Marketing & Creative Manager (Bend)

Company Overview

BlackStrap is a Bend, Oregon based outdoor apparel brand founded in 2008. We design and manufacture premium, technically advanced mountain lifestyle gear—balaclavas, base layers, neck gaiters, hoods, and protective activewear—for skiing, snowboarding, and year-round outdoor pursuits. Committed to innovation, performance, and reliability, we empower adventurers through a balanced approach: thriving DTC e-commerce and strong partnerships with specialty retailers nationwide.

Mission: The Purpose of the Job

Bring BlackStrap’s brand vision to life through compelling creative, authentic storytelling, and effective marketing execution. Deliver integrated initiatives that strengthen the brand within ski and snowboard culture, support wholesale partners, and drive consumer demand. Translate brand strategy and product innovation into consistent, relevant creative across retail and digital touchpoints. Connect with the core rider first while extending relevance to the broader winter sports market.

Compensation range based on experience:  $75,000 - $85,000

Core Accountabilities: Key Outputs & Measurements

Six principal responsibilities, with weighted outcomes and measures of success.

1. Creative Direction & Brand Content (25%)

Goal: Deliver compelling, consistent, culturally relevant creative across channels.

Subtasks:

• Lead day-to-day creative development across brand and marketing touchpoints.
• Direct internal graphic design resources and external photographers, videographers, freelancers, and agencies.
• Oversee seasonal campaigns, photography, video, advertising, digital content, and collateral.
• Translate brand strategy into creative briefs and production plans.
• Maintain visual identity, tone, messaging, and product storytelling standards.

Performance Criteria:

• Creative quality and consistency with approved brand standards.
• Seasonal asset delivery on time and within budget.
• Effective utilization and oversight of creative resources.

2. Integrated Marketing & Go-To-Market Planning (25%)

Goal: Shape and execute insight-led seasonal campaigns and product launches that support wholesale and DTC goals.

Subtasks:

• Build seasonal GTM plans informed by consumer insights, market opportunities, product priorities, and commercial goals.
• Recommend campaign concepts, audience priorities, messaging, and channel approaches in partnership with the VP of Brand & Product.
• Translate approved GTM plans into integrated briefs, campaigns, and channel-specific deliverables.
• Partner with Product, Sales, and E-commerce to align product stories, launch timing, and channel execution.
• Assess campaign results and apply learnings to future seasonal planning.

Performance Criteria:

• On-time achievement of seasonal GTM milestones.
• Clear, strategically grounded GTM plans and effective cross-functional launch execution.
• Reach, engagement, traffic, and conversion against agreed campaign goals.

3. Social Media & Brand Engagement (15%)

Goal: Build cultural relevance and engagement with the winter sports community.

Subtasks:

• Own organic social content planning, publishing cadence, and community engagement.
• Create authentic ski and snowboard storytelling aligned with seasonal initiatives.
• Coordinate content from athletes, ambassadors, creators, and external partners.
• Identify relevant trends and activation opportunities.
• Track channel performance and refine the content mix.

Performance Criteria:

• Audience engagement, qualified growth, and video/content performance.
• Consistent, timely publishing and high-quality brand content.
• Meaningful athlete, ambassador, and community integration.

4. Wholesale & Retail Marketing (15%)

Goal: Equip sales and retail partners with tools and programs that support sell-in and sell-through.

Subtasks:

• Develop catalogs, sell sheets, product presentations, and dealer-facing assets.
• Support retail merchandising, POP, store presentation, and dealer activations.
• Coordinate wholesale marketing with Sales and Product.
• Support trade shows, dealer events, sales meetings, and industry activations.
• Maintain brand consistency across retail touchpoints.

Performance Criteria:

• Accuracy, quality, and timely delivery of wholesale materials.
• Sales and retailer feedback on effectiveness.
• Successful execution of assigned trade and retail initiatives.

5. Marketing Operations, Project Management & Budgeting (10%)

Goal: Keep creative and marketing programs efficient, on time, and on budget.

Subtasks:

• Maintain project workflows, production schedules, and clear task ownership.
• Track deadlines, capacity, and progress against approved GTM milestones.
• Manage external vendors and assigned marketing/creative budgets.
• Organize brand assets, documentation, and work-in-progress.
• Explore useful AI and production tools to improve efficiency.

Performance Criteria:

• Project completion against timeline and budget.
• Efficient use of internal and external resources.
• Improved workflow visibility and follow-through.

6. Cross-Functional Collaboration & Culture (10%)

Goal: Contribute to a collaborative, accountable team that prioritizes the brand and business.

Subtasks:

• Work with Product, Sales, E-commerce, and Operations on shared initiatives.
• Communicate priorities, status, risks, and next steps clearly.
• Proactively resolve execution bottlenecks and suggest improvements.
• Contribute ideas informed by ski and snowboard culture and category experience.
• Represent BlackStrap professionally with partners and industry contacts.

Performance Criteria:

• Positive cross-functional feedback and reliable follow-through.
• Strong communication and proactive problem solving.
• Effective contribution to company priorities and team culture.

Working Relationships

Key Internal Relationships: VP Brand & Product, Product, Sales, E-commerce, Operations, Design

Key External Relationships: Photographers, Videographers, Freelancers, Athletes, Ambassadors, Retailers

Physical Environment: Primarily onsite in a climate-controlled Bend office. Some travel for content production, trade shows, events, and industry activations.

Experience Requirements:

Education & Industry Exposure

REQUIRED: Minimum 5 years of professional experience in the ski, snowboard, or winter sports industry.

REQUIRED: Genuine enthusiasm for skiing and/or snowboarding and an authentic connection to mountain culture and the core rider community.

Working knowledge of winter sports consumers, specialty retail, brands, and category trends.

Proven experience in marketing or creative roles, including seasonal GTM planning and integrated campaigns.

Experience with wholesale and DTC consumer brands preferred.

Relevant professional experience and demonstrated ability are valued; bachelor’s degree is a plus, not required.

Technical Background

• Experience directing creative projects and managing designers, agencies, and external production partners.

• Working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud; social media content and scheduling platforms.

• Familiarity with Shopify, Klaviyo, analytics, and project management tools preferred.

• Photography and videography skills, including shooting, editing, and content production, are a plus.

• Strong project management, communication, and analytical skills.

• Comfortable directing creative work and contributing hands-on when needed.

• Proficiency with collaborative project tools, digital marketing platforms, and creative production workflows.

Overall Goal

Drive strategic go-to-market planning and creative excellence that bring BlackStrap’s brand and products to life. Translate consumer insights, market opportunities, and business priorities into compelling seasonal campaigns, authentic storytelling, and cohesive marketing initiatives. Elevate the quality, consistency, and impact of creative across all brand touchpoints while strengthening our connection with the core winter sports community, supporting wholesale and DTC growth, and delivering measurable business results.

How To Apply

To apply for the Marketing & Creative Manager role, please submit your resume along with a cover letter . In your cover letter, please be sure to tell us why you want to work for BlackStrap and your experience with the outdoor industry and mountain culture.