Marketing Director-Beverage Company

Location: St. Louis, MO; Nashville, TN; or Chicago, IL preferred. Other Central or Eastern Time Zone locations considered.

Compensation: $125,000–$150,000 base salary Travel: Approximately 30%About the Opportunity

Key Responsibilities: Lead marketing strategy and execution across the company's growing school and institutional channels, with future expansion into retail and other consumer markets. Serve as a primary marketing contact for school administrators, procurement teams, distributors, and other key business partners across approximately 6–8 states. Partner closely with Sales leadership to develop marketing programs that drive product awareness, customer engagement, and sales growth. Build and execute regional marketing plans, promotional campaigns, product launches, and customer activation programs. Oversee development of marketing materials, including point-of-sale displays, posters, digital content, packaging, presentations, and customer communications. Develop creative solutions that support school accounts, including student and parent outreach, promotional initiatives, and educational marketing materials. Coordinate with internal creative teams, external agencies, vendors, and operations to ensure marketing initiatives are executed accurately and on schedule. Support the development of retail merchandising, in-store promotional programs, and consumer engagement strategies as the business expands. Attend customer meetings, product tastings, trade shows, and industry events to strengthen relationships and identify new opportunities. Work cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing to align promotional activity with product availability and operational capabilities. Manage multiple product SKUs, packaging variations, and market-specific marketing requirements. Leverage AI platforms and marketing technology to improve productivity, campaign development, communication, and execution. Track marketing initiatives, maintain visibility across departments, and ensure projects move forward without constant follow-up. Identify new marketing opportunities and proactively bring ideas to leadership rather than waiting for direction.

Qualifications: Strong marketing leadership experience within the beverage or consumer packaged goods industry. Experience with beverage retail, consumer promotions, field marketing, or sales enablement strongly preferred. Background with a major beverage brand, particularly in energy drinks, functional beverages, sports drinks, or other high-growth consumer brands, highly desirable. Demonstrated ability to manage regional customer relationships and support sales teams across multiple markets. Experience developing and executing marketing programs involving distributors, retailers, institutions, or other channel partners. Strong understanding of merchandising, promotional materials, packaging, product launches, and consumer engagement. Comfortable working in an entrepreneurial environment where priorities can change quickly. Highly organized, detail-oriented, and capable of managing numerous projects simultaneously. Familiarity with AI tools such as Claude, ChatGPT, and other marketing automation platforms. Excellent communication, relationship management, and project leadership skills. Willingness to travel approximately 30%, including customer visits, tastings, trade shows, and industry events. What Makes Someone Successful in This RoleThe ideal candidate combines the strategic thinking of a marketing leader with the practical execution skills of someone who has spent time in the field. You understand that great marketing doesn't stop with creative ideas. It means supporting the sales team, staying close to customers, anticipating needs, and making sure the right programs are delivered at the right time. You are comfortable rolling up your sleeves, making decisions, solving problems, and helping build the marketing infrastructure of a growing beverage company. This is an opportunity to play a significant role in shaping the growth of an emerging consumer brand.