Brand Director

Brand Director

Born in a humble shed on the back-forty of the family vineyard, Firestone Walker is a California beer company like no other – founded by two brothers-in-law who simply wanted to make the perfect beer. Now a regional craft brewery, our singular purpose remains – to craft the world's best beers. Passionately in pursuit of the perfect beer… and never satisfied.

The Brand Director for Firestone Beer and Cali Squeeze serves as the business leader responsible for the long term growth, performance, and stewardship of the Firestone and Cali Squeeze brands and portfolio of beers including but not limited to Cali Squeeze, Mind Haze, DBA, Pivo, Union Jack, and specialty brands.

This role is responsible for developing and executing strategies that drive long term brand health, commercial growth, and profitability. The Brand Director works cross functionally across Marketing, Sales, Brewing, Operations, Finance, Creative, Digital, Shopper Marketing, Public Relations, and Executive Leadership to ensure the brand delivers against both consumer and business objectives.

At Firestone Walker Brewing Company, we believe great brands are built on exceptional beer, meaningful consumer connections, and disciplined commercial execution. Our brands are rooted in brewing excellence and brought to life through the people, places, and occasions where beer plays a role in culture and community.

The Brand Director is accountable for brand strategy, portfolio management, innovation, commercial planning, consumer marketing, budget management, and business performance. More than a marketing role, this position requires ownership of the brand's long term growth and success.

Brand Directors are expected to think and operate like owners, making decisions that strengthen brand equity, improve retailer and wholesaler confidence, support operational excellence, and drive sustainable business growth.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead annual and long range brand strategies aligned with company goals and business objectives.
• Serve as the primary steward and internal champion of the brand.
• Define and evolve brand positioning, architecture, target consumers, and growth opportunities.
• Ensure consistent and authentic brand expression across all consumer touchpoints.
• Establish clear priorities and align cross functional teams around brand objectives.
• Present strategic recommendations and business updates to executive leadership.

Commercial Planning & Business Performance:

• Partner closely with Sales Leadership to develop integrated commercial plans that support distribution growth, rate of sale, and market share objectives.
• Analyze shipments, depletions, scan data, distribution trends, pricing performance, and profitability to identify opportunities and risks.
• Monitor competitive activity and category trends to inform strategic decisions.
• Support annual planning, forecasting, and business review processes.
• Develop plans that balance short term performance with long term brand health.

Portfolio & Innovation Management:

• Lead portfolio strategy and product lifecycle management across assigned brands.
• Identify opportunities to improve focus, simplify complexity, and optimize portfolio performance.
• Evaluate innovation opportunities through consumer, commercial, operational, and financial lenses.
• Partner with Brewing, Operations, Quality, and Finance teams to assess and launch new products.
• Manage product launches from concept through commercialization and post launch evaluation.

Consumer Marketing:

• Lead development of integrated marketing plans across paid, earned, owned, social, digital, experiential, and retail channels.
• Partner with Creative teams to develop campaigns, packaging, content, and brand experiences that strengthen consumer connection and drive business results.
• Manage agency relationships and external partners as required.
• Establish objectives and key performance indicators for marketing programs.
• Evaluate program effectiveness and recommend optimizations based on performance.

Retail & Distributor Engagement:

• Partner with Sales and Shopper Marketing teams to develop customer and channel specific strategies.
• Participate in distributor meetings, customer presentations, market visits, and industry events.
• Build strong relationships with key distributors, retailers, and industry partners.
• Ensure brand plans translate effectively into retail execution and consumer demand generation.
• Support the development of tools, programs, and assets that improve marketplace execution.

Financial Management:

• Develop and manage annual brand budgets.
• Evaluate investment decisions through return on investment and business impact measures.
• Partner with Finance to manage forecasting, planning, and budget allocation.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness of brand investments.

Cross Functional Leadership:

• Lead cross functional teams in support of brand initiatives and business objectives.
• Build strong partnerships across Marketing, Sales, Brewing, Operations, Finance, and Executive Leadership.
• Drive accountability, alignment, and execution across multiple stakeholders.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, ownership, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or related field.
• Seven or more years of experience in brand management, marketing, commercial strategy, or general management within consumer packaged goods, beverage alcohol, lifestyle brands, or related industries.
• Demonstrated success managing brands with measurable business impact.
• Experience leading cross functional initiatives and influencing stakeholders across multiple departments.
• Experience managing budgets, business planning, and marketing investments.

Knowledge & Skills:

• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen.
• Understanding of consumer behavior, brand building, and commercial planning.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to balance creativity with business performance.
• Strong organizational and project management capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast paced environment.
• Passion for quality, craftsmanship, consumer culture, and the beverage industry.

What Firestone Walker Offers:

• Employee discount of 50% off food, beer, and merchandise
• Periodic beer giveaways for employees 21+
• Flexible Savings Account (FSA)
• Paid Sick Leave
• 401(k) retirement plan including company paid profit sharing & 4% safe-harbor matching
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.

Firestone Walker is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any protected class.