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Marketing Activation Manager Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Yerba Madre

Field Activation Specialist

Chicago, IL

You'll work closely with the Field Activation Manager and may occasionally support evening or ... Field Marketing Activation (30%) * Connect with new consumers and student communities to build ...

Yerba Madre

Field Activation Specialist

Chicago, IL · On-site

You'll work closely with the Field Activation Manager and may occasionally support evening or ... Field Marketing Activation (30%) * Connect with new consumers and student communities to build ...

Yerba Madre

Field Activation Specialist

Chicago, IL

You'll work closely with the Field Activation Manager and may occasionally support evening or ... Field Marketing Activation (30%) * Connect with new consumers and student communities to build ...

Advantage Solutions

Brand Activation Manager

Chicago, IL · On-site

$68.64K - $78K/yr

Brand Activation Manager - Temp until 8/18 Join the world-renowned Anheuser-Busch family, where ... Job Will Remain Open Until Filled The Company is one of North America's leading sales and marketing ...

Vizient

Senior Insight Activation Manager

Chicago, IL

$77.40K - $135.40K/yr

You will partner closely with Marketing and Sales teams within a Business Unit to understand ... Serve as the dedicated Revenue Intelligence strategy and activation partner to Business Unit ...

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Marketing Activation Manager information

See Illinois salary details

$32K

$80.9K

$141K

How much do marketing activation manager jobs pay per year?

As of May 28, 2026, the average yearly pay for marketing activation manager in Illinois is $80,902.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $58,100.00 and $95,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Marketing Activation Manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Marketing Activation Manager, you need expertise in campaign planning, brand strategy, and project management, often supported by a degree in marketing, business, or a related field. Familiarity with marketing automation platforms, CRM systems, and analytics tools like Google Analytics is typically required. Strong communication, creativity, and stakeholder management skills set standout candidates apart in this role. These skills are essential for executing effective marketing campaigns that drive brand engagement and deliver measurable business results.

How does a Marketing Activation Manager typically collaborate with sales and product teams to ensure successful campaign rollouts?

A Marketing Activation Manager works closely with sales and product teams to align campaign strategies with business objectives and product features. This collaboration often involves regular meetings to share market insights, coordinate launch timelines, and tailor messaging to specific customer segments. By maintaining open communication channels, the manager ensures that campaigns are both creatively engaging and commercially effective, leading to smoother rollouts and better overall results. This cross-functional teamwork is essential for adapting to market feedback and optimizing campaign performance in real time.

What does a Marketing Activation Manager do?

A Marketing Activation Manager is responsible for planning and executing campaigns that bring a brand’s marketing strategies to life, often focusing on engaging consumers and driving sales. Their work includes coordinating events, promotions, partnerships, and digital campaigns to ensure cohesive brand messaging across all channels. They collaborate closely with sales, creative, and product teams to ensure that marketing initiatives are effectively implemented and measured for success. This role requires strong project management, communication, and analytical skills. Ultimately, the goal is to activate the brand in ways that create memorable experiences and measurable business results.

What is the difference between Marketing Activation Manager vs Marketing Coordinator?

AspectMarketing Activation ManagerMarketing Coordinator
ResponsibilitiesDevelops and executes marketing campaigns, manages activation strategies, oversees event marketingSupports marketing campaigns, coordinates activities, assists with event planning
Required SkillsStrategic planning, project management, communication, campaign executionOrganizational skills, communication, basic marketing knowledge
CredentialsBachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or related field; relevant certificationsBachelor’s degree often preferred; entry-level certifications beneficial
Work EnvironmentFast-paced marketing teams, agency or corporate settingsSupport roles within marketing departments, often in office settings

The Marketing Activation Manager focuses on developing and executing marketing campaigns and activation strategies, often leading projects. In contrast, the Marketing Coordinator provides support, assists with campaign coordination, and handles logistical tasks. Both roles require strong communication skills and marketing knowledge, but the Activation Manager typically has more strategic responsibilities and experience.

What are the most commonly searched types of Marketing Activation jobs in Illinois? The most popular types of Marketing Activation jobs in Illinois are:
What cities in Illinois are hiring for Marketing Activation Manager jobs? Cities in Illinois with the most Marketing Activation Manager job openings:
Marketing Activation Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Marketing Activation Manager job openings in Illinois as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 11% Full Time, 87% Part Time, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 85% Physical, 4% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $80,902 per year, or $38.9 per hour.
Director, Retail Marketing Activation

Director, Retail Marketing Activation

Curaleaf

Chicago, IL

Other

Posted 27 days ago

Curaleaf rating

6.3

Company rating: 6.3 out of 10

Based on 66 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

14th of 29 rated cannabis dispensaries

Job description

Title:Director, Retail Marketing Activation
 
Full Time
 
Role Summary
The Director, Retail Marketing Activation leads how the retail brand experience comes to life across the store fleet of 172 Curaleaf dispensaries. Working closely with the Marketing Director, CL Retail Brand, this role translates brand strategy, campaigns, seasonal priorities, and product launches into compelling, customer-centered retail execution that is both brand-right and operationally executable.
This leader oversees a team of 8 Retail Activation Managers and is responsible for building a strong field activation engine across stores and markets. The role sits at the center of CL Retail Brand, Shopper Marketing, Creative, Retail Operations, Merchandising, CRM, and field execution, ensuring that stores consistently deliver a high-quality brand experience while supporting traffic, conversion, basket size, and loyalty.
 
Key Responsibilities
Retail activation strategy and execution
  • In partnership with the Marketing Director, CL Retail Brand, lead the strategy and execution of retail marketing activations across the store fleet 
  • Translate retail brand priorities into in-store programs, storytelling, and execution that strengthen the customer experience and support commercial goals 
  • Ensure activations are clear, compelling, and executable across stores with the right balance of consistency and market relevance 
  • Build a retail activation approach that makes stores feel elevated, intentional, and customer-centric, not merely promotional 
Campaigns, launches, and seasonal moments
  • In partnership with the Marketing Director, CL Retail Brand, lead retail activation planning for key campaigns, seasonal moments, product launches, and broader brand initiatives 
  • Develop activation briefs, timelines, toolkits, and execution plans for stores and field teams 
  • Ensure campaigns come to life cohesively across signage, fixtures, events, sampling, digital surfaces, associate communication, and other customer touchpoints 
  • Adapt broader brand direction into practical, high-quality retail execution across the fleet 
In-store storytelling and customer journey
  • Partner closely with Shopper Marketing and Creative to shape how storytelling shows up in-store 
  • Help define how campaign messaging, product stories, merchandising, and customer journey moments work together to create a clear and inspiring path to purchase 
  • Champion a premium, uncluttered, customer-friendly experience that reflects the ambition of the brand 
  • Ensure the store environment supports both discovery and decision-making in ways that feel intuitive and brand-right 
Field activation and team leadership
  • Directly manage a team of 8 Retail Activation Managers responsible for field execution across markets 
  • Set clear priorities, objectives, and ways of working for the activation team 
  • Coach and develop the team to deliver high-quality in-store execution, strong cross-functional coordination, and consistent market feedback 
  • Ensure the team identifies and helps execute local opportunities for community engagement, events, partnerships, and store-specific traffic drivers 
  • Establish clear guardrails so local activation remains relevant and responsive without compromising brand consistency 
  • Ensure flagship, high-priority, and unique-format stores receive the right level of activation support and attention 
Cross-functional integration
  • Serve as a key connector across CL Retail Brand, Shopper Marketing, Creative, Retail Operations, Merchandising, CRM, Planning, and Field Leadership 
  • Partner closely with the Director of CRM to connect retail activation with customer marketing programs that drive traffic into stores, increase engagement, and support priority campaigns and launches 
  • Align activation calendars and priorities with inventory realities, staffing constraints, store readiness, and business needs 
  • Ensure retail activations are grounded in operational realities and can be executed at a high level in-store 
  • Build strong operating rhythms across functions so work moves with clarity, speed, and accountability
Communication, feedback, and continuous improvement
  • Own store-facing activation communication for key campaigns, launches, and seasonal priorities 
  • Ensure stores and field teams receive clear, simple, and timely direction on what matters most 
  • Manage the field feedback loop through the Retail Activation Managers, using in-store insights to continuously improve tools, formats, standards, and processes 
  • Help build more effective and repeatable activation systems over time, improving both quality and consistency across the fleet 
Performance and optimization
  • Define and track KPIs for retail activation success, including traffic, conversion, attachment, UPT, ATV, sales lift, event productivity, and execution quality 
  • Use customer, store, and market insights to identify what is working, what is not, and where activation can improve 
  • Distill performance into actionable learnings that strengthen future launches, campaigns, and field execution 
  • Balance brand-building ambition with commercial effectiveness in decision-making 
Qualifications
  • 10+ years of experience in retail marketing, retail activation, shopper marketing, field marketing, or brand experience 
  • Significant experience leading execution across a multi-location retail environment 
  • Strong experience partnering across brand, creative, operations, and commercial teams 
  • Proven ability to translate brand strategy into strong in-store execution at scale 
  • Experience directly managing field, market, or activation teams 
  • Strong planning, prioritization, and execution discipline 
  • Strong eye for brand expression, customer experience, and in-store storytelling 
  • Strong leadership and coaching capability 
  • Experience in high-growth, premium, or customer-experience-led brands preferred 
Success Profile
  • Brand-minded enough to elevate the in-store experience 
  • Commercially grounded enough to support business performance 
  • Operationally strong enough to deliver consistent execution across the fleet 
  • A strong people leader who can manage and develop a distributed activation team 
  • Highly collaborative and effective across functions 
  • Taste-driven, with a strong instinct for what makes retail feel modern, compelling, and on-brand 
What Success Looks Like
  • Stores feel like a true expression of the retail brand 
  • Campaigns and launches show up in-store with consistency, clarity, and energy 
  • Retail Activation Managers execute at a high level and surface useful market insight back to the organization 
  • Local activation is stronger, more disciplined, and more scalable 
  • Retail activation becomes a meaningful driver of traffic, conversion, and loyalty

What Curaleaf employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

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About Curaleaf

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. ("Curaleaf") is a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis, with a mission to improve lives by providing clarity around cannabis and confidence around consumption. As a high-growth cannabis company known for quality, expertise, and reliability, the company and its brands, including Curaleaf and Select provide industry-leading service, product selection, and accessibility across the medical and adult-use markets. Today, we operate in 19 states with 144 dispensaries, service nearly 2,200 wholesale partner accounts, we have 29 cultivation sites and over 5,500 team members in the United States. Curaleaf International is the leading vertically integrated cannabis company in Europe with a unique supply and distribution network throughout the European market, bringing together pioneering science and research with cutting-edge cultivation, extraction, and production. Our corporate social responsibility is Rooted in Good. We believe in taking corporate and social responsibility very seriously, from our educational outreach to national partnerships, state-wide initiatives and local causes. Giving back to the communities where we operate is important to us and helps to change old attitudes by showing the positive impact of cannabis in creating jobs, changing lives, and helping local communities.

Industry

Medical equipment and supplies manufacturing

Company size

1,001 - 5,000 Employees

Headquarters location

Wakefield, MA, US

Year founded

2010

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