The Director, Experiences and Brand Partnerships is responsible for management of multiple disciplines within the VW Brand: Brand Partnerships in Sports, Environmental, Enthusiast Audiences, Owner Communities and Consumer Event Marketing. The role leads the complete strategic marketing alignment, budgeting, concept development, implementation, and cross-functional integration amongst these specific functions creating direct product awareness through digital and physical experience marketing. In addition, this role will lead social media content planning resulting from experiential activities and partnerships and that all activities develop positive brand advocacy, cultural relevance and are continuously aligned with the Volkswagen brand business goals and objectives. In the capacity as Director, the role must regularly interface directly with the SVP Marketing, VWGoA Executive Management Team and key Senior Department Managers and Directors within VWAG.
Strategic Work – 30% of time spent (include digitization of IRL experiences)
Develop overall short and long term awareness and experiential marketing strategic business plans that adhere to overall Brand objectives for each functional area: Consumer Event Marketing, Enthusiast Marketing, Sports Marketing, owner communities, and external partnerships with other like-minded brands.
Mange overall budget development and planning for all partnerships, experiential marketing and 35+ million total capital and operational budget.
Interact directly with Volkswagen Group Board on Partnerships.
Provide strategic guidance to VW Regional Marketing Managers on best practice experiential and partner marketing programs
Analyze and evaluate KPIs for effectiveness of social and experiential marketing initiatives and develop recommendations for future implementation to be presented to Executive Management Team.
Research and develop new strategies and areas of execution for partnerships, social and experiential marketing opportunities.
Directly manage internal stakeholder relationships and coordinate integration of internal departmental objectives.
Direct interface, interaction and collaboration with senior marketing management within VWAG. Lead role in all critical planning and strategy development with VWAG senior managers in Marketing and International Partnerships
Lead Ad-hoc Brand projects: PR reveals and experiential or live marketing related initiatives, Welcome Center Chattanooga, Veterans, Sports, Educational and Environmental initiatives
Lead development of campaigns and support presence in social media platforms (including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and community sites), posting on relevant blogs, and seeding content into social applications as needed
Monitor effective benchmarks for measuring the impact of social media programs, and analyze, review, and report on effectiveness of campaigns in an effort to maximize results
Monitor trends in social media tools, trends and developing platforms
Brand Partnerships and Social Media Content – 25% of time
Direct all facets of brand partnerships from strategy to execution
Lead development of campaigns and support presence in social media platforms (including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok and forums), posting on relevant blogs, and seeding content into social applications as needed
Monitor effective benchmarks for measuring the impact of brand partnerships and social media programs, and analyze, review, and report on effectiveness of campaigns in an effort to maximize results
Monitor trends in influencer marketing and social media
Program Design & Integration Work – 25% of time
Lead and manage team of Brand Partnerships & Experiential Marketing direct reports to deliver required results, while acting as direct link to Product, PR, and media departments within marketing.
Act as corporate spokesperson and subject matter expert on all areas of responsibility, and interface directly with media.
Establish and implement short- and long-range goals, objectives, polices and operating procedures for each specific pillar of global VWAG directed strategy pertaining to VWGoA Partnerships, Social Media and Experiential Marketing.
Ensure consumer/dealer events are designed to drive business objectives, enhance brand image and showcase our products in the most creative light possible. Leverage joint co-operative branding opportunities and creatively integrate the brand advertising creative content initiatives into events when strategically relevant.
Negotiate contracts and terms for partnerships with vendors and services providers for partnerships, social and experiential group.
Lead dynamic driving event planning for major dealer meeting/automotive events.
Generate monthly weekly/monthly/quarterly and annual reports for areas of responsibilities for presentation to Executive Leadership Team.
Lead the development of a new VW owner community to promote owner engagement, enthusiast support, loyalty and brand referral
Collaborate across Marketing, PR, CX and other internal and external groups on loyalty and owner engagement strategies
Develop merchandising program for sale as special branded items that boost particular product launches.
Operational Work – 20 % of time
Manage all area communications with stakeholders that require services that, including but not limited to: Product Planning, Government Affairs, Human Resources, Sales and Regional Teams.
Direct all aspects of International, National and Regional partnerships, experiential social media, lifestyle consumer events and partnership experiences.
Supervise all social and experiential creative to ensure a consistent look and feel among all social platforms and brand channels, with collateral materials, graphics and other corporate imaging.
Support PR team on all media related functions such as social media and presentation reveals to support brand partnerships, Consumer Events, Sports Marketing and Dealer Meeting functions.
Establish and improve controlling processes and train colleagues on these processes
Manage Ad-hoc Brand projects such as PR reveals and other experiential or live marketing related initiatives
Years of Relevant Experience
Minimum of 12-15 years Brand Management, Media, Content & Partner Marketing experience.
Education - Required
Bachelor Degree Marketing, Business Administration, or Engineering
Education - Desired
Master of Business Administration
Skills
Analytical and conceptual thinking – using logic and reason, creative and strategic planning
Communication skills – interpersonal, presentation and written
Highly skilled in the use of software: Powerpoint, Excel, Word and social media platforms
Integration – joining people, processes or systems – particularly with brand, digital, PR and marketing
Influencing and negotiation skills
Complex problem solving
Budget management and planning
Partner agreement development, negotiation and execution
Consumer loyalty strategy development
Marketing partnership program development and management
Creative, out of the box thinking, to provide thought leadership across the Marketing Team
Proven highly effective strategic planner and communicator
In depth level of technical understanding of Marketing operations across strategy, content, media, tech platforms and activations
Specialized Skills - Required
Extensive ground up development, management and execution of successful multi-partner experiential based programs
Extensive professional knowledge of and hands on experience developing brand partnerships and executional program management.
Hands on experience with executive management, senior management and corporate communications, employee/dealer communications, partners and agencies
Experience in developing newsworthy, innovative partnerships
Experience with developing influencer marketing programs and leveraging new influencer marketing platforms
Experience with developing, launching and maintaining owner communities to cultivate strong loyalty and brand engagement
Experience leading in the creation of high profile branded content partnerships to increase brand consideration
Subject matter expert on the development and execution of brand partnerships
In-depth understanding of digital technologies including AR, VR and experience with developing projects based on gaming platforms
Demonstrate ability to lead direct reports and partners and manage high impact/high corporate visibility programs
Ability to act as public spokesperson and subject matter expert on areas of direct responsibility
Specialized Skills - Desired
Capital budget management, public relations management, crisis communications
Sports marketing management experience
Working knowledge of product launch “go to market” strategies
Strong knowledge of automotive brands and products and ability to compare and gain insights from out-of-category leaders.
Strong knowledge of direct to consumer and digitally native brand partnerships
History of development and implementation of large scale branded initiatives with internal and external partners
Strong understanding of pop culture, cultural trends, digital trends and emerging platforms
Work Flexibility
Travel 25%-- domestic & international