Sr. Associate Marketing Manager – Brand Partnerships

About the role

You will play a key role in developing and executing brand partnership strategies that enhance brand relevance and support business objectives across Polaris. Working within the Central Branding and Partnerships team, you will manage partner relationships, lead activation efforts, and identify opportunities to maximize the value of strategic partnerships. You will collaborate across multiple business units to ensure partnership initiatives align with brand goals, operational best practices, and customer engagement objectives. You will also help advance the Partnership Center of Excellence through process consistency, measurement, and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, project management, and execution of partnership activations, including communications, content development, promotional opportunities, hospitality programs, and on-site experiences.
• Own fulfillment of partnership commitments, including vehicle support, product support, hospitality, promotional activities, and other contractual obligations.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with partners, influencers, creators, agencies, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Polaris business units and brand teams to identify, extend, and leverage partnership opportunities that support brand and retail objectives.
• Evaluate partnership opportunities by assessing audience alignment, brand fit, activation potential, and overall business value.
• Develop strategic recommendations for prospective partnerships and support prioritization decisions with leadership.
• Establish goals, performance measures, and reporting approaches to optimize partnership effectiveness and business impact.
• Cook up with internal and external partners to secure, transport, and manage vehicles and other brand assets used in partnership programs.
• Champion Partnership Center of Excellence initiatives through consistent use of processes, tools, best practices, and continuous improvement efforts.
• Provide partnership, activation, and event-related expertise and recommendations to stakeholders across the organization.
• Support marketing initiatives associated with partnerships, sponsorships, and broader brand opportunities, including paid and earned media efforts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or a related field.
• Minimum 4 years of experience in marketing, including event, trade show, partnership, and/or sponsorship management.
• Demonstrated success in critical thinking, execution, organization, accountability, relationship management, and delivering results.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and negotiation skills.
• Experience managing agencies, vendors, and external partners in a collaborative and effective manner.
• Able to work cross-functionally, navigate differing priorities, and build productive working relationships.
• Understanding of paid and earned media planning and management.
• Interest in or experience with outdoor-oriented brands and consumer marketing.

Desired Competencies

• Collaboration: Works effectively with others across functions and levels, contributing to shared goals while respecting different perspectives.
• Communication: Clearly conveys information, ideas, and expectations to diverse audiences, adjusting the message to ensure understanding and alignment.
• Planning & Organization: Manages time, resources, and priorities effectively to meet deadlines and deliver consistent results.

Pay

The starting pay range for Minnesota is $82,000 to $108,000 per year. Individual salaries and positioning within the range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills, and geography. While individual pay could fall anywhere in the range based on these factors, it is not common to start at the high end or top of the range.