Job Description
This role leads the Marketing Team and balances brand strategy the needs of Sales, Hospitality, Tourism, Guest Experience and Operations
The Marketing Director develops and leads integrated marketing strategies that strengthen the Hard Truth brand, increase destination visitation and guest engagement, support hospitality and tourism growth, advance sales performance and expand market presence. As a member of the Leadership Team, the Marketing Director provides strategic leadership for the Marketing Team and oversees marketing, communications, public relations, content, promotional and brand activation initiatives. The position works across Sales, Hospitality, Experience, Tourism and Operations to support wholesale and retail growth, property visitation, guest experience, events, destination awareness and long-term consumer demand.
Leadership Team Responsibilities
- Participate actively in strategic planning, annual business planning and organizational decision-making.
- Provide marketing, consumer, tourism, hospitality and market insights to leadership.
- Translate company objectives into clear marketing priorities and measurable plans.
- Present performance, risks, opportunities and recommendations to executive leadership.
- Manage the marketing budget and recommend allocation of internal and external resources.
Marketing Team Leadership
- Lead, develop and hold the Marketing Team accountable for performance, priorities and results.
- Establish department goals, project priorities and performance expectations.
- Clarify ownership of communications, public relations, content, events, sponsorships, digital marketing and activation work.
- Create effective intake, approval and prioritization processes.
- Provide coaching, feedback, professional development and performance management.
Commercial Growth, Hospitality and Sales Partnership
- Serve as a strategic partner to Sales Leadership and Hospitality, Experience and Operations leaders.
- Participate regularly in sales, hospitality, event and business review meetings.
- Develop balanced priorities supporting distributor and retail growth, property visitation, dining, tours, events and destination experiences.
- Create sales enablement tools, guest-facing campaigns and brand materials supporting commercial and hospitality objectives.
- Align campaigns and activations with product priorities, key markets, visitor needs, seasonal programming and property experiences.
- Use insights from sales teams, distributors, hospitality leaders, guests and field teams to improve programs.
- Evaluate results through sales performance, visitation, guest engagement, event participation, brand growth and return on investment.
Brand Strategy and Integrated Marketing
- Develop and execute an annual marketing plan aligned with business objectives.
- Lead campaigns across wholesale, retail, hospitality, tourism, dining, tours, events, digital, social and public relations channels.
- Protect brand positioning, voice, standards and visual consistency.
- Identify consumer trends, competitive activity, market opportunities and growth strategies.
- Oversee product launches, seasonal hospitality campaigns and destination initiatives.
Hospitality, Tourism and Guest Experience
- Partner with Hospitality, Experience, Events and Operations leaders to drive property visitation and support revenue goals.
- Promote dining, tours, tastings, entertainment, seasonal programming, public events and destination experiences.
- Ensure marketing accurately represents the on-property guest experience and current offerings.
- Use visitation patterns, guest feedback, event results and hospitality insights to guide priorities.
- Develop initiatives encouraging repeat visitation, guest loyalty and destination awareness.
- Balance property-focused needs with wholesale sales, product and broader brand-building priorities.
Communications, Public Relations and Content
- Oversee corporate communications, media relations, public relations, website content, social media and brand storytelling.
- Approve key messages, major press materials, campaign communications and public-facing content.
- Oversee crisis communication planning and timely response to brand or reputational concerns.
- Ensure communications support company, hospitality and commercial priorities.
Brand Activation and Consumer Engagement
- Lead strategies for events, festivals, sponsorships, sampling, community partnerships and experiential marketing.
- Ensure activations deliver a consistent, high-quality Hard Truth experience.
- Prioritize activations based on consumer reach, visitation, market opportunity, sales support and expected return.
- Oversee post-event reporting and use results to improve future investment.
Agency, Budget and Performance Management
- Set clear agency and vendor scopes, responsibilities, deliverables, budgets and expectations.
- Prevent duplication or gaps among internal resources and external partners.
- Develop and manage the marketing budget, including advertising, events, sponsorships, sales support and hospitality marketing.
- Establish KPIs for brand growth, sales support, visitation, guest engagement and execution.
- Report spending, progress, risks and return on marketing investment to leadership.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, Public Relations or a related field preferred. Equivalent education and experience.
- Progressive marketing experience involving strategy, team leadership, budgets and cross-functional execution.
- Experience leading employees, contractors, agencies or combined internal and external resources.
- Demonstrated success partnering with sales and hospitality or consumer-experience teams.
- Beverage alcohol, consumer products, hospitality, tourism, food and beverage or related experience preferred.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
- Strategic marketing, brand management and integrated campaign leadership.
- Strong business judgment connecting marketing to sales, visitation and organizational priorities.
- Effective team leadership, coaching, delegation and accountability.
- Excellent written, verbal and executive presentation skills.
- Budget management, project prioritization and analytical decision-making.
- Ability to build productive relationships with sales teams, hospitality and operations leaders, distributors, agencies and vendors.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment
- Ability to work in a professional office environment and throughout the Hard Truth campus.
- Ability to travel to markets, customer meetings, company locations and events as needed.
- Ability to work occasional evenings, weekends and special events.
- Ability to move promotional materials or event supplies weighing up to 30 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.