WHAT DOES A RETAIL MARKETING MANAGER DO?
Reviewed by Lam Nguyen under Editorial Standards
Published: Mar 23, 2026. The Retail Marketing Manager leads integrated retail marketing strategies, including in-store programs, product launches, promotions, and events to drive brand visibility and sales. This role collaborates cross-functionally with sales, creative, and partners while managing budgets, merchandising, and retail plans. The position also uses data and insights to optimize campaigns and ensure consistent brand execution across all channels.
A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Retail Marketing Manager
1. Retail Marketing Manager Duties
- Marketing Programs: Develops and executes marketing programs to promote brand, new product launches, and drive sales within B2B channels.
- Stakeholder Collaboration: Works with internal and external teams to identify opportunities and execute plans for in-store POP, product awareness, and retail associate training.
- Marketing Planning: Assists with the development of strategic marketing initiatives, promotional plans, and new product, service, or channel launch plans.
- Brand Communication: Ensures brand communication aligns with company positioning and promotes uniformity and consistency across all touchpoints.
- Visual Materials: Coordinates creation of visual, online, event, and communication materials for retail, trade shows, and experiential marketing to support brand goals.
- Campaign Analysis: Measures the success of integrated marketing campaigns and reports findings to the leadership team.
- Market Trends: Stays up to date with trends, practices, and evolving retail and online landscapes for key and new accounts.
- Event Planning: Plans and attends trade shows and events for retail and marketing teams.
- POP Management: Manages and executes global and account-specific POP needs, seasonal catalogs, and exclusive product offerings.
- Project Leadership: Periodically leads or assists with projects outside retail accounts and events.
2. Retail Marketing Manager Details
- Trade Planning: Responsible for the development of annual On-Premise Trade Marketing and Brand Plan, including alignment and approval of sales and marketing management.
- Execution Goals: Set and align management on execution goals.
- Strategic Direction: Assist with the development of strategic direction, look, and content for annual channel-specific brand plans.
- Resource Management: Marshall internal resources and agencies to execute trade marketing plans and communicate with sales.
- Tactical Leadership: Lead team in development and execution of tactical plans supporting national campaigns.
- Trade Plans: Deliver effective trade plans and tactical elements that realize potential upside in all on-premise channels with data-backed recommendations.
- Campaign Analysis: Compare all campaigns qualitatively and quantitatively.
- Consumer Research: Work with marketing research and category teams to develop and execute consumer and partner research for channel opportunities.
- Knowledge Sharing: Compile learnings in an easy-to-learn and easy-to-present format for sales teams.
- Sales Training: Train sales on key trade initiatives, including brand plans, channel research, and executional tools.
- Budget Negotiation: Negotiate pricing within budget to ensure the best value for the company.
- Program Evaluation: Evaluate National Account team requests against company goals and other national or local programs.
- Creative Direction: Work with Brand Managers to set strategic direction, write creative briefs, and collaborate with the ad agency for development.
3. Retail Marketing Manager Responsibilities
- In-Store Marketing: Plan, develop, and execute in-store marketing programs and displays.
- Sales Collaboration: Collaborate with key sales reps to identify needs and implement strategic campaigns for national accounts.
- Account Relationships: Establish relationships with key accounts and work with marketing counterparts to implement plans.
- Campaign Planning: Develop plans including print, digital, consumer promotions, sales contests, in-store merchandising, and event marketing.
- Retail Partnerships: Build and maintain relationships with retailers to collaborate on marketing co-ops to increase branding and sales.
- Budget Management: Manage retail budget, calendar, project deadlines, and weekly status meetings to ensure successful execution of design deliverables.
- ROI Analysis: Track and analyze campaign impact and sales performance, making recommendations for future resource investments.
- POP Management: Manage placement of pop displays in retail accounts and monitor alignment of assets.
- Cross-functional: Build collaborative partnerships with sales, product, and operations to ensure brand execution at retail.
- Additional Initiatives: Support Corporate Wellness, ambassador programs, professional education, and specialized product initiatives.
4. Retail Marketing Manager Accountabilities
- Partner Management: Partner with key retailers and wholesale partners to develop and expand brand presence in the UK and France.
- Brand Presence: Develop and execute a strong online and offline brand presence with each retailer.
- Merchandising Innovation: Refresh and innovate physical and digital merchandising in existing channels.
- Retail Planning: Build annual Retail Marketing plans with retailers, collaborating with European Brand and North American Marketing teams.
- Metrics Analysis: Analyze metrics and insights to improve future campaign executions.
- Staff Education: Drive demo and assisted selling programs and staff training in direct retail partners.
- Online Management: Manage online listings for all products and execute continuous monitoring and improvement.
- Promotional Planning: Execute added value and promotional plans for key seasonal beats with strategic retail partners.
- Cross-functional: Share creative output across developing channels, including DTR and DTC.
5. Retail Marketing Manager Functions
- Revenue Growth: Work with state marketing leaders to drive revenue, customer acquisition, retention, and loyalty.
- Marketing Initiatives: Collaborate to create and implement marketing initiatives, promotions, and programming across the customer purchase journey.
- Media Management: Help manage local paid media assets, budgets, and reporting deadlines.
- Collateral Management: Maintain and manage all marketing and educational materials for dispensaries, activations, and partnerships.
- Event Activation: Identify and activate relevant on- and off-premise events, partnerships, and sponsorships to strengthen community connections.
- Event Coordination: Coordinate advertising and staffing for event activations and outreach activities.
- Opportunity Identification: Identify opportunistic marketing and advertising prospects.
- Retail Trends: Stay up to date on retail trends and opportunities that enhance the customer experience.
6. Retail Marketing Manager Overview
- Team Leadership: Lead and drive the team in business development, account management, and revenue-generating activities.
- Sales Planning: Own planning and reporting to align with weekly, quarterly, and yearly sales goals.
- Revenue Motivation: Lead and motivate the team to meet weekly, monthly, and quarterly revenue targets.
- Customer Engagement: Impact revenue by connecting with customers to build additional opportunities and increase redemptions.
- KPI Reporting: Strategically plan and report group invitations and analyze KPIs and account performance metrics.
- Business Development: Meet weekly KPIs and quarterly revenue objectives.
- Account Onboarding: Support the onboarding of new accounts to educate them on distributing Employee Store passes.
- Performance Analysis: Provide accurate analysis of team performance and forecast business results.
- Community Outreach: Drive outreach, relationship building, and account management to increase redemption rates.
- Sales Process: Leverage customer experience to continually evolve the sales process.
- Cross-functional: Work with Corporate Relations, Retail Operations, Creative/Design, and Marketing teams to support traffic-driving programs.
- Communication Support: Provide the Employee Store Manager with weekly communication and tools for invited groups.
7. Retail Marketing Manager Details and Accountabilities
- Retail Marketing: Lead day-to-day marketing responsibilities for select retail accounts.
- Strategy Development: Assist with and lead marketing strategy development for accounts.
- Promotion Alignment: Provide marketing alignment and recommendations for promotions, animations, and programming with Retail Sales.
- Launch Execution: Lead planning and execution of new product launch activations and marketing deliverables.
- Budget Support: Assist with retail marketing and non-revenue budgeting.
- Forecast Management: Manage non-revenue forecasting and programming.
- Visual Merchandising: Lead visual merchandising development, including timelines, assortment recommendations, creative briefs, and mechanical approval.
- Event Support: Provide education and event support, including receiving requests and developing creative materials.
8. Retail Marketing Manager Tasks
- Product Marketing: Lead product page management, including briefing and developing marketing assets, and managing review programs.
- Social Collaboration: Partner with the Consumer Marketing team to deliver on social needs for accounts.
- Market Meetings: Lead bi-annual Market Meetings, including preparation, facilitation, and post-meeting follow-ups.
- Digital Media: Assist with digital media requests, content briefing, and coordination of retailer-led campaigns.
- Event Coordination: Assist with the coordination and execution of in-person events and conferences.
- Account Touchbases: Lead regular account touchbases and manage meeting agendas.
- Calendar Management: Maintain retail marketing calendars for accounts.
- Creative Development: Drive briefing and creative development of evergreen requests.
9. Retail Marketing Manager Roles
- Merchant Relationships: Maintain and develop relationships with key retail e-commerce partners.
- Marketing Programs: Help develop impactful 360 marketing programs to increase brand visibility at retail.
- Channel Marketing: Execute online education and marketing tools by adapting brand materials for specific channels.
- Analytical Support: Provide analysis on retailer-specific programs and advise on sample and gratis needs.
- Sampling Plans: Devise and manage yearly sampling plans, ensuring execution aligns with brand objectives and ROI.
- Budget Oversight: Oversee retail spend by account and reconcile monthly marketing budgets, including coop and event spend.
- Product Launch: Oversee and execute new product launch setup, including forms and visual assets.
- Creative Collaboration: Work closely with the Art Director to ensure the brand vision and messaging are maintained.
- Promotional Calendars: Maintain promotional marketing calendars for key accounts and distribute to the salesforce bi-monthly.
- Vendor Management: Establish vendor relationships and manage PO creation for all marketing materials.
- Forecast Alignment: Collaborate with retail partners and internal teams to ensure launch forecasts and POs align.
- Social Collaboration: Manage and collaborate with retail partners on social feature opportunities.
10. Retail Marketing Manager Additional Details
- Business Performance: Work daily with Sales and Marketing to track performance and deploy competitive Retail Marketing programs.
- Consultative Direction: Provide Retail Marketing direction and consultation during a full 360° integrated Marketing plan development.
- Dealer Partner: Serve as a key Marketing consultative partner and representative with the dealer network.
- Association Management: Manage multiple Dealer Marketing Associations through strong communication and automotive retail expertise.
- Program Quality: Ensure ongoing quality control and upkeep of all Retail programs and initiatives for accuracy.
- Regional Marketing: Develop regional and time-bound marketing programs to support real-time sales needs.
- Digital Strategy: Provide strategic digital direction and creative content for all Retail Marketing strategies and programs.
- Website Optimization: Maximize the effectiveness of dealer websites and corporate special offers to strengthen the brand and support customer purchases.
11. Retail Marketing Manager Essential Functions
- Dealer Digital: Manage Dealer Digital Program, including website, advertising, and individual dealership marketing needs.
- Agency Management: Oversee relationships with Retail Marketing Agencies and vendor partners.
- Budget Oversight: Provide forecasting, tracking, and reporting for Retail Marketing budgets on behalf of the Corporation and Dealers.
- Marketing Analytics: Utilize marketing analytics to drive business results.
- Performance Tracking: Manage, track, and report on all Retail Marketing metrics.
- Technology Utilization: Leverage the latest tools and technologies to maximize marketing results.
- Budget Collaboration: Work with the Marketing Budget Manager on forecasting, tracking, and reporting for corporate and brand marketing budgets.
- Team Leadership: Provide leadership, coaching, and guidance to the Dealer Marketing Manager, including setting objectives and conducting performance reviews.
12. Retail Marketing Manager Role Purpose
- Strategy Management: Manage client product strategy on Amazon across sales, marketing, and supply chain optimization.
- Digital Shelf: Build and manage Amazon product pages to drive traffic and conversions.
- Promotional Planning: Develop and execute promotional calendars to accelerate client growth.
- Analytics Reporting: Utilize dashboards to monitor trends and develop go-forward strategies.
- Consulting Support: Serve as on-call consultant to address Amazon challenges via email, calls, meetings, and reports.
- Content Optimization: Lead content creation and optimization of Amazon images across EMEA.
- Performance Insights: Develop and manage daily, weekly, and monthly reporting and analytics for digital campaigns.
- Display Advertising: Lead execution of display advertising on a self-service platform.
13. Retail Marketing Manager General Responsibilities
- Promotional Strategy: Drive and develop a promotional marketing plan and strategy for the brand in the department store channel.
- Sales Analysis: Analyze sales statistics, promotion tools, and trade performance to control trade promotion budget.
- Marketing Calendar: Develop a marketing calendar for campaigns, including product launches, collections, and nationwide promotions.
- Merchandising Forecast: Manage merchandising and forecast sales for all SKUs to enhance in-store visibility and execution.
- Team Collaboration: Collaborate with marketing and sales to formulate promotional plans and drive sales growth.
- Visual Development: Work with Visual Merchandising and Graphic Design to develop artwork and in-store displays.
- Partner Management: Manage relationships with business partners and key customers to ensure effective promotion execution.
- Performance Monitoring: Monitor sales and marketing performance to ensure targets are achieved.
14. Retail Marketing Manager Key Accountabilities
- Marketing Planning: Develop and execute marketing plans, product introductions, and promotional programs to build brand awareness and drive sales.
- Program Support: Provide ideas and support for marketing programs across digital, social, retail, PR, and promotional events.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with Ops, Sales, Creative, PR, Social, Digital, and International teams to develop marketing assets and programs.
- Packaging Management: Manage packaging and collateral copy development, translations, and artwork.
- Digital Asset Delivery: Manage the delivery of digital assets, including banners and emails, to support product launches and brand initiatives.
- Sales Support: Work with Sales to provide training, education, and retail marketing support.
- Marketing Calendars: Maintain and update weekly retailer-specific marketing and launch calendars.
- Creative Coordination: Coordinate all brand creative development, including photo and video shoots.
- Market Analysis: Conduct competitive analysis, track industry trends, research, and maintain marketing reports.
- Product Innovation: Generate innovative product ideas and concepts relevant on a global level.
- Cost Management: Ensure the cost of goods targets are met for all product developments.
- Design Support: Provide design support for marketing projects and initiatives.
- Standardization: Ensure all outlets maintain standard marketing elements.
15. Retail Marketing Manager Roles and Details
- Strategic Marketing: Incorporate long-term vision, strategic priorities, and insights into initiatives to increase visits, ADT, revenue, and brand affinity.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Establish relationships with Field Operations, Retail Brand Marketing, Retail Operations, Store Development, Data Analytics, Customer Service, CPG Marketing, and Regulatory Compliance.
- Promotional Execution: Lead execution of local Retail Marketing and promotional calendar supporting product launches, seasonal moments, and community engagement.
- Program Implementation: Ensure national or market-wide promotions are fully executed at the store level, including displays, signage, employee swag, and education.
- Customer Insights: Identify pain points, customer needs, and opportunities to increase basket size and retention through store operations immersion.
- Local Partnerships: Manage and activate local partnerships, events, and marketing budgets in partnership with Retail Field Marketing.
- Customer Experience: Execute the launch of new customer experiences with key stakeholders.
- Review Management: Monitor and respond to reviews on GMB, Leafly, Weedmaps, and IHJ.
- Reporting: Circulate reports to senior leaders and track customer feedback.
- Promotion Coordination: Partner with CPG, Supply Chain, and Regional Retail leadership to execute product and pricing promotions 30 days in advance.
- Market Analysis: Report on key metrics and analyze markets, consumers, competitors, product trends, technology, and revenue patterns.
- Data Utilization: Use data to evaluate marketing performance, anticipate trends, and translate customer attitudes into actionable directions.
16. Retail Marketing Manager Responsibilities and Key Tasks
- Cross-Functional Support: Support the Sr. Director of Brand and Retail Marketing and collaborate with marketing, sales, finance, operations, and retailers.
- Program Adaptation: Strategically communicate, develop, and creatively adapt programs from Brand Marketing, Retailers, and HQ.
- Strategy Execution: Execute national and regional retail marketing strategies and sales events based on Brand Marketing directives.
- Performance Tracking: Conduct detailed program performance updates to monitor and adjust efforts for desired outcomes.
- Incentive Execution: Lead or assist with retailer incentives, sampling opportunities, new product education, selling stories, and events.
- POS Development: Create and monitor best practices for Point-of-Sale as part of promotional strategy, including new and existing assets.
- Annual Planning: Contribute to the development of annual brand plans by channel and key retailers.
- Merchandising Management: Manage POS and merchandising tools.
- Budget Oversight: Responsible for planning, tracking spend, and monthly reporting of relevant budgets.
- Performance Evaluation: Evaluate product and marketing performance and recommend improvements for overall effectiveness.
17. Retail Marketing Manager Duties and Roles
- Promotion Planning: Identify titles for promotion using the global editorial calendar, sales monitoring, and platform promotion rules.
- Pricing Strategy: Implement competitive pricing strategies to attract new and existing customers.
- Performance Reporting: Generate weekly reports showing incremental revenue benefits of promotions.
- Global Execution: Operate globally, considering international marketplace factors when developing and executing campaigns.
- Process Improvement: Recommend process improvements to streamline day-to-day promotional activities.
- Offer Testing: Build and test new promotional offers.
- Lifecycle Marketing: Work with Product Marketing to identify key transactional opportunities for content upsells.
- Global Coordination: Coordinate initiatives with global counterparts to build scalable solutions.
18. Retail Marketing Manager Details
- Website Management: Maintain the property website, keeping information current and relevant.
- Marketing Planning: Develop and execute an annual marketing plan to support property objectives, traffic, sales, retailers, promotions, and community partnerships.
- Visual Merchandising: Coordinate and maintain all visual merchandising, signage, and advertising programs.
- Brand Management: Manage day-to-day branding in the community and ensure brand identity across programming.
- Budget Management: Manage annual marketing budget and quarterly forecasting processes.
- Expenditure Control: Ensure operational expenditures remain within the approved budget.
- Reporting: Prepare monthly budget vs. actual reports with variance explanations for leadership.
- Revenue Generation: Responsible for generating revenue through property, events, and media asset sales.
- Strategic Direction: Create, develop, and implement overall strategic marketing direction.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with consumers, advertisers, marketing companies, and the surrounding business community.
19. Retail Marketing Manager Details and Accountabilities
- Tenant Relations: Build and foster relationships with tenants by creating, coordinating, and executing community events.
- Concierge Programs: Develop and coordinate concierge programs and other convenience services for the property.
- Event Marketing: Develop, implement, and oversee marketing campaigns and property events.
- Event Evaluation: Lead post-event evaluation and create plans to implement improvements.
- Financial Management: Manage accounts payable, receivables, and lease agreements in compliance with systems.
- Entertainment Coordination: Coordinate event entertainment.
- AV Setup: Ensure proper setup of microphones, speakers, video screens, projectors, and sound boards with A/V vendor support.
- Social Media: Create and manage branded social media content.
- Trend Monitoring: Monitor local, national, and international trends and KPIs to drive growth across social media channels.
20. Retail Marketing Manager Additional Details
- Channel Marketing: Execute channel and partner marketing programs, including promotions, new launches, and agency-managed campaigns.
- Metrics Reporting: Identify, measure, track, and report on key success metrics to align with product and business goals.
- Partner Planning: Work with BD and Ops to build and implement plans for priority retail partners.
- Creative Management: Manage creative asset development by writing briefs, securing approvals, and finalizing deliverables on time.
- Merchandising Execution: Ensure partner media, retail marketing, and merchandising opportunities support product and program launches and stay updated.
- Stakeholder Communication: Act as the key point of contact and authority for internal and external stakeholders on assigned projects.
- Content Management: Maintain internal partner marketing hub and content management systems with up-to-date information.
- Store Experience: Conceptualize, plan, and create the future consumer experience of the store.
- Consumer Engagement: Serve consumers through optimal in-store journeys, storytelling, and engagement programs.
- Retail Marketing Planning: Lead retail marketing plan for annual and seasonal campaigns.
- Campaign Collaboration: Partner with brand marketing and VM teams to bring campaigns to life in-store and at malls.
- Marketing Calendar: Craft a retail marketing calendar balancing inspiration, product storytelling, and commercial activations.
- In-Store Creative: Ensure in-store campaign creative and deliverables align with brand strategies and objectives.
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Lamwork content is developed through structured review of publicly available job postings and documented hiring trends.
Editorial operations are managed by Thanh Huyen, Managing Editor, with research direction and final oversight by Lam Nguyen, Founder & Editorial Lead. Content is periodically reviewed to reflect observable labor market changes.