Brand Manager

Location: Chicago, IL or Minneapolis, MN | Hybrid, with regular travel to Minneapolis and occasional travel for photoshoots and industry events. Reports to: Vice President of Marketing. Experience: 6–8+ years of consumer brand marketing experience.

About the role

Europa Eyewear is seeking a Brand Manager to lead consumer brand strategy and marketing for two distinctive eyewear brands: eyebobs and American Optical. Founded in 1977, Europa Eyewear is one of the largest independent designers and manufacturers of premium eyewear in the United States, with a portfolio of more than a dozen brands sold through independent eye care professionals and direct-to-consumer channels.

eyebobs is bold, irreverent, and unapologetically individual — known for premium readers with personality. American Optical is an American original with heritage dating back to 1833, worn by pilots, astronauts, and presidents. This role owns brand strategy for both businesses, translating each brand’s identity into meaningful consumer experiences across digital, social, PR, partnerships, retail, and wholesale channels. You will lead campaign development, creative direction, and photoshoots from concept through execution — a hands-on role for a marketer who loves both the strategic and creative sides of brand building.

Responsibilities

• Brand Strategy & Development
  • Own and evolve brand positioning, identity, voice, and consumer strategy for both eyebobs and American Optical.
  • Translate brand strategy into actionable guidelines, messaging frameworks, and seasonal creative platforms.
  • Leverage consumer insights, competitive intelligence, and brand performance data to identify opportunities and strengthen each brand’s market position.
  • Partner with Product Development to bring the brand story into product collections, naming, packaging, and assortment strategy.
• Integrated Marketing & Channel Partnerships
  • Partner with DTC, Amazon, wholesale, and retail teams to ensure a cohesive and differentiated brand experience across every consumer touchpoint.
  • Translate brand strategy into channel-specific marketing initiatives across ecommerce, Amazon, independent eye care professionals, and retail environments.
  • Develop marketing assets, messaging, and creative toolkits that support sales and channel partners.
  • Maintain brand consistency and integrity while supporting growth across multiple channels.
• PR, Social & Brand Partnerships
  • Lead organic marketing efforts for both brands, including PR, influencer and brand partnerships, and organic social media.
  • Identify opportunities to build brand awareness through meaningful collaborations, media placements, creator relationships, and cultural partnerships.
  • Develop social content strategies, editorial calendars, and community engagement initiatives that reflect each brand’s unique personality.
  • Track earned and organic performance metrics, using insights to continually refine the approach.
• Creative Campaigns & Content Production
  • Lead campaign development from initial consumer insight and creative brief through execution and launch.
  • Partner closely with creative teams on campaign concepts, photoshoots, casting, locations, shot lists, and on-set direction.
  • Build a thoughtful content capture strategy that creates a library of assets to support ongoing marketing efforts.
  • Manage campaign budgets, timelines, and cross-functional partnerships, evaluating performance and identifying opportunities to improve future campaigns.

Requirements

• 6–8+ years of brand marketing experience, ideally with consumer-facing brands.
• Experience owning brand strategy, positioning, and integrated campaign development.
• Strong creative eye and experience leading photoshoots and content production in partnership with creative teams.
• Hands-on experience across organic social, PR, influencer marketing, and brand partnerships.
• Experience marketing across multiple channels such as DTC, ecommerce, Amazon, wholesale, and/or retail.
• Ability to use consumer insights, brand health, and performance data to inform marketing decisions.
• Excellent writing and storytelling skills, with the ability to establish and maintain distinct brand voices.

Qualifications

• Experience in eyewear, fashion, accessories, apparel, or another design-driven consumer category.
• Experience working with both emerging/challenger brands and established heritage brands.
• Familiarity with Amazon brand content, including A+ content and Brand Stores.
• Experience managing external creative, PR, influencer, or production agency partners.