Freelance Visual Merchandiser Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

Description

This position is open to applicants located within the Minneapolis or Denver metro areas. 

About Us

At Independent Pet Partners (IPP), we're more than a retailer-we're a community of passionate pet experts dedicated to making life better for pets and the people who love them. Loving your pet is the easiest thing in the world. Taking care of them should be just as easy. 

IPP brings everything pet parents need into one trusted place. Through our local pet store brands, Chuck & Don's and Kriser's, we create welcoming neighborhood stores where knowledgeable team members help pet parents make the best choices for their pets' health and happiness. 

Our approach is guided by the 5 Pillars of Pet Wellness, a philosophy that shapes everything we do - from the products we carry to the services we offer and the advice we share. With more than 80 neighborhood pet stores, we're proud to serve pet communities across Minnesota, Illinois, Kansas and Colorado. 

Position Purpose Section 

The Brand Director is responsible for shaping and protecting the Independent Pet Partners brand family including the Chuck & Don's and Kriser's brand experience across every customer touchpoint. This leader develops compelling brand campaigns, oversees creative execution, champions exceptional design and storytelling, and inspires a high-performing creative team. 

The Brand Director partners closely with Marketing, Merchandising, Ecommerce, Store Operations, and external agency partners to bring integrated marketing campaigns to life while ensuring every customer interaction reflects our brand promise. 

This role is a strategic creative leader who is well versed in creative operations. Success is measured by building a distinctive brand, producing effective creative that drives business results, and developing an engaged, collaborative creative team. 

Essential Job Functions Section

Responsibilities

The incumbent must be able to perform all the following duties and responsibilities with or without reasonable accommodation.

Brand Leadership 

• Serve as steward of the IPP, Chuck & Don's and Kriser's brands across all customer touchpoints 
• Develop and evolve brand standards, messaging, visual identity and creative guidelines 
• Ensure consistent customer experience across digital, social, CRM, paid media and retail stores 
• Partner with executive leadership to strengthen long-term brand strategy 

Creative Direction 

• Lead concept development in partnership with creative team for integrated marketing campaigns 
• Establish the creative vision for campaigns, promotions, product launches and brand initiatives 
• Provide art direction and copy direction to ensure exceptional creative quality 
• Review and approve creative work before production 

Campaign Development

• Partner with marketing leaders to translate business objectives into compelling creative solutions. 
• Support initiatives including promotional campaigns, new store openings, customer acquisition, loyalty marketing, salon services, vendor partnerships, brand storytelling and community engagement 

Visual Brand Experience 

• Provide creative oversight for In-store signage, Window campaigns, Point-of-sale materials, Store graphics, Visual merchandising standards, Brand photography and Video production 
• Partner with Store Operations and Merchandising to create engaging retail experiences 

Cross-Functional Partnership

• Work closely with Marketing, Merchandising, Channel Operations, Store teams and Vendor partners to ensure creative solutions meet business objectives while maintaining brand integrity for both customer and internal team member experiences. 
• Manage Creative Operations 
• Partner with Creative team to ensure smooth creative operations including project intake, team prioritization, workflow automations, and resource allocation. 

Team Leadership 

• Lead and develop the internal creative team including coaching and mentoring designer and copywriter, providing clear creative feedback and building creative capabilities 
• Foster a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, creative excellence and operational efficiency 
• Manage agency and freelance partners when needed 

Marketing Planning & Prioritization 

• Participate in quarterly extended leadership team and annual marketing planning  
• Help prioritize marketing initiatives based on business impact and creative capacity 
• Partner with the VP of Marketing to balance promotional, brand, CRM and store support initiatives across available resources 

Requirements

Qualifications 

Required

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Graphic Design, Advertising, Communications or related field  
• 6+ years of creative leadership experience  
• 2+ years managing creative teams  
• Experience leading integrated marketing campaigns  
• Strong portfolio demonstrating strategic creative thinking  
• Experience building and maintaining consumer brands  
• Expertise in creative direction, design, and storytelling  
• Experience with project management tools 

Preferred 

• Retail or consumer brand experience  
• Experience with omnichannel marketing  
• Experience with visual merchandising or retail environments  
• Experience managing agencies and freelancers 
• Experience with Asana project management platform 

Leadership Competencies: 

• Strategic thinker who connects creative work to business outcomes 
• Inspiring leader who develops people and fosters collaboration 
• Excellent communicator who influences across functions 
• Curious, customer-focused, and data-informed 
• Balances creativity with pragmatism and execution 
• Thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial retail environment 

Additional Requirements: 

• Willingness to travel regularly to support retail store brand management in all markets 
• Passion for pets and the pet parent community 
• Located in Minneapolis or Denver metro areas 
• Must be able to work around pet hair and dander 

Program and Benefits

Full-time team members enjoy the following: 

Programs and benefit eligibility will vary based on average hours worked and length of service.  

• Paid bi-weekly on a W2 basis 
• PTO (paid time off) - Unlimited 
• Paid Parental Leave and Paw-Ternity (paid Pet Adoption bonding time) 
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance 
• Health Savings Account (HSA)/ Flexible Spending Account (FSA) - medical and dependent care 
• 401(k) Program 
• Greatly discounted, employer-subsidized pet insurance 
• Generous discounts on goods and services 
• $25K life insurance policy (employer paid) 
• Short and Long-term disability (employer paid) 
• Employee Assistance Program/ 24X7 - completely confidential 

$120,000-$162,000 Annually DOE/DOQ

Subject to change depending on State/City/County minimums.

IPP is an equal opportunity employer. In accordance with applicable law, we prohibit discrimination against any applicant or team member based on any legally recognized basis, including but not limited to: race, color, national origin or ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy, lactation, childbirth or related medical conditions) gender identity or expression, physical or mental disability, genetic information (including testing and characteristics), veteran status, uniformed servicemember status, sexual orientation, age (40 or over), or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. 

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