Associate Director of Marketing, Global M&M’S Stores

Job Description:

Role Overview 

M&M’S is on a journey to its next phase of transformative growth with a bold vision to double the business. This will be achieved through a "One M&M’S" team approach, designed to fully unlock and amplify the unique ecosystem across our core CPG Brand and Retail business. 

The Associate Director of Marketing, Global M&M’S Stores, plays a pivotal role in positioning our retail stores at the heart of the M&M’S brand experience. This leader will translate global and regional M&M’S brand strategy, campaigns, and product launches into compelling, store-first activations that bring the brand to life in immersive and engaging ways. 

Through the development and deployment of consumer and shopper insights, alongside data-driven media plans, this role will ensure that M&M’S Stores reach the right audiences with the right message at the right time. The key objectives are to drive sustained traffic, deepen consumers’ connections to the brand, drive broader shareability and impact, and establish M&M’S stores as must-visit destinations for both local consumers and global visitors alike. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Lead Activation Planning: Develop and own a forward-looking (1-3year) retail marketing activation plan and roadmap, in partnership with Global / Regional Brand teams and Retail Merchandise team. 

• Retail Innovation & Strategy: Lead the retail store innovation strategy and pipeline (anchored in data/insights, in partnership with Merchandise and R&D), bringing the M&M’S global brand strategy to life through compelling, store-first immersive experiences. 

• Flagship Experience Translation: Drive briefs to translate brand campaigns and product launches into integrated, store-first marketing plans that elevate the in-store experience in partnership with Visual Merchandising and the Experience Team 

• Omnichannel Marketing Integration: Collaborate with MMS.com, regional brand teams, and social teams to build and execute integrated marketing plans that create seamless online-to-offline consumer journeys. 

• Traffic-Driving Media Strategy: Partner with media agencies to design and deploy data-driven paid media strategies that efficiently drive foot traffic and conversion, establishing clear KPIs and attribution models. 

• Performance Management & Insights: Monitor and analyze campaign and traffic performance, translating insights into actionable recommendations to continuously optimize marketing effectiveness. 

• Budget Management: Own and manage the annual advertising and marketing budget, partnering with Finance to track spending and optimize allocation for maximum business impact. 

• Innovation and Test-and-Learn: Champion a culture of experimentation by piloting new, brand-cohesive, traffic-driving tactics, including limited-time experiences, partnerships, and emerging media channels. 

• Experiential & Content Platform Development: Position and drive stores as dynamic content engines by creating shareable, culturally relevant moments that fuel earned media and social amplification. 

• Stakeholder Influence & Alignment: Clearly communicate strategies, results, and learnings to build alignment across senior leadership and cross-functional partners globally. 

Qualifications (Minimum Requirements)

• 6–10+ years of marketing experience, with a primary focus on experiential retail, flagship environments, or branded destination retail 

• Proven track record of in-store activation & programming: Demonstrated experience conceptualizing and executing immersive, store-first experiences, character/IP activations, and interactive consumer touchpoints that drive foot traffic, dwell time, and basket size.

• IP & Partnership Integration: Experience translating high-profile entertainment properties, character franchises, or licensed brand partnerships (e.g., Disney, Marvel, Star Wars) into physical retail activations and merchandising storylines.

• Foot-Traffic & Commercial Growth: Proven success in designing data-driven traffic-driving campaigns (local media, earned PR, influencer, geo-targeted digital) with measurable ROI and conversion impact.

• Matrixed Stakeholder Management: Strong ability to collaborate seamlessly across visual merchandising, retail operations, store design, global brand teams, licensing partners, and external agencies.

• Budget & Commercial Ownership: Hands-on experience managing annual marketing budgets, agency partners, and ROI tracking for multi-location or flagship retail footprints.

Preferred Experience (Differentiators)

• Global Flagship & High-Footprint Retail: Direct experience managing marketing for high-profile global flagships or tourist-destination retail locations.

• Omnichannel & Physical-to-Digital (Phygital) Journeys: Proven capability in connecting in-store experiences with digital platforms (e.g., MMS.com, app integrations, AR/interactive store elements, loyalty, social content generation).

• Earned Media & Content Engine Strategy: Experience turning retail stores into dynamic social content hubs that organically generate press coverage and viral consumer reach.

• CPG-to-Retail Synergy: Experience navigating the intersection between global CPG brand management and brick-and-mortar retail execution.

Success in This Role Looks Like 

• Measurable increases in store traffic, conversion, and revenue driven by marketing initiatives. 

• Seamless and impactful execution of global campaigns within retail environments. 

• Breakthrough in-store experiences that generate earned reach, social amplification, and repeat visitation. 

• Strong integration between brand marketing and retail execution across global markets. 

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.

• Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.

• A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.

• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits. Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.