Marketing Director

Established in 2013 and based out of Columbus, Ohio, Rise Brands is a highly collaborative organization with clearly defined core values. We develop edgy, immersive consumer engagements and bring them to life through unique brand experiences, such as 16-Bit Bar and Arcade, Pins Mechanical Company, and No Soliciting, a members-only speak-easy club.

Rise Brands is looking for a hands-on Marketing Director to set the direction for how our brands show up, then turn that direction into relevant campaigns and local experiences across our venue portfolio. This leader will connect the corporate office, external agency partners, creative and social teams, and venue leaders so that brand strategy is clear, work is coordinated, and each location has a meaningful place in its community.

The role balances enterprise brand building with practical field execution. The Director will own the marketing plan and operating rhythm, guide agency work, equip local teams to activate, and use results to improve what we do next.

• Set and maintain the marketing strategy for each brand, translating business priorities and guest insights into clear audiences, positioning, messages, campaign priorities, and channel roles.
• Build and own the annual marketing calendar, including seasonal campaigns, evergreen offers, programming, openings, product and menu launches, and market-specific opportunities.
• Recommend annual budgets and allocate spend against agreed priorities; bring clear business cases and tradeoffs to leadership for approval.

• Serve as the primary day-to-day liaison between external agency partners and the Rise Brands corporate office. Set briefs, timelines, decision owners, and review expectations; make sure agency work reflects business goals and brand direction.
• Lead planning and performance conversations with agency partners, including PR and paid media/search support as assigned. Coordinate internal inputs, approvals, assets, and follow-through so work moves on time.
• Keep executives and cross-functional partners informed on plans, decisions, risks, and results; elevate choices that require leadership direction.

• Build a practical local marketing approach for every venue market, with activations and partnerships shaped by local guests, calendars, organizations, and neighborhood needs.
• Create repeatable ways for venue leaders and a cross-functional marketing committee to surface local ideas and help execute them, with clear briefs, budgets, owners, toolkits, and approval steps.
• Develop relationships with local businesses, nonprofits, tourism groups, schools, sports and entertainment organizations, creators, and community event organizers.
• Plan and support in-market activations, partnerships, events, promotions, and community programs; travel regularly to venues and attend key activations as needed.

• Lead integrated campaigns that support walk-in traffic, event sales, programming, guest spend, awareness, and retention, in partnership with Operations and Event Sales.
• Partner with creative and social teams to deliver useful, on-brand assets for venues and corporate channels, with clear content expectations and review processes.
• Protect consistency in brand voice and guest experience while making room for local relevance. Ensure venue teams receive timely, usable instructions and materials.

• Tracks the competitive landscape, cultural and category trends, and economic conditions that affect guest behavior, then adjusts plans and spend accordingly.
• Set objectives and measurement plans before campaigns launch.…