Director, Brand & Innovation

Essential Job Function:

Brand Strategy & Positioning

• Lead the implementation of SKLZs brand positioning purpose and narrative to ensure clarity consistency and relevance with athletes parents coaches customers and internal teams.
• Translate consumer insights market trends and competitive intelligence into actionable brand strategies messaging frameworks and category priorities.
• Serve as the brand steward ensuring alignment across product sales digital and marketing touchpoints.
• Partner with Shared Services Marketing to shape campaign strategy content development and go-to-market planning in support of business priorities.
• Champion internal understanding of the brand strategy so cross-functional teams and leadership are aligned on SKLZs positioning strategic focus and growth opportunities.

Product Line Strategy & Coordination

• Own the SKLZ product line including portfolio focus lifecycle planning SKU optimization and seasonal line architecture.
• Analyze sales margin inventory and market performance to inform assortment decisions and improve portfolio health.
• Partner with internal teams to align roadmaps and product strategies with consumer needs brand positioning and commercial priorities.
• Help shape innovation planning by identifying assortment gaps evaluating opportunities and supporting disciplined progression from ideation through launch.
• Ensure product information positioning and selling tools are accurate current and ready to support global go-to-market execution.

Cross-Functional Integration

• Act as a strategic liaison between business leadership Product Development Commercial Digital and Shared Services teams.
• Ensure alignment between brand strategy product plans and the broader go-to-market rhythm across seasonal and annual planning cycles.
• Support the development of retail storytelling trade marketing tools and sell-in materials in partnership with Sales and Marketing teams.
• Help drive launch readiness and milestone execution by ensuring brand and product strategies are clearly integrated communicated and activated across functions.

People Management

• Lead and develop the Product Line Management role(s) reporting into this position providing clear direction prioritization and coaching while setting a high bar for performance and execution.
• Operate as a director-level player-coach who brings the experience judgment and credibility to serve as a thought leader for the brand while remaining close to the work and advancing key priorities.
• Strengthen the teams talent base by raising capability adding leadership depth and building bench strength over time.
• Build a high-performing team environment that balances strategic thinking strong ownership and effective day-to-day execution.

Minimum Qualifications: Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• 7 years of experience in brand strategy product management product marketing or integrated marketing roles.
• Strong understanding of brand positioning consumer insights storytelling and competitive strategy.
• Experience with portfolio management product lifecycle planning SKU optimization and business analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional work manage and develop talent influence stakeholders and communicate clearly across functions and levels.
• Proven ability to operate as a director-level player-coach combining strategic leadership hands-on execution and talent development.
• Highly collaborative organized and adaptable in a fast-paced matrixed environment.
• Experience in sports fitness or consumer products and familiarity with athlete training categories is strongly preferred.

Preferred Qualifications:

MBA degree with a concentration in Marketing Communications or a similar relevant field is preferred.

Education & Experience:

A Bachelors degree in Business Marketing Communications or a related field of study is required.

Relevant Working Conditions & Physical Demands:

• Visual Abilities: Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision peripheral vision depth perception and ability to adjust focus read reports create presentations and use a computer system.
• Hearing: Hear well enough to communicate with co-workers vendors and students.
• Dexterity Grasping Feeling: Write type and use the telephone copier and computer systems.
• Mobility: Open files and operate office machines; move between departments and attend meetings.
• Talking: Frequently convey detailed or important instructions and ideas accurately loudly or quickly.
• Lifting Pulling Pushing: Exert up to 50 pounds for force occasionally and/or up to 20 pounds of force frequently and/or up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects.
• Using a standard computer keyboard and monitor
• 25 lbs. with/w/o reasonable accommodation
• Work has deadlines multiple interruptions and may be stressful at times.
• Work may require occasional travel
• Standard climate-controlled office setting