Marketing Director Job at Kennedy Concepts, Inc. in Knoxville

Kennedy Concepts’ mission is to enrich the lives of our guests and our team members by serving the highest level of food quality, bar drink quality, and legendary guest service in a clean and comfortable environment with an energetic ambiance. We also believe in treating our team members and guests like family and know that our success depends upon creating and retaining a team capable of delivering an exceptional dining experience to every guest, every time and creating memories our guests will remember forever.

The Marketing Director works closely with the corporate team, restaurant managers, and Owner to develop and execute unique marketing strategies for each of our restaurant brands to help grow brand reputation and sales. This role will oversee the entire Marketing Department including providing direction and leadership to the Sales & Events Coordinator and the Social Media & Marketing Coordinator. All sales, events and marketing activities must be strategically aligned with our company goals and the Marketing Department must be assisting to ensure the restaurants are performing at optimal levels. Developing innovative, distinctive, and sales-focused annual marketing plans for all brands is essential. This position will be responsible for implementing and managing the execution of these marketing strategies.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Digital Marketing

• Direct and create all digital marketing strategies for each restaurant
• Ensure all digital marketing efforts enhance the company’s brand reputation and drive sales
• Manage and purchase all digital ads and keywords
• Oversee the creation, scheduling, and distribution of guest email blasts through our loyalty dining program
• Implement strategies to grow the guest email list via comment cards, online sign-ups, loyalty dining program etc.
• Confirm email and SMS blasts for specials, newsletters, promotions, holidays, and special events are timely
• Develop and implement SEO strategies to improve search engine rankings
• Track and present Google analytics to show what is working and what is not

Reputation Management

• Coordinate with store management to create incentives that encourage positive reviews and comment cards
• Enhance online presence and guest satisfaction through proactive reputation management strategies
• Make certain responses to all guest reviews occur appropriately and in a timely manner

Social Media Marketing

• Supervise and verify that social media posts are appropriately scheduled, ensuring consistent weekly updates for each restaurant on all social media platforms
• Tailor social media promotions to reflect each restaurant’s unique brand, demographics, and event schedule
• Approve all social posts about monthly specials, events, live entertainment, and in-store and out-of-store promotions in an appropriate and timely manner
• Approve all pictures, videos and content used in our social media
• Grow online presence by increasing followers, enhancing brand reputation, and improving review site ratings

Website Creation and Management

• Create new websites in-house and/or oversee new website creation with outside vendors
• Confirm the websites are up to date with accurate product, service, and location information
• Ensure that all website information such as calendar of events, photo gallery, merchandise list, and menus etc. are up to date
• Develop and implement SEO strategies to improve search engine rankings

In-Store Marketing:

Special Promotions and Events

• Create and collaborate with Corporate Directors, Sales & Event coordinator and restaurant management team to develop and implement special promotions such as tequila dinners, wine dinners, and other in-store promotional ideas that will improve our sales and brand reputation
• Ensure event decorations in a way that promotes and accentuates the event
• Make certain large group reservations are flawlessly executed and surpass guest expectations
• Ensure seamless execution of large events and special dinners

Cross Promotions

• Collaborate with graphic designers to create and distribute digital and print media for cross promoting all company concepts
• Ensure proper distribution of promotional tools and track their effectiveness

Food and Drink Menus

• Develop and design food and drink menus and/or work with other graphic design vendors on the creation of food and drink menus
• Manage the production and distribution of menus

Outside Marketing:

Local Business Partners

• Consistently build relationships with local businesses to cross-promote and advertise
• Supervise the coordination of community events and promotions to support local organizations and charities
• Structure partnerships with local companies and local attractions that will give our company team members discounts to enter the attractions, dinner shows, haunted houses, ski resorts, etc.
• Oversee the coordination with the city and local chamber of commerce on events (i.e., Chili Cook-off, parades, Big Ears, etc.)

Print Media and Marketing Graphic Materials

• Team up with third-party companies to design and produce printed marketing materials.
• Track ROI on paid advertisements and adjust strategies accordingly.

Radio, Television, Billboards

Create and work with external companies to design and launch media campaigns.

GRASS ROOTS MARKETING

• Ensure we are executing grass roots marketing appropriately, consistently, and professionally.
• Personally visit local business, organizations, hotels, banks, retail stores etc. to grow our brand reputation, sell & book events, and reward those who are brand ambassadors.
• Develop programs and incentives for local businesses to recommend our restaurants to their customers.
• Collaborate with restaurant managers to organize in-store events that engage the local community.

Membership Associations

Join and renew memberships with relevant associations and attend necessary meetings and events.

Entertainment

• Oversee and ensure that we are scheduling high-quality entertainment that aligns with each restaurant’s brand.
• Oversee and ensure that we manage entertainment budgets and ensure we provide feedback to performers about their performance and guest reception.

Sales and Revenue Generation:

Online, Phone, AND IN person Sales

• Oversee and ensure that we are executing first class, professional, creative, consistent, appropriate, and timely online emails, and posts with strategies to grow restaurant sales.
• Oversee and ensure that we are executing first class, professional, creative, consistent, appropriate, and timely phone calls with strategies to grow restaurant sales.
• Oversee and ensure that we are executing first class, professional, creative, consistent, appropriate, and timely in person meeting with strategies to grow restaurant sales.

Retail Merchandise

• Collaborate with outside vendors (graphic design and/or merchandise company) to design and create our souvenirs and merchandise for sale.
• Ensure we order, receive, and distribute all merchandise and souvenirs to the appropriate restaurants (i.e., T-shirts, hats, sunglasses, balloons, glassware, bumper stickers, etc.).
• Partner with Corporate Directors and outside vendors (graphic design and/or merchandise company) to design and create our private-labeled products (items include coasters, to-go containers, to go backs, seasonings & spices, hot sauces, dressings, sour mix, queso, salsa, chips, marinades, and other items that we feel that we can private label for resale to our guests in stores, online or in the market) that are for use with the stores for sale to our guests.
• Ensure that we order, receive, and distribute all private labeled products to the appropriate restaurants.

Qualifications Required

• 5+ years of Marketing Director in the restaurant industry
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing preferred
• Proven leadership skills
• Hardworking, honest, competitive and goal driven
• Excellent public relations, written, and verbal communication skills
• Impeccable attention to detail, strong organizational and planning skills
• Ability to work effectively within a team and independently
• Strong in creativity and design
• Experience using computers for a variety of tasks
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva, Figma and/or other graphic design software
• Proficient with Social Media Platforms, SEO strategies, email marketing platforms
• Experience with writing and/or managing blogs
• Experience with direct mail marketing, email marketing, text message marketing
• Experience with social media platforms such as MailChimp, Linktree, Hootsuite etc.
• Food Photography, videography and photography editing experience preferred