Job Description
The Role: A "Design-to-Delivery" Architect
We are seeking a strategic, high-energy, and hands-on Director of
Branded Merchandise to lead and evolve our promotional products
division. This role is responsible for the full lifecycle of branded
goods, from the “creative soul” of product curation to the “logistical
spine” of supply chain management, while also helping transform the
department into a more proactive, insight-driven strategic partner for clients.
This is not a “desk-only” administrative role. Because our department
thrives on complex client campaigns, enterprise-level relationships,
and high-end retail trends, success in this position requires a leader
who is deeply involved in both the day-to-day workflow and the
bigger-picture evolution of the business. You aren’t just managing a
team; you are observing the market, identifying vendor opportunities,
helping modernize operational workflows, and working side-by-side with
Account Managers to elevate the client experience and drive long-term
account growth.
You will lead a dedicated team of 5, serving as the bridge between
creative vision, operational excellence, and flawless execution.
Success in this role also requires building the operational structure,
strategic mindset, and proactive client service model needed to
continue scaling and strengthening long-term enterprise client relationships.
A Day in the Life
In this role, the morning inbox takes a backseat to the “Team
Huddle.” You’ll spend your early hours troubleshooting production
snags, helping prioritize workloads, and empowering your Account
Managers to deliver “wow” moments for clients. This position requires
a rare hybrid of high-level strategic thinking and in-the-trenches execution.
You are just as likely to be found architecting departmental
workflows and account growth strategies as you are hunting for the
perfect innovative product that defines a company store or solves a
client challenge in a more thoughtful way. You aren’t a middleman; you
are a curator and strategic partner who understands that a brand’s
identity is built through details, experience, storytelling, and execution.
You are equally comfortable presenting KPIs and operational
recommendations to the executive team as you are coaching an Account
Manager through stronger discovery questions, reviewing timelines,
refining workflows, or helping a client think beyond “just another
branded item.”
Success in this role requires balancing operational excellence with
forward-thinking client leadership, ensuring the team has the
structure, tools, strategic mindset, and capacity to proactively grow
accounts instead of simply managing orders.
Core Responsibilities
Operational Leadership
Manage and mentor a 5-person team overseeing production coordinators
and account managers. Build a culture of accountability,
collaboration, proactive thinking, and continuous learning. Help
evolve the team from a primarily execution-focused model into a more
consultative, strategically minded client partner organization.
Lead hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, and team
development efforts while creating operational structure and
consistency across the department.
Strategic Account Growth + Client Leadership
Partner closely with Sales, Account Management, Production, and
Leadership teams to elevate client relationships beyond transactional
order fulfillment.
Help teams uncover growth opportunities through:
- stronger discovery and intake conversations
- proactive account planning
- more thoughtful recommendation development
- improved client communication
- trend-forward idea generation
- stronger understanding of client goals, audience personas, event
objectives, and ROI
Support retention and expansion of key enterprise accounts through
white-glove service, proactive communication, operational excellence,
and innovative thinking.
Operational Systems + Workflow Optimization
Serve as the NetSuite “Power User” for the department while helping
evaluate and improve broader project management workflows, operational
visibility, and cross-functional communication processes.
Create scalable operational systems that improve:
- project visibility
- accountability
- timeline management
- workflow consistency
- proactive client service
- communication between sales, account management, production,
fulfillment, and warehouse teams
Lead ongoing updates and optimization efforts across NetSuite, Sage,
Canva, company store platforms, SOPs, and internal workflow documentation.
Complex Production + Account Management
Personally lead production and strategic oversight on high-stakes,
complex, or enterprise-level client programs. Act as the escalation
point and problem solver for difficult orders, logistics challenges,
damaged goods issues, complex decorating questions, or operational risks.
Ensure projects are executed with a high-touch, white-glove level of
service and attention to detail.
Merchandising + Store Strategy
Own the “Company Store” lifecycle. Determine the best e-commerce
platforms, curate product assortments that feel elevated and
trend-aware, and manage ongoing product refreshes to keep stores
engaging and aligned with client brands.
Move beyond transactional “promo products” by helping create more
ownable, retail-inspired branded merchandise experiences.
Vendor Partnerships + Industry Stewardship
Actively manage and expand vendor relationships, negotiate program
pricing to improve margins, and collaborate with teams to standardize
sourcing strategies where appropriate.
Attend trade shows, vendor showcases, webinars, and industry events
to stay ahead of:
- consumer trends
- retail behavior
- sustainable sourcing
- decoration innovation
- fulfillment strategies
- experiential gifting trends
- premium packaging and unboxing experiences
Bring those insights back into the organization through internal
inspiration sessions, vendor presentations, trend reporting, and team education.
Financial + Strategic Oversight
Conduct forecasting, budgeting, margin reviews, and operational
planning to support departmental growth goals and profitability targets.
Help identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency,
strengthen margins, and grow existing client relationships through
more strategic account development and proactive merchandising recommendations.
A little about us...
CI-Group is a marketing solutions company that helps our clients
build their brands, launch their products and connect with their
customers. Located in Lebanon, NJ, our company has more than 80
employees, with several divisions including branding, design,
experiential + events, digital, advertising, strategy + research,
branded merchandise, warehousing + fulfillment, and printing +
mailing. We’ve been in business for over 40 years and are proud to
have an impressive list of household name clients from the
entertainment, finance, healthcare and luxury brands industries, among others.
CI-Group associates are our most valuable asset. We are what we are
because of who we are. CI-Group will seek to attract and retain the
best and most qualified group of associates possible through fair
treatment, ongoing training, and the support of their individual
development and quality of life.
CI-Group employees embrace the following core values:
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Client First
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Own It
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Be Passionate
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Win as a Team
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Commit to Excellent
