Marketing Manager

Company Description Whalen Furniture has been creating thoughtfully designed furniture since 1991, catering to the diverse needs of customers for home, work, and life. With a focus on style, affordability, and functionality, Whalen offers products that reflect a deep understanding of customer preferences and lifestyles. Every piece is crafted with care to meet various design aesthetics and budgets. At Whalen, innovation and customer-centric design are at the heart of everything we do. Role Description This is a full-time, on-site Marketing Manager role based in San Diego, CA. The Omnichannel Marketing Manager will own the digital path-to-purchase, campaign execution, and sales velocity for Whalen/Livingstyle furniture across major big-box retail partners, including Walmart and Costco. This role is responsible for driving online conversion and in-store traffic by managing high-impact Retail Media Network (RMN) campaigns, writing and optimizing digital shelf content, and executing influencer partnerships. The ideal candidate blends data-driven media buying expertise with strong copywriting, search optimization (SEO), and cross-functional operations to maximize return on ad spend (ROAS) and strengthen retail partner relationships. Key Responsibilities Retail Media & Paid Campaign Management Own RMN Strategies : Develop, execute, and optimize paid search, sponsored product, and display campaigns within Retail Media Networks, specifically Walmart Connect and Costco media platforms. Manage Off-Site Media : Lead off-site programmatic display (e.g., Criteo, CitrusAd) and paid social campaigns strategically engineered to drive traffic to partner product pages (.com). Budget & Co-Op Auditing : Manage the digital co-op marketing budget, continually tracking performance to hit strict ROAS targets, and reconcile monthly retail marketing fund deductions against delivered ad network metrics. Agency & Vendor Oversight : Manage external media agencies, ad platforms, and vendor partners, ensuring campaign execution aligns with inventory availability and retail promotional calendars. Content Optimization, SEO & Copywriting Lead Copywriting & SEO : Write and optimize compelling, search-engine-optimized (SEO) copy for digital campaigns, product descriptions (PDPs), bullet points, and retail marketing materials to maximize organic share of voice (SOV). Keyword & Competitor Research : Conduct retail-specific keyword research and competitive analysis to inform content strategy and ensure maximum search visibility on retail sites. Creative Collaboration : Provide clear copy, search data, and performance briefs to the internal Design Team to ensure visual assets and written content are integrated perfectly for big-box platforms. Brand Governance : Ensure brand voice, messaging consistency, and retailer-specific legal/compliance guidelines are met across all digital communications. Digital Shelf Health & Operations Catalog Syndication : Utilize product information management (PIM) and syndication tools (e.g., Salsify, Syndigo, Walmart Item 360) to maintain accurate, compliant, and optimized product listings. Digital Shelf Audits : Systematically audit live retail product detail pages (PDPs) to ensure asset compliance, data accuracy, correct pricing, and immediate resolution of listing errors or system glitches. Review Generation Programs : Manage retailer-sanctioned sampling and review generation programs (e.g., Walmart Spark Reviewer) to build social proof and increase conversion rates on new product launches. Commercial Pitch Support : Supply the sales team with consumer search data, digital keyword trends, and copy blocks to support line reviews and product pitches to retail buyers. Influencer & Omnichannel Activation Influencer Marketing : Manage the full lifecycle of retail-first influencer programs—from outreach and content brief creation to campaign execution and performance tracking—to drive measurable in-store velocity and online conversions. Cross-Functional Collaboration : Partner closely with Sales and Account Management teams to align digital initiatives with line reviews, club rotations, and inventory pipelines. Analytics & Reporting Performance Dashboards : Track, analyze, and report on campaign KPIs (ROAS, organic ranking, conversion rate, engagement, traffic, and sales lift) using retail portals (e.g., Walmart Luminate, Retail Link) and general analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Power BI). Insights to Action : Translate complex data sets into actionable insights to adjust marketing strategies, keyword targeting, or ad spend allocation. Qualifications Education & Experience Education : Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field. Experience : 4–6 years of progressive marketing experience, with at least 2–3 years specifically managing marketing, media buying, or digital shelf operations for big-box retail suppliers (Furniture or durable goods experience preferred). Retail Ecosystem Knowledge : Demonstrated experience working with or for big-box retailers (e.g., Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, Lowe's, Home Depot) and navigating their unique marketing ecosystems. Technical & Required Skills Platform Expertise : Hands-on experience with Walmart Connect, CitrusAd, Criteo, and retail portal systems (Retail Link). Tool Proficiency : Deep familiarity with retail syndication software (Salsify, Syndigo, Item 360) and analytics suites. Execution Skills : Proven experience in copywriting for digital channels with a strong understanding of SEO best practices and keyword integration. Analytical Mindset : Advanced data literacy with the ability to interpret data, build reports, and present actionable insights. Communication Skills : Exceptional written and verbal communication skills to collaborate effectively across internal design teams, external agencies, and retail buyers. Preferred Skills Experience with My SAMM or similar social/digital marketing management platforms. Company Benefits Competitive salary and profit sharing/bonuses. Health, dental, and vision insurance. Flexible Spending Account (FSA). 401k. Generous paid time off and holiday schedule. Compensation range: $100k-$110k DOE #J-18808-Ljbffr