Who We AreWe are a team of agency veterans, startup nerds, former political operatives, and craigslist enthusiasts. Our people are trusted by the biggest brands in the world to turn their message into an experience. We have worked with tech giants, major non-profits, issue/advocacy campaigns and national media outlets. Our team works hard and smart. We care about each other and our clients. An agency can only succeed if it has the information it needs to make smart business decisions, which is why we need talented people like you to help us continue to grow.What's the Job?The Director of Brand Merchandise will lead the growth and day-to-day operations of our brand merchandise team. The Director of Brand Merchandise will play an important role in the agency by crafting the experience the rest of the agency and clients have with branded merchandise.You will lead a team that believes branded merchandise shouldn't be a collection of products, but rather an extension and reflection of a client's brand. We work to ensure the merchandise we are providing is a strategic part of holistic marketing efforts and fits seamlessly into our client's broader narrative. We're a team of problem solvers who thrive in the last-minute crunch and consistently achieve the seemingly impossible, scaling and adjusting orders at a moment's notice. We deliver innovative ideas that turn heads. You will grow our already deep subject matter expertise and understanding of the product industry ensures that we're always on the cutting edge of what is possible. You always think outside the box, and when you hit a roadblock, you re-engineer the supply chain to produce what others often cannot.Your day-to-day will include managing and diving in with the team to execute projects, weaving current trends and high quality items into proposals and templates, and building and growing strong supplier relationships. You have measurable business acumen as well as inside sales experience, proven leadership and management skills.Essential Job Responsibilities Work direct with suppliers to understand and stay current on industry & merchandise trends Develop promotional products programs for new corporate clients driven by technology, quality and speed Lead and support the Brand Merchandise team on a myriad of projects, with an emphasis on order processing, creating proposals, and exceptional client services Interact directly with clients and other teams on initial project inquiries, including product recommendation, sourcing options, and quoting, and maintain communications through order creation and final delivery Negotiation of supplier pricing that supports both our brand/customer needs and delivers upon our margin goals Must have the ability to understand current market trends and buying psychology with a focus on retail quality promotional products Build a highly satisfied and high performing team through effective team engagement, leadership development and skill building Help develop and track monthly, quarterly and annual objectives and key results aligned with organizational objectives Provide product, merchandising, and trend insight to help Leadership Team set company priorities, growth strategies, and competitive responses Continuously develop/refine operational systems Monitor competition and react to marketplace pricing requirements to achieve both sales & margin targets Attend trade shows to stay in tune with new product lines/offerings/design processes Requirements Resourceful attitude and a relentless work ethic Bachelor's Degree minimum. 5+ years of proven experience in the promotional products and/or ad specialty industry User experience with CommonSku, ESP, SAGE and/or Distributor Central Tech savvy with an advanced understanding of a variety of applications Ability to demonstrate past success in developing and executing a large scale promotional merchandise programs You must be able to show that you've played a crucial role in profitably of a growing organization Ability to prioritize and multitask while meeting deadlines each day Strong written and verbal communication skills Team-minded individual who handles deadlines, is self-motivated and looks to grow their skills Willingness to 'do what it takes' to contribute to the success of a growing business Benefits Collaborative and creative work environment with opportunities for growth and mentorship Competitive base salaries with team-based bonuses 100% coverage of health, dental, and vision insurance for all employees Commuter benefits Free food. Stocked fridge, nitro cold brew coffee, weekly team lunch and dogs Unlimited vacation policy with approval Advoc8 is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, marital status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.