Director, Consumer Connections

Role Responsibilities

• Serve as the Consumer Connections lead for a portfolio of brands, partnering with Brand, Insights, Commercial, and Agency teams to drive business growth and brand equity.
• Develop integrated consumer connection strategies that connect paid, owned, earned, and shared channels into cohesive consumer experiences.
• Translate business objectives, consumer insights, audience intelligence, and cultural trends into actionable growth plans and marketing strategies.
• Act as a strategic thought partner to brand leadership, helping shape priorities, investment decisions, and consumer engagement opportunities.
• Consumer & Cultural Strategy Champion audience-first planning and ensure marketing programs are rooted in consumer needs, behaviors, and motivations.
• Identify cultural trends, communities, and emerging opportunities that strengthen brand relevance and consumer connection.
• Guide the development of creator marketing programs, partnerships, brand experiences, and cultural activations that earn attention and drive impact.
• Foster a test-and-learn culture that encourages innovation, experimentation, and continuous improvement.
• Integrated Planning & Execution Lead integrated planning across paid media, social media, creators and influencers, partnerships, content, commerce, CRM, and digital experiences, ensuring every channel plays a clear role within the broader consumer journey.
• Provide strategic leadership and guidance on paid media investment, audience strategy, channel mix, and performance optimization, ensuring plans balance brand building, cultural relevance, and measurable business outcomes.
• Ensure programs are connected across channels, supported by strong briefs, and designed to deliver clear consumer and business objectives.
• Lead cross-functional orchestration across internal teams and agency partners, ensuring strategies are translated into clear plans, aligned execution, and measurable outcomes.
• Drive simplification and improved ways of working that enable greater speed, agility, and effectiveness.

Measurement & Performance

• Establish a culture of performance management and continuous improvement, leveraging learning agendas, testing frameworks, and measurement plans to drive smarter decisions, faster optimization, and stronger business results.
• Champion modern measurement approaches, including marketing mix modeling, brand lift, testing and experimentation, and performance analytics.
• Translate data and insights into actionable recommendations that improve marketing effectiveness and business results.
• Stay current on evolving consumer behaviors, media trends, technology, AI, and emerging marketing capabilities.

Qualifications

• Education and Professional Experience: 10+ years of experience in integrated marketing, media, consumer strategy, brand marketing, consumer engagement, or related disciplines.
• Experience leading integrated marketing programs across paid, social, creator, partnership, content, and owned channels.
• Demonstrated success building culturally relevant programs that drive measurable business outcomes.
• Strong understanding of modern media planning, audience strategy, measurement, and performance optimization.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing senior stakeholders in matrixed organizations.
• Experience managing agencies and external partners.

Key Skills and Attributes

• Systems thinker with deep experience in one or more media or digital disciplines and a demonstrated track record connecting strategy, media, culture, creators, content, and commerce into integrated marketing programs that drive growth.
• Change agent with a track record of driving transformation and capability building.
• Comfortable moving between strategic planning and execution, translating complex strategies into clear priorities, actionable plans, and successful outcomes.
• Curious learner with strong commercial acumen and passion for emerging consumer behaviors, culture, technology, and AI.

Pay

$175,000-$200,000, along with an annual bonus, 401K match, profit sharing, and medical and wellness benefits. The salary range is commensurate with the candidate’s location, experience, and skillset. The range will vary if outside of the Chicago location. While relocation, immigration, and/or tax compliance support are not guaranteed, we may offer assistance to successful candidates depending on factors such as role requirements in accordance with company guidelines.