Are you a transformational marketing leader who thrives in a fast‑paced retail environment?
Runnings is seeking a Head of Marketing to serve as the company’s most senior marketing leader, defining enterprise marketing strategy and driving growth across stores and digital commerce. This leadership role shapes how Runnings connects with customers across all channels, accelerating store and ecommerce performance while positioning marketing as a core driver of revenue, customer loyalty, and long‑term brand value.
Reporting to the President and serving as a key member of the senior leadership team, this role establishes marketing vision, strategic priorities, and performance accountability. This role oversees brand and performance marketing, promotional strategy, creative, social media, digital marketing, and loyalty and CRM, while providing strategic leadership for ecommerce growth in close partnership with IT and Operations.
Key ResponsibilitiesMarketing Strategy and Customer Growth- Lead integrated marketing strategies that drive brand awareness, store traffic, and ecommerce growth.
- Define and evolve the company’s target customer, value proposition, and brand positioning.
- Translate business priorities into annual marketing roadmaps, seasonal plans, and investment priorities.
- Ensure marketing strategies support both short‑term performance and long‑term brand equity.
- Own marketing performance management, including KPI frameworks, dashboards, and ROI modeling.
- Leverage customer, sales, and merchandising insights to inform strategic decision making.
- Serve as the marketing leader in cross functional planning discussions.
- Lead and manage agency relationships supporting media, digital marketing, and technical partners.
- Define the role of ecommerce within the overall Runnings customer experience.
- Align performance marketing, site experience, loyalty, and store operations to deliver a seamless omnichannel journey.
- Champion the use of first‑party customer data, personalization, and CRM to increase conversion, retention, and lifetime value.
- Partner with the Ecommerce Manager and IT Director to establish a long-term digital commerce roadmap.
- Lead and develop marketing and ecommerce teams with clear priorities and accountability.
- Modernize marketing capabilities across digital marketing, analytics, and customer engagement.
- Build a culture of collaboration, ownership, and continuous improvement.
- Develop future marketing leaders and establish scalable processes to support growth.
- 12+ years of progressive marketing leadership experience, preferably within retail.
- Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
- Demonstrated driving customer growth and revenue through integrated marketing strategies.
- Deep understanding of performance marketing, CRM, loyalty, and data‑driven marketing.
- Proven experience leading teams and influencing cross‑functional stakeholders.
- Strong strategic thinking and ability to translate business priorities into marketing plans.
- Experience managing complex agency ecosystems and large marketing budgets.
- Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast‑paced, multi‑location retail environment.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast paced retail environment.
- Sustained growth in store traffic, ecommerce revenue, and customer acquisition.
- Consistent, high‑quality execution of campaigns across all channels.
- Improved customer engagement, loyalty, and lifetime value.
- Clear visibility into marketing performance and ROI.
- Strong alignment between Marketing, Merchandising, Store Operations, and Digital teams.
- Office and retail store settings.
- Occasional overnight travel and air travel required.
- Frequent use of computers and digital tools.
At Runnings, we’re more than just a retail company—we’re a community. We believe in empowering our team to think boldly, act with purpose, and make a meaningful impact. If you're ready to lead with vision and drive growth through innovation, we’d love to hear from you.
Apply Today and help shape the future of Runnings.
Equal Opportunity EmployerThis employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.
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What We Do
We are Runnings, your home, farm and outdoor store, with 57 stores and over 2700 employees. To view job opportunities currently open across our company, visit www.runnings.com/careers. We are a highly successful, rapidly growing family-owned, general merchandise retail company. And, we want you to join our team. The Runnings story begins on December 5th, 1947, when founder Norman “Red” Running opened the first store in downtown Marshall, Minnesota. Runnings started as an automotive supply store, but quickly expanded its product mix to sell farm and fleet equipment and supplies. The company would continue on a slow path of growth until 1988 when a group involving Dennis and Adele Reed purchased the company. Under the Reed’s leadership, Runnings has grown from 8 stores in 2 states to 56 stores in 8 states including Minnesota, South Dakota, Iowa, Connecticut, North Dakota, Montana, New York and New Hampshire. Over the past 6 decades, Runnings has not only changed in store count, but the selection of products our stores sell. We work very hard to offer a fair price on quality, durable and trusted merchandise including clothing, footwear, automotive, sporting goods, farm supplies, lawn and garden, toys, housewares, tools, pet and animal supplies and more. The Runnings team is now over 2,700 strong and the company continues to call Marshall home to its corporate office and flagship store. The company has undergone incredible change over the years, but one thing that will never be compromised is owner Dennis and Adele Reed’s commitment to serving the needs of our customers. We are Runnings, your home, farm and outdoor store.
