Director, Brand Marketing

📌 Core Information

🔹 Job Title: Director, Brand Marketing

🔹 Company: Consumer Reports

🔹 Location: Yonkers, NY

🔹 Job Type: Full-Time, Hybrid (1 day per week on-site)

🔹 Category: Marketing

🔹 Date Posted: June 4, 2025

🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years

🔹 Remote Status: On-site with hybrid flexibility

🚀 Job Overview

Key aspects of this role include:

• Leading brand strategy and creative implementation for Consumer Reports
• Developing integrated campaigns to enhance brand awareness and engagement
• Collaborating with marketing and product teams to ensure alignment
• Managing creative and media agencies to achieve business goals
• Partnering with the organic social media team to expand audience and deepen engagement

ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic and creative mindset, with a strong focus on data-driven decision making and cross-functional collaboration.

📋 Key Responsibilities

✅ Serve as the lead brand strategist, driving positioning and messaging across the organization

✅ Lead overall creative strategy and implementation, including owning creative agency relationships and partnering with internal brand design team and marketing teams to ensure alignment

✅ Lead overall full funnel media strategy and implementation

✅ Develop and execute integrated brand campaign efforts that drive awareness and familiarity of the CR brand, especially among audiences in the 35-54 age group

✅ Partner with the organic social media team in pursuit of expanding our audience and deepening engagement while driving orders, donations, and petition signatures

✅ Understand competitive landscape and industry trends to inform CR’s brand strategy

✅ Collaborate with Product Marketing on membership value proposition

✅ Partner with Communications and Content on planning and executing key public facing moments to advance CR’s brand positioning and strength

✅ Partner with research team on biannual brand tracking study, collaborating on execution and socialization of findings with senior leadership and the board

✅ Support Chief Marketing Officer on enterprise level strategy projects

ASSUMPTION: This role involves a high degree of strategic planning and execution, with a strong focus on data analysis and interpretation to drive brand success.

🎯 Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field. Advanced degree preferred.

Experience: 10+ years of experience, including in strategic leadership positions that involve stewardship of a brand or portfolio of products. Experience in brand transformation, especially with regard to a legacy brand that aims to reach younger audiences, is highly desirable.

Required Skills:

• Proven track record of driving long-term financial value, brand transformation, and brand health (e.g., awareness, affinity, consideration)
• Experience with b2c subscription products, including a membership offering
• Extensive experience with social media marketing, including evolving a company’s social media strategy over time
• Proven ability to manage creative and media agencies effectively to achieve business goals
• Experience leading and executing successful and large-scale brand and integrated campaigns, including media-supported as well as earned media-driven programs
• Proven ability to use data to drive business decisions, specifically media performance, primary research, CAC / LTV
• Experience working cross-functionally with product and content teams
• Proven ability to manage and develop staff

Preferred Skills:

• Knowledge of media planning
• Knowledge of brand tracking approaches and best practices

ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will have a strong background in brand marketing, with a proven track record of driving brand success in a complex and evolving market.

💰 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $220,000 - $240,000 per year

Benefits:

• Medical Benefits
• Behavioral Health Coverage
• Family Planning
• 401K Match

Working Hours: Full-time (40 hours per week)

ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is a target range and may vary based on the candidate’s particular combination of knowledge, skills, competencies, and experience.

📌 Applicant Insights

🔍 Company Context

Industry: Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. They do this by fighting to put consumers’ needs first in the marketplace and by empowering them with the trusted knowledge they depend on to make better, more informed choices.

Company Size: Consumer Reports has 501-1,000 employees, providing a mid-sized company environment with opportunities for collaboration and growth.

Founded: 1936, with a rich history and established reputation in the consumer advocacy space.

Company Description:

• Consumer Reports is committed to fair, transparent pay and strives to provide competitive, market-informed compensation.
• The organization is dedicated to creating a just and inclusive workplace, with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Consumer Reports offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical benefits, behavioral health coverage, family planning, and a generous 401K match.

Company Specialties:

• Nonprofit
• Testing
• Publisher
• Consumer Journalism and Advocacy
• Data
• Research
• and Innovation

Company Website: www.consumerreports.org

ASSUMPTION: Consumer Reports is a well-established organization with a strong commitment to its mission and values, providing a stable and supportive work environment for its employees.

📊 Role Analysis

Career Level: This role is at the senior leadership level, with the opportunity to make a significant impact on the organization's brand strategy and marketing efforts.

Reporting Structure: The Director, Brand Marketing will report directly to the Chief Marketing Officer and work closely with various teams across the organization, including marketing, product, and content teams.

Work Arrangement: This is a hybrid position, with the expectation that the individual will work out of the office approximately once per week.

Growth Opportunities:

• Potential to advance to a VP or Chief Marketing Officer role with demonstrated success in the Director position
• Opportunities to lead and mentor junior marketing team members, fostering professional growth and development
• Chance to gain experience working with a diverse range of stakeholders, including consumers, partners, and internal teams

ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant opportunities for career growth and development, with the potential to make a lasting impact on the organization's brand and marketing efforts.

🌍 Location & Work Environment

Office Type: Consumer Reports has a modern, professional office environment, with a mix of open and private workspaces to facilitate collaboration and focus.

Office Location(s): 101 Truman Ave, Yonkers, NY 10703, US

Geographic Context:

• Yonkers is located in Westchester County, New York, approximately 15 miles north of Manhattan
• The area offers a mix of urban and suburban living, with easy access to New York City via public transportation
• Yonkers is home to a diverse population, with a rich cultural scene and numerous recreational opportunities

Work Schedule: The work schedule for this hybrid role is expected to be Monday through Friday, with the option to work remotely for most of the week, with the exception of one day per week on-site.

ASSUMPTION: The work environment at Consumer Reports is designed to be collaborative, inclusive, and supportive, with a focus on work-life balance and employee well-being.

💼 Interview & Application Insights

Typical Process:

• Initial phone or video screen with the HR team
• In-depth behavioral interview with the hiring manager and/or other team members
• Final interview with senior leadership, including the Chief Marketing Officer
• Background check and reference check

Key Assessment Areas:

• Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
• Creativity and innovation in brand marketing
• Data analysis and interpretation skills
• Leadership and management skills, including the ability to mentor and develop staff
• Collaboration and communication skills, with a focus on cross-functional teamwork

Application Tips:

• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
• Be prepared to discuss your approach to brand strategy, campaign development, and data-driven decision making
• Demonstrate your understanding of Consumer Reports' mission and values, and how your skills and experience align with the organization's goals
• Prepare questions to ask the interviewers about the role, the team, and the organization to showcase your interest and engagement

ATS Keywords: Brand Strategy, Creative Strategy, Media Strategy, Integrated Campaigns, Social Media Marketing, Data-Driven Decision Making, Cross-Functional Collaboration, People Management, Brand Transformation, Audience Engagement, Membership Marketing, Brand Health, Competitive Analysis, Public Relations, Brand Architecture, Positioning

ASSUMPTION: The interview process at Consumer Reports is designed to be comprehensive and thorough, with a focus on finding the best fit for both the candidate and the organization.

🛠️ Tools & Technologies

• Marketing automation platforms (e.g., HubSpot, Marketo)
• Social media management tools (e.g., Hootsuite, Sprout Social)
• Data analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Tableau)
• Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)
• Creative design tools (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite, Sketch)

ASSUMPTION: The tools and technologies required for this role are industry-standard and widely used in marketing and branding. Familiarity with these tools is expected, with the opportunity to learn and develop new skills as needed.

👔 Cultural Fit Considerations

Company Values:

• Consumer-focused
• Inclusive and equitable
• Data-driven and evidence-based
• Collaborative and supportive
• Adaptable and innovative

Work Style:

• Strategic and creative
• Data-driven and analytical
• Collaborative and inclusive
• Adaptable and responsive to change
• Focused on continuous learning and improvement

Self-Assessment Questions:

• How do you approach understanding and addressing the needs of diverse consumer groups?
• Can you provide an example of a time when you successfully led a team through a significant organizational change or transformation?
• How do you stay up-to-date with industry trends and best practices in brand marketing, and how do you apply this knowledge to your work?

ASSUMPTION: Consumer Reports values candidates who are passionate about their mission, committed to their values, and eager to make a positive impact on the organization and its consumers.

⚠️ Potential Challenges

• Balancing the needs of a legacy brand with the desire to reach younger audiences
• Managing a complex and evolving media landscape, including social media, connected TV, and out-of-home advertising
• Working with multiple stakeholders, including consumers, partners, and internal teams, to align on brand strategy and messaging
• Managing a team and mentoring junior marketing team members while also driving strategic and creative initiatives

ASSUMPTION: The challenges associated with this role are significant but surmountable, with the right candidate and a strong support system in place.

📈 Similar Roles Comparison

• This role is similar to a VP of Brand Marketing or Chief Marketing Officer position, with a focus on brand strategy, campaign development, and data-driven decision making
• Unlike other roles in the industry, this position is within a nonprofit organization, with a focus on consumer advocacy and empowerment
• Career path comparison: This role can lead to a VP or Chief Marketing Officer position, with the potential to transition into a Chief Executive Officer or other senior leadership role within the organization

ASSUMPTION: This role offers a unique opportunity to apply marketing and branding skills in a nonprofit setting, with a focus on driving social impact and change.

📝 Sample Projects

• Developing and executing a comprehensive brand audit and refresh, including positioning, messaging, and visual identity
• Launching a new membership program, including value proposition development, marketing strategy, and campaign execution
• Creating and implementing a social media strategy that drives audience growth, engagement, and conversions

ASSUMPTION: These sample projects are designed to showcase the breadth and depth of the responsibilities associated with this role, with a focus on brand strategy, campaign development, and data-driven decision making.

❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview

• Can you describe the current state of the CR brand, and what are the key priorities for the incoming Director of Brand Marketing?
• How does the marketing team at CR collaborate with other departments, such as product and content, to ensure alignment and success?
• What are the most significant challenges facing the CR brand, and how has the organization addressed them in the past?
• How does CR approach measuring and analyzing brand health, and how is this information used to inform brand strategy and decision making?
• What opportunities exist for growth and development within the marketing team at CR, and how does the organization support the professional growth of its employees?

ASSUMPTION: Asking thoughtful and insightful questions during the interview process demonstrates your interest in the role and your commitment to driving brand success at Consumer Reports.

📌 Next Steps for Applicants

To apply for this position:

• Submit your application through the Consumer Reports job board
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role, with a focus on brand strategy, campaign development, and data-driven decision making
• Prepare for your interviews by researching Consumer Reports' mission, values, and brand, and be ready to discuss your approach to brand marketing and your fit with the organization
• Follow up with the hiring manager after your interview to express your interest in the role and reiterate your qualifications
• If selected for the final round, be prepared to present a strategic brand marketing plan or campaign concept, showcasing your ability to drive brand success at Consumer Reports

⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.