Director, Brand

About Restaurant Brands International:

Restaurant Brands International Inc. is one of the world's largest quick service restaurant companies with over $40 billion in annual system-wide sales and over 30,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. RBI owns four of the world's most prominent and iconic quick service restaurant brands – TIM HORTONS, BURGER KING, POPEYES, and FIREHOUSE SUBS. These independently operated brands have been serving their respective guests, franchisees and communities for decades. Through its Restaurant Brands for Good framework, RBI is improving sustainable outcomes related to its food, the planet, and people and communities.

Job Overview:

Tim Hortons US is commencing on a growth era, which includes accelerating its store count to 1000 by 2028. With the fast-paced Coffee QSR environment our guests are expecting more from us every day. This team led by this role is focused on leading all brand and content development efforts nationally and regionally to engage our guests and build brand love. This leader will lead a team and sit on the Marketing Leadership team working in partnership with the Category, Media & Sales Performance Senior Director, Digital & Loyalty Director, and Innovation Director and will report directly to the Head of Marketing for Tim Hortons U.S.

This role will identify the most meaningful consumer engagement touch points across the guest journey and develop the communication roadmap and content strategy to bring them to life, all with a strong eye towards growing restaurant traffic and profitability for franchise owners.

The Director of Brand & Marketing Communications is responsible to set the vision and lead his/her team to develop and implement a comprehensive communications strategy and execution plan that will transform our brand by building and continually optimizing our creative and content both in and out of store. This person will oversee the development of the strategic roadmap for our existing guest engagement and new guest recruitment targeting plans to drive profitable, incremental guest behavior via customer-centric marketing campaigns across multiple channels and touchpoints. This leader will deliver and drive recommendations and enhancements to reach aggressive revenue goals and key performance indicators that transform OMNI content across packaging, menu navigation, POP messaging, local marketing messages, and our 360 creative campaigns.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and lead an innovative and customer-obsessed Marketing Comms and Content Team (Brand Content/Creative, PR, Sponsorships, Social Strategy & Assets, Menu Development & Optimization, POP Content, Regional Marketing Playbooks, New Market Launches, Innovation Campaigns) by recruiting top talent and designing the team's organizational structure to foster a strong culture.
• Drive continuous analysis of the competitive landscape and consumer trends while also partnering with Guest Insights to understand our customers and their needs to create personas, prototype products, and test ideas with existing and new customers.
• Establish a multi-year prioritized content strategy and guest recruitment road map to maximize guest experience/journey and in-restaurant/brand experience initiatives.
• Ensure that the customer journey is engaging, seamless across channels, and effective in translating touchpoints into an immersive experience resulting in transactions.
• Lead brand positioning and visual identity strategy with consideration to Canadian and global assets. Partner with Consumer Insights and Guest Analytics to undertake research related to brand marketing to goals such as U & A studies, product testing, claims to test, concept testing, custom qualitative & quantitative studies to support brand positioning work to develop a compelling brand and category direction and positioning.
• Demonstrate mastery in brief writing to ensure creative execution excellence with a goal to build brand love, engagement, and memorability. Oversee campaign development from inception to implementation to evaluation, acting in both a strategic and executional capacity.
• Lead the IMC process for campaigns across channels working effectively with internal partners and external agencies to bring our brand strategy, positioning, and communications plan to life across all channels/experiences including – TV, OLV, OOH, PR, Digital/Social, Search, Events, Sponsorships, In restaurant, Collaborations & Influencer partnerships.
• Evaluate creative and undertake copy testing to provide clear and constructive creative direction.
• Champion tent-pole brand engagement moments throughout the year including our annual Smile Cookie and Camp Day fundraising initiatives. Elevate our Tim Hortons Foundation as part of our brand value proposition and identify opportunities to improve on-going contributions.
• Architect launch campaigns for core and innovation platform rollouts across 360 touchpoints.
• Manage regional marketing communication content execution and communication workstreams with specific attention on the 'gold standard' new store/new market support plans and playbooks to ensure grand opening and sustainment success.
• Build strong relationships within a matrix structure to ensure the achievement of business objectives and marketing messaging consistent with brand guardrails.
• Train regional marketing managers and immerse local franchisees in brand positioning and marketing standards for the Tim Hortons U.S. brand.
• Partner with the Digital & Loyalty team to deliver best-in class customer experiences across customer facing ordering channels (website, app, 3rd party delivery, Tims white label delivery), and future channels to maximize revenue for digital commerce business (eg. Kiosks). Support franchisees and in-store execution of customer experiences.
• Manage and activate the brand across the customer journey (away from home to in-store), shifting visitors from customers to brand advocates.
• Drive customer engagement while building long-term brand value, cast a strong vision, and drive accountability with team members, agencies, and partners to maximize deliverables and ROI.
• Leverage analytics to measure campaign and program performance to inform content and campaign evolution including MMA studies.
• Own Marketing Business Objectives and KPIs and identify on-going business risks and incremental consumer engagement opportunities to close gaps.
• Successfully architect and manage the Marketing Communications budget.
• Partner effectively with our agencies to develop best-in-class work. Lead agency RFPs and evaluations.

Competencies and Qualifications:

• 8+ years' experience in marketing communications with retail, QSR and/or franchise experience
• 3+ years' experience in a Brand & Marketing Communications leadership role (Senior Manager or above). Successful track record in building and leading high performing teams.
• Thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment working on multiple campaigns, projects and launches simultaneously, with a sense of urgency and thoughtfulness. You are both flexible to change and highly agile.
• Proven experience leading teams to deliver high performing, high engagement OMNI campaigns.
• Experience in agency relations, content strategy and brand positioning.
• Deep understanding of customer experience, customer journeys, customer segmentation, testing and optimization
• Proven track record of launching campaigns, scaled programs and leading cross-functional teams.
• Exceptional collaborator with cross-functional teams from innovation, digital/loyalty, and media/sales performance
• Insights-driven mindset with a passion for understanding customers and results.
• Ability to unearth consumer and competitive insights through research and trend watching to develop product and brand stories.
• Strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills with a positive 'can-do' mindset. You are able to debate complex issues, ask the right questions, interpret data and synthesize learnings and lead recommendations.
• Start-up mentality, eager to move quickly and work with a lean team.
• Highly curious, always looking to learn and stay ahead of trends.
• Technical knowledge to bridge the gap between business side and consumer engagement/marketing comms.
• Previous experience in Coffee QSR/QSR, or Food Marketing CPG experience strongly preferred.
• Additional agency and/or sales experience would be considered an asset.
• Ability to build relationships with matrixed teams and franchisees and well-developed communication skills.
• Ability to influence senior leaders in the organization and across different cross-functional teams.
• Ability to travel for shoots, PR/engagement and store events, sponsorship activations, agency meetings, market visits, and regional meetings.

Restaurant Brands International and all of its affiliated companies (collectively, RBI) are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers that do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, provincial or federal laws, rules, or regulations. RBI's policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment. Accommodation is available for applicants with disabilities upon request.

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