unique and positive company culture. Most of our employees will tell you this is the best place they’ve ever worked. We value high-energy people who like to work hard and play hard. Our consumers are primarily rural people raising “kids, pets, cows, and crops” so traditional values like God, family, and patriotism are important virtues around here. So, if you are enthusiastic and competitive, have a great attitude, have good communication skills, build relationships, love to win, and like ice cream – Mid-States is the place for you! If you are not, please apply with our competitors!
Position Overview
The Brand Manager for Apparel and Footwear will lead marketing execution for three key brands: Noble Outfitters, Threadgrit, and CW Hart. The ideal candidate understands how to move product at retail and how to translate that retail success into strong digital and e-commerce performance. You are detail-oriented, collaborative, organized, and comfortable managing complex projects through Monday.com.
This is a hands-on role that blends strategy with execution. You will guide brand planning while also rolling up your sleeves to manage the day-to-day work that moves product and builds demand.
You will work closely with category management, merchandising, member marketing teams, and the internal marketing organization to plan, execute, and measure integrated brand campaigns. From seasonal product launches to in-store merchandising to digital assets for paid and social channels, this role ensures every touchpoint is aligned to brand strategy and delivers measurable results.
Key Responsibilities
Brand Strategy & Positioning
Generally, the job requires 80% sitting, 10% walking, and 10% standing. This job is performed in a generally clean environment. The usual and customary methods of performing the job's functions require the following physical demands: some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling, some stooping and significant fine finger dexterity.
Travel
There is minimal travel required for this position.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
A Few Words From Our COO
I have had the pleasure to work for some incredible companies during my career, but Mid-States is truly the best company I have ever worked for. Lead by our dynamic CEO, Tom Mahlke, our team strives to provide a unique, exciting, fun, and fulfilling work environment for our staff. Things like drama, laziness, and entitlement have no place in Mid-States, which makes Mid-States a refreshing place to work. We offer competitive salaries, have a fantastic benefits package, and believe in rewarding those who produce. We serve a wonderful industry, and we are financially sound and growing rapidly. If you are an enthusiastic, high-energy person with a positive attitude and the skills described above, you may have just found the last job you will ever apply for! I look forward to meeting you. – Jeff Rash, COO
Mid-States Distributing ("Mid-States") is the leading Farm, Ranch, and Home Retail Cooperative. Our company is owned by 29 independent Farm, Ranch & Home retailers (“Members”) who operate over 700 stores in 33 states with combined annual sales in excess of 7 billion dollars. Our member/owners retail items such as agriculture parts & supplies, petroleum products, hardware & tools, pet food, lawn & garden, animal health supplies, apparel & footwear, sporting goods, and various other products for the Farm, Ranch, and Home.
We are looking for competitive people who like to win big and have fun doing it. We place a tremendous amount of emphasis on creating a unique and positive company culture. Most of our employees will tell you this is the best place they’ve ever worked. We value high-energy people who like to work hard and play hard. Our consumers are primarily rural people raising “kids, pets, cows, and crops” so traditional values like God, family, and patriotism are important virtues around here. So, if you are enthusiastic and competitive, have a great attitude, have good communication skills, build relationships, love to win, and like ice cream – Mid-States is the place for you! If you are not, please apply with our competitors!
Position Overview
The Brand Manager for Apparel and Footwear will lead marketing execution for three key brands: Noble Outfitters, Threadgrit, and CW Hart. The ideal candidate understands how to move product at retail and how to translate that retail success into strong digital and e-commerce performance. You are detail-oriented, collaborative, organized, and comfortable managing complex projects through Monday.com.
This is a hands-on role that blends strategy with execution. You will guide brand planning while also rolling up your sleeves to manage the day-to-day work that moves product and builds demand.
You will work closely with category management, merchandising, member marketing teams, and the internal marketing organization to plan, execute, and measure integrated brand campaigns. From seasonal product launches to in-store merchandising to digital assets for paid and social channels, this role ensures every touchpoint is aligned to brand strategy and delivers measurable results.
Key Responsibilities
Brand Strategy & Positioning
- Champion brand identity, tone, and positioning across multiple apparel and footwear lines.
- Lead annual brand planning, including go-to-market calendars and retail initiatives.
- Translate brand direction into actionable briefs and content plans that support seasonal priorities.
- Lead campaign development from concept through asset production across digital, social, influencer, and in-store channels.
- Manage seasonal marketing calendars and ensure timelines and budgets are met.
- Collaborate with creative and digital teams to build assets for owned, earned, and paid media.
- Oversee packaging, point-of-purchase, and merchandising programs in partnership with vendors and store teams.
- Partner with category management and merchandising teams to optimize brand visibility and sales across 700 member locations.
- Align digital and in-store efforts to create consistent, results-driven brand experiences.
- Support DTC and e-commerce initiatives including site content, product storytelling, and promotional strategy.
- Review campaign data and ROI, identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
- Serve as the daily connection between marketing and category teams.
- Manage tasks, milestones, and approvals through Monday.com.
- Present campaign outcomes, insights, and recommendations to leadership.
- 5 to 7 years of brand, retail, or category marketing experience in apparel, footwear, or consumer goods.
- Demonstrated success leading multi-channel brand campaigns that drive measurable retail or e-commerce results.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to turn brand direction into actionable plans.
- Proven organizational skills and experience managing projects through Monday.com or similar tools.
- Hands-on experience using Shopify, email service platforms, Meta Ads Manager, and GA4, with the ability to apply each tool in daily brand execution.
- Experience collaborating with creative, digital, and merchandising partners.
- Comfort using AI tools to enhance productivity, including reviewing and organizing spreadsheet data, pulling insights, drafting marketing content, summarizing information, and supporting project execution.
- Experience managing private-label or vertically integrated brands.
- Background in both retail merchandising and e-commerce marketing.
- Strong analytical skills and comfort using data to inform strategy and evaluate ROI.
- Ability to own projects from beginning to end are essential.
Generally, the job requires 80% sitting, 10% walking, and 10% standing. This job is performed in a generally clean environment. The usual and customary methods of performing the job's functions require the following physical demands: some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling, some stooping and significant fine finger dexterity.
Travel
There is minimal travel required for this position.
Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
A Few Words From Our COO
I have had the pleasure to work for some incredible companies during my career, but Mid-States is truly the best company I have ever worked for. Lead by our dynamic CEO, Tom Mahlke, our team strives to provide a unique, exciting, fun, and fulfilling work environment for our staff. Things like drama, laziness, and entitlement have no place in Mid-States, which makes Mid-States a refreshing place to work. We offer competitive salaries, have a fantastic benefits package, and believe in rewarding those who produce. We serve a wonderful industry, and we are financially sound and growing rapidly. If you are an enthusiastic, high-energy person with a positive attitude and the skills described above, you may have just found the last job you will ever apply for! I look forward to meeting you. – Jeff Rash, COO
