Director Product & Brand Marketing

We Impact Lives Through Purpose-Driven Work in A People First Culture

Ascend Learning is the connection between a powerful portfolio of brands serving students, educators, and employers with outcomes-based, data driven solutions across the lifecycle of learning.

Our values-driven culture unifies our teams and inspires a mindset of action, innovation, and collaboration, with a relentless focus on customers.

We're always looking for talented, passionate professionals to join us in our mission to help change lives. If this sounds like an environment where you'd thrive, read on to learn more.

For over 37 years, National Academy of Sports Medicine® (NASM®) has set the standard in fitness education with best-in-class evidence-based programs. We have educated over 1.4 million fitness professionals in over 100 countries, creating a global space for optimal well-being and fitness. From personal training to nutrition coaching, wellness to sports performance, NASM trainers and specialists work at every level to help all clients set and reach their own unique goals.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

We are seeking an enterprising, energizing and data-driven Director of Brand & Product Marketing to deliver marketing that strongly differentiates us and drives overall and product-specific sales.

At the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), our mission is to provide world-class fitness and wellness professionals with the knowledge and tools to transform lives. We help personal trainers, coaches, their clients, and fitness and wellness enthusiasts live healthier and happier lives.

Possessing exceptional leadership, analytic and strategic thinking skills, the Director of Brand & Product Marketing will elevate the effectiveness of our brand and product marketing, ensuring it drives awareness, strongly lands our points of competitive differentiation, and compels consumers to purchase. Reporting to our VP Marketing, the Director of Brand & Product Marketing will be responsible for brand advertising, product marketing, organic social, PR, events, consumer research and internal communications. This role will develop and mentor a high-performing team focused on reinforcing and growing our position as an industry leader and on leveraging our unique and highly differentiated products.

WHERE YOU’LL WORK

This position will work remote in the United States.

HOW YOU’LL SPEND YOUR TIME

• In support of our enterprise-wide product-led operating model, partner with product leadership to ensure our fitness and performance, nutrition and wellness and membership and professional enablement marketing accelerates sales.
• Lead all brand marketing work, ensuring it is uniquely insightful, persuasive, motivating and clearly establishes how we are different and better than competition.
• Oversee development and execution of comprehensive brand and product marketing plans, making sure they are strategically excellent and delivered on time and well. Develop plans for personal training, performance, corrective exercise, membership, nutrition and wellness certifications, and new products. Achieve a deep understanding of these businesses.
• Lead, mentor and develop a high-performing team, including 3 experienced product marketing managers, a brand marketing manager,  an events manager, 2 social media managers, and a PR agency, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration and accountability.
• Partner with the creative, paid media, web and lifecycle teams to ensure strategies are executed in the most persuasive, breakthrough and effective way.
• Use data to drive all decisions and regularly report out progress in moving key brand and product metrics.
• Own the end-to-end customer experience and content strategy, in partnership with the ecom, performance marketing, front end dev and creative teams.
• Leverage consumer insights, behavioral data, and testing to continuously improve our brand and product marketing and optimize the customer journey.
• Lead executive and internal communications, helping ensure timely messaging that fuels engagement and commitment.
• Partner with the broader marketing team to create and implement marketing and promotional calendars that ensure our efforts are cohesive and leverage seasonal trends to drive relevance and revenue.
• Lead competitive monitoring, analysis and action-planning.
• Stay current with consumer and industry trends, emerging technologies and new marketing tactics to ensure our marketing remains in tune with our evolving consumer and reflects the latest best practices.
• Adeptly manage multiple content workflows and prioritize projects across teams.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• Bachelor’s Degree required
• 8+ years’ experience in product and brand marketing, driving growth for national consumer brands.
• Demonstrated ability to identify differentiating strategies that fuel overall company and product sales.
• An inspirational leader skilled in leading teams, securing cross-functional support and motivating others to achieve what no one thought possible.
• Experience leading top tier brand and PR agencies and research suppliers.
• A beautiful writer, adept editor and persuasive speaker.
• Must be a curious thinker who loves problem solving: asking questions, digging deeper, and getting to the why. Drives innovation and makes decisions based on deep understanding of the data.
• Deep knowledge of marketing analytics, product development and testing methodologies.
• Strong sense of ownership, urgency and drive.
• A positive, “what’s possible” thinker who thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.

BENEFITS

• Flexible and generous paid time off
• Competitive medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 401(k) employer matching program
• Parental leave
• Wellness resources
• Charitable matching program
• Hybrid work
• On-site workout facilities (Leawood, Gilbert, Burlington)
• Community outreach groups
• Tuition reimbursement

Fostering A Sense of Belonging

We seek out and celebrate all people and perspectives and cultivate an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued and be their authentic selves. Our culture is firmly rooted in the belief that by embracing our differences and drawing on diverse perspectives, we are a stronger, more innovative, and more successful organization where employees experience a sense of belonging.

About Ascend Learning

As a tech-enabled services company, Ascend Learning is a national leader in developing and delivering data-driven online educational content, software, assessments, analytics, and simulations serving institutions, students and employers across healthcare, fitness and wellness, public and workplace safety, skilled trades, insurance, financial services, cybersecurity, and higher education. We're committed to accelerating the learning pathways that can move people into careers where they have the knowledge and skills to have an impact and help change lives in the communities they serve. Headquartered in Burlington, MA with additional office locations and hybrid and remote workers in cities across the U.S., Ascend Learning was recognized by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group as one of America's 2023 Greatest Workplaces for Diversity.

Ascend Learning, LLC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (M/F/Vets/Disabled). No agency or search firm submissions will be accepted. Applications for U.S. based positions with Ascend Learning, LLC must be legally authorized to work in the United States and verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

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