Marketing Specialist and Brand Manager

Job Title: Marketing Specialist & Brand Manager Department: Marketing FLSA Classification: Hourly, Non-Exempt Date: 08/11/2026 Reports to: Marketing Advisor Travel: Up to 30% Location: 390 East 8th Street, Holland, MI 49423 Work: On-site

POSITION SUMMARY

Russ’ Restaurants is seeking a creative, organized, business-minded Marketing Specialist & Brand Manager to take day-to-day ownership of marketing across our 12 West Michigan restaurants while protecting and advancing a trusted 90+ year brand. This role combines brand leadership, creative development, digital marketing, restaurant support, community engagement, and performance measurement. The successful candidate will think like an owner—honoring Russ’ legacy of quality food, genuine hospitality, community connection, and memorable guest experiences while finding fresh ways to engage longtime guests and new generations. This role must shape our brand strategy and design, while also being genuinely enthusiastic about rolling up their sleeves and handling the small, hands-on execution tasks that keep marketing moving day to day. This role works closely with company leadership, restaurant teams, community partners, and outside vendors. This position reports to the Marketing Advisor, who will remain involved long-term, providing historical brand knowledge, guidance, resources, and final approval on key brand decisions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Brand Strategy & Creative Leadership Lead day-to-day execution of the Russ’ marketing function and maintain a consistent brand voice, visual identity, image, and guest-facing experience across all locations and channels. Develop and execute creative campaigns that increase awareness and guest traffic through digital, social media, email, promotions, community engagement, in-store marketing, and traditional advertising. Create or coordinate high-quality photography, video, reels, graphics, menus, signage, presentations, coupons, table tents, sandwich boards, banners, and other promotional materials, including coverage of food, special features, company events, and retirement celebrations. Maintain and update branded materials such as pricing, offerings, or company information changes, including LTO and seasonal menus, kids’ menus, retail and holiday signage, to-go materials, reusable bags, coupons, gift-card materials, and other brand assets. Digital, Social Media & Email Marketing Own Russ’ social-media presence and content calendar, creating and scheduling timely posts, photography, short-form video, reels, specials, loyalty offers, events, community involvement, holiday content, restaurant initiatives, and brand storytelling. Monitor and professionally respond to marketing-related website, email, and social-media comments and inquiries. Manage Constant Contact email lists and campaigns, including importing Toast loyalty-program addresses; design, schedule, evaluate, and improve promotions and loyalty offers. Create and program approved coupons and promotions in Canva and Toast. Maintain digital road signs at Plainfield and North Muskegon, including weekly promotions and birthday message requests. Marketing Operations & Restaurant Support Develop and distribute the weekly marketing schedule to all restaurants, the Commissary, and company leadership. Ensure store-level marketing materials are accurate, current, properly displayed, and consistent with the marketing schedule and Russ’ brand standards. Regularly visit all 12 locations to complete marketing checklists, support implementation, and maintain brand consistency. Organize, inventory, order, and distribute marketing supplies and materials, including table tents, metal-sign-holder inserts, window clings, sandwich boards, banners, coupons, to-go handouts, signage, swag, mugs, employee wooden-shoe name tags, and promotional items. Design and distribute monthly soup, dessert, and promotional table tents; quarterly soup, dessert, and special-feature schedules; monthly location presentation slides; and special-feature menus. Coordinate operational and promotional signage for holidays, hours, and closures. Community Engagement & Events Build relationships with schools, colleges, nonprofits, community groups, media partners, and other organizations. Manage donation, sponsorship, benefit-week, radio, and community-partnership requests received through the Russ’ website or other channels; present requests to appropriate leaders or the Donation Board and coordinate approved opportunities. Coordinate the Russ’ Reading Rewards Program, including teacher communication, reading logs, and coupons. Coordinate annual and seasonal programs including Toys for Tots, college discount cards, Pie Card sales, and the Spare Change Program. Organize recurring events such as Eastown Bingo Nights, coordinating restaurant needs, materials, and outside vendors including the DJ. Support retirement celebrations, company employee picnics and other company events through setup, photography, and recognition. Reporting, Budget & Vendor Management Prepare and present weekly sales, coupon, promotion, loyalty, and campaign-performance reporting; use data and guest feedback to evaluate results and recommend improvements. Track marketing spending, manage the assigned budget, and identify cost-effective ways to maximize results. Manage productive relationships with printers, designers, media outlets, digital partners, event vendors, promotional-product suppliers, and other outside vendors. Help lead the weekly marketing meeting, including agenda preparation, room setup, and reporting materials. Support the President, Director of Operations, Brand Advisor, and restaurant leadership with marketing-related initiatives and priorities. Seasonal & Annual Projects Coordinate online Thanksgiving and Christmas pie orders, including order tracking, spreadsheets, location communication, and seasonal Pie Card sales. Lead or support annual and seasonal updates to menus, retail and holiday signage, promotional materials, large banners, reusable to-go bags, community programs, and other brand assets. Manage major seasonal and promotional campaigns from planning through execution and follow-up reporting. Qualifications : Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, business, hospitality, or a related field preferred; equivalent relevant experience considered. Three or more years of progressive marketing or brand-management experience preferred; restaurant, hospitality, retail, or agency experience strongly preferred. Demonstrated experience with digital, social-media, email, promotional, and content marketing. Strong creative skills and Canva experience; Adobe Creative Suite, video editing, photography, and other content-creation tools preferred. Ability to interpret marketing, sales, promotion, email, social-media, loyalty, and guest data and turn findings into recommendations. Experience managing budgets, vendors, deadlines, multiple projects, and competing priorities. Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work professionally with executives, restaurant teams, vendors, community partners, and guests. Highly organized, dependable, detail-oriented, collaborative, and able to work independently. Comfortable regularly visiting Russ’ restaurants throughout West Michigan. Valid driver’s license and reliable transportation required. What Success Looks Like The successful candidate will bring energy, ownership, creativity, and sound business judgment to the role—making Russ’ marketing more organized, visible, engaging, and measurable while honoring the traditions and reputation that have made Russ’ a trusted community brand for more than 90 years. Work Environment & Physical Requirements Primarily an office environment involving prolonged computer work, video/phone meetings, and document review. Occasionally lifting up to 15 pounds and traveling to all restaurant locations up to 30%. Standard office equipment includes computers, phone, printer, and copier. Occasional evening or weekend work may be required for restaurant events, photography, community programs, seasonal projects, or major promotions.

DISCLAIMER

This job description is not meant to cover or include all the tasks, duties or responsibilities the employee may be required to perform. Job duties and responsibilities can change at any time, with or without notice. Russ’ Restaurants is an equal opportunity employer. Founded in 1934 and still owned and managed by the same family, Russ’ Restaurant combines the best of a family-friendly diner with classic comfort food and charm. With 12 family-owned locations, we're continually striving to add great members to our team. The quality of our team is our best recipe. It takes more than high-quality ingredients and a hot grill to bring out that warm hospitality that Russ’ is known for. It takes the right kind of person. Someone with an outgoing personality, who treats everyone they meet like an old friend. #J-18808-Ljbffr Workstream