Brand Manager
We're looking for an experienced Brand Manager to join our marketing and communications team in our Merchandise Mart office in Chicago. As ZS brand manager, you will be responsible for advancing, protecting and amplifying the ZS brand globally, as well as many of the company's products and services. As a leading brand champion, you will manage ZS's brand strategy, brand positioning, brand personality and brand messaging to strengthen awareness, trust and differentiation among priority audiences. In partnership with marcomms leadership, you will oversee ZS brand campaigns and influence demand/promotional marketing and communications campaigns. You will work across marcomms and ZS' businesses to ensure a consistent, compelling and measurable brand experience across every touchpoint.
What you'll do: Brand Manager in the Enterprise will:
- Advance ZS's brand strategy, brand positioning, brand personality and brand messaging driving consistency of message and presentation globally.
- Lead global brand governance across regions, practices, and solutions.
- Own the firm's brand architecture, including naming frameworks and management and execution of the naming process.
- Drive awareness and adoption of brand standards within ZS, creating toolkits, training materials and enablement resources.
- Develop guidelines to ensure marcomms team members understand and can appropriately pull through brand-level themes/messaging and creative into various tactics and channels (e.g. events, social, etc.).
- Manage the strategy and play a connecting role across marcomms for 1-2 firm-wide priorities (e.g. AI) that are highly aligned with brand strategy and important for ZS business success.
- Collaborate with creative to manage the strategy for our visual brand identity, develop and evolve templates and design systems, and help enforce through reviews of high-visibility marketing materials.
- Partner with ZS Impact Institute, reputation (media relations, analyst relations) and other marcomms functions ensure thought leadership strengthens ZS's brand equity, credibility and market differentiation.
- Partner with the employer brand team to ensure alignment between recruitment and corporate campaigns and target experience.
- Work with content and digital teams to establish standards for AI-assisted content creation and leverage AI-enabled marketing capabilities while protecting brand compliance, trust and authenticity.
- Manage and engage with agencies as needed for various brand efforts and executions (creative, media/campaign, etc.).
- Define and manage a comprehensive brand measurement framework in partnership with analytics, t racking awareness, consideration, reputation, engagement, share of voice, thought leadership performance and brand contribution to business outcomes.
- Translate data into strategic recommendations for leadership.
- Lead and develop a team of 1-2 brand professionals while influencing cross-functional teams and stakeholders across the firm to advance brand priorities.
What you'll bring:
- Bachelor's degree required, marketing or focused preferred, MBA preferred
- Minimum 10 years of experience in marketing and communications
- General brand management experience
- Experience leading enterprise brand strategy, governance and positioning in a complex organization
- Experience managing people and agencies
- Brand architecture and strategy
- Cross-functional project leadership
- Strategic thinking
- Brand analytics and measurement
- Global matrix leadership; executive partnering and collaboration
- Written and oral presentations skills
- Key initiative planning and execution
- Marketing strategy, planning and execution
- Market and audience insights
- AI-enabled marketing and content governance
- Business analysis
- Fluency in English
- Client-first mentality
- Intense work ethic
- Collaborative spirit and problem-solving approach
How you'll grow:
- Cross-functional skills development & custom learning pathways
- Milestone training programs aligned to career progression opportunities
- Internal mobility paths that empower growth via s-curves, individual contribution and role expansions
Perks & Benefits:
At ZS, your growth matters. We offer a comprehensive total rewards package that supports your health and well-being, financial future, time away, and professional development. With robust skills-building programs, multiple career progression paths, internal mobility, and a deeply collaborative culture, you'll have the opportunity to do meaningful work, expand your capabilities, and thrive as part of a global community. For details on total rewards in United States , visit ZS US office locations | Where we work | ZS .
Hybrid working model:
We are committed to giving our employees a flexible and connected way of working. A flexible and connected ZS allows us to combine work from home and on-site presence at clients/ZS offices for the majority of our week. The magic of ZS culture and innovation thrives in both planned and spontaneous face-to-face connections.
Travel:
Travel is a requirement at ZS for client facing ZSers; business needs of your project and client are the priority. While some projects may be local, all client-facing ZSers should be prepared to travel as needed. Travel provides opportunities to strengthen client relationships, gain diverse experiences, and enhance professional growth by working in different environments and cultures.
Considering applying?
At ZS, we honor the visible and invisible elements of our identities, personal experiences, and belief systems-the ones that comprise us as individuals, shape who we are, and make us unique. We believe your personal interests, identities, and desire to learn are integral to your success here. We are committed to building a team that reflects a broad variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. Learn more about our inclusion and belonging efforts and the networks ZS supports to assist our ZSers in cultivating community spaces and obtaining the resources they need to thrive.
If you're eager to grow, contribute, and bring your unique self to our work, we encourage you to apply.
ZS is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing equal employment and advancement opportunities without regard to any class protected by applicable law.
Work Authorization:
This position is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Candidates must have authorization to work in the United States that does not now or in the future require employer sponsorship.
To complete your application:
An on-line application, including a full set of transcripts (official or unofficial), is required to be considered.
NO AGENCY CALLS, PLEASE.
Find Out More At:
www.zs.com
Salary: $170,000.00 - $186,500.00
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree (marketing or related)
- MBA
- Minimum 10 years of experience in marketing and communications
- General brand management experience
- Experience leading enterprise brand strategy, governance and positioning in a complex organization
- Experience managing people and agencies
- Brand architecture and naming frameworks experience
- Cross-functional project leadership
- Strategic thinking
- Brand analytics and measurement experience
- Global matrix leadership and executive partnering
- Written and oral presentation skills
- Initiative planning and execution
- Marketing strategy, planning and execution
- Market and audience insights
- AI-enabled marketing and content governance experience
- Business analysis
- Fluency in English
- Client-first mentality
- Collaborative spirit and problem-solving approach
- Ability to lead and develop a small team (1-2 direct reports)
What We Do
ZS is a management consulting and technology firm that partners with companies to improve life and how we live it. We transform ideas into impact by bringing together data, science, technology and human ingenuity to deliver better outcomes for all. Founded in 1983, ZS has more than 15,000+ employees in over 40 offices worldwide.
Why Work With Us
ZS is home to passionate people who embrace innovative thinking, collaboration and a client-first mindset. Welcome to a company where new ideas are celebrated, curiosity is welcomed, learning opportunities are abundant and colleagues become lifelong connections.
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ZS Teams
ZS Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
The Flexible & Connected model is our ZS standard. ZSers decide where it makes the most sense for them to work each day given client or teamwork.













































































