Manager, Marketing Strategy

Follett Content Solutions has been a trusted partner for educators since 1873! We support our educators that touch more than 45 million students worldwide. Follett Content Solutions helps build a diverse collection of print and digital resources to support every student. We are currently hiring for a Manager, Marketing Strategy. This position is an exempt full-time position located in McHenry, IL. We offer a hybrid work schedule with 3 days in the office and 2 remote days. We will consider remote for the right candidate. We offer 401k and company matching up to 4%, Benefits and Unlimited Paid Time Off to name a few.

Position Overview:

This position is responsible for building awareness of the company's preK-12 solutions by marketing our print, digital, and hands-on learning resources, and services and contributing to market penetration through district and school buys. This candidate develops tailored strategic marketing and communication plans, defining positioning and messaging, creates marketing and sales tools, supporting Sales team initiatives and new or revitalized product offerings, and identifies business segment market trends, competition, customer insights, and new opportunities. The Marketing Manager holds a leadership role in developing go-to-market strategies, campaigns, and tactical plans by working closely with others in the marketing department - content marketing, data management, interactive and online marketing, events, and creative services - and with other stakeholders throughout the company including Sales, Curations, Content Management and more, to implement lead-generating campaigns and nurture existing customers to retain and grow customer loyalty and capture greater wallet share. The person succeeding in this hands-on role will be highly organized, collaborative, accountable, and creative, and have experience in preK-12 education.

• The position is responsible for the development of strategic and tactical marketing plans to grow our preK-12 customer base and revenue through solutions that include content (print, digital, services) and and/or hands-on learning resources. Under the supervision of the Director, Marketing Strategy, this role will create multi-channel plans and special marketing initiatives to build awareness and adoption of the company's solutions.
• The Marketing Manager will lead the development of compelling messaging, effective marketing and selling materials, and a strong, unified market presence online and offline.
• This position works closely with Sales by partnering on sales initiatives, providing marketing expertise to Sales Consultants, working with sales readiness to create actionable selling tools, and supporting sales training.
• This role is the marketing owner for business segment trends, insights, and competitive analyses, identification of new prospects and customers, and market opportunities for new solutions, products, and services.
• The Marketing Manager is responsible for analyzing segment metrics and making adjustments to plans to further improve our ability to meet growth, market share, and customer and business segment objectives.
• This position is responsible for working with the Director, Marketing Strategy to establish and monitor the marketing campaign budget for his/her business segment(s) while developing ways to measure ROI.
• The person in this role will be highly collaborative within the marketing team in developing and executing plans, and with others throughout the company including but not limited to Sales and Content Management.

The successful candidate is a Marketing Manager who possesses experience both in the preK-12 industry and with creative B2B marketing techniques, understands customer needs and the selling process, and exhibits a targeted and innovative approach.

Key Responsibilities:

The Marketing Manager assumes marketing management responsibilities for business segment content and technology solutions with 50% focused on developing and executing integrated plans and campaigns. The objective is to acquire new customers and retain current customers to reach revenue goals, market share growth, and achieve customer satisfaction metrics.

• Create and execute on strategic marketing plans and specialty campaigns aligned to company and business segment strategies.
• Implement successful campaigns using all appropriate channels to upsell and cross-sell and extend preK-12 customers of single products to multiple products and solutions.
• Develop acquisition, retention, and reactivation programs and other segment-based customer programs, and customer and lead nurturing programs.
• Reach marketing-based customer satisfaction metrics, including customer and lead nurturing programs, referral programs, and other marketing and sales initiatives.
• Develop direct marketing revenue-generating programs as well as ones integrated with Sales.
• Work collaboratively with team members in the marketing department to develop and execute integrated and innovative campaigns that include email and direct marketing, traditional advertising, social media, web marketing, SEO, lead nurturing, public/media relations, sales support, internal/external conferences, and other creative marketing to drive revenue.
• Measure the results of marketing initiatives and use insights to drive more effective allocation of marketing spend.
• Report regularly on marketing initiatives, results, market findings, and other elements to keep the marketing team and company aware of progress in penetrating the business segment.
• Develop annual budgets for areas of responsibility and analyze and maintain these regularly.

• Use informal and formal research, reports, readings, webinars, and other means to identify market trends and opportunities, targeted messaging, etc.
• Perform competitive analyses and utilize direct and indirect customer insights to establish clear messaging and initiatives.
• Segment customers by roles and needs to develop appropriate marketing strategy and marketing and communication plans.
• Create a solutions approach to business segment, integrating products and services to support the FCS brand and create a leadership position in the market. Develop targeted messages in support of solutions that serve the market's identified needs.
• Build understanding of pricing models, customer purchasing patterns, timing, and other details to secure orders.
• Collaborate extensively with Content Management, Sales, and other partners inside and outside the company to align market knowledge and approaches to market penetration.
• Support the sales team with selling tools for various purposes and stages and provide market knowledge and expertise for national and regional initiatives and training programs to reach revenue goals.
• Create sales tools including sales presentations, demos, videos, and other items for the sales team and integrated marketing venues.
• Maximize our online presence and e-commerce to fit market needs and interests.
• Ensure an effective presence online and offline, and at trade shows and other events to generate leads, revenue, and brand awareness.
• Establish our leadership stance with decision-makers and influencers.

Requirements:

• 7-10 years of experience
• Bachelors degree or equivalent
• Expertise in selecting the right marketing tools to reach business and sales objectives.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Understanding and direct experience in preK -12 educational services or publishing is mandatory for success in this role, specifically knowledge of literacy approaches, practices, and programs.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to job applicants with disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment and need assistance or an accommodation in the application process due to a disability, please contact us by email or phone.

• Email: Send request to fcshr@follettcontent.com
• Phone: Request assistance by calling 800.773.7010 x45130

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