About Us:

Mid-States Distributing is the leading Farm, Ranch, and Home Retail Organization. Our 71+ year old company is owned by 29 independent Farm, Ranch & Home retailers (“Members”) who operate approximately 700 stores across the US and Canada with combined annual sales in excess of 7.5 billion dollars. Our member/owners retail items such as agriculture parts & supplies, petroleum products, hardware & tools, pet food, lawn & garden, animal health supplies, apparel & footwear, sporting goods, and various other products for the Farm, Ranch, and Home.

We are looking for enthusiastic people who like to win! We place a tremendous amount of emphasis on creating a dynamic and positive company culture. Most of our employees will tell you that Mid-States is the best place they’ve ever worked. We value high-energy people with positive mental attitudes who believe in the concept of “serving to wow”! Our consumers are primarily rural people raising kids, pets, cows, and crops so traditional values like God, family, and patriotism are important virtues. So, if you are enthusiastic, competitive, have a great attitude, have excellent written and verbal communication skills, like to build strong relationships, like to win, and refuse to eat meat grown in a lab – Mid-States may be the place for you! If you are not, please apply with our competitors!

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Brand Manager – Pet & Consumer Brands will lead marketing strategy and execution for a portfolio of pet-focused brands, while also supporting broader consumer brand initiatives across the organization.

This role is responsible for driving brand growth across both e-commerce and retail channels. You will own the development and execution of brand strategies that increase revenue, improve retail sell-through, and build long-term brand equity.

You will work closely with category management, merchandising, suppliers, and the internal marketing team to bring programs to life across digital marketing, paid media, website content, packaging, and in-store merchandising.

The ideal candidate has experience in pet food, consumer packaged goods, or digitally native brands, and understands how modern marketing, content, and performance media influence how customers discover, evaluate, and purchase products.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Brand Strategy & Positioning

• Champion brand positioning, messaging, and tone across assigned brands
• Develop annual brand plans aligned to revenue goals, category priorities, and seasonal demand
• Translate business objectives into clear marketing strategies and execution plans
• Identify growth opportunities across product, channel, and customer segments

Digital & Performance Marketing

• Lead digital marketing strategy including paid media (Meta, search, retail media)
• Partner with internal teams to manage Shopify and e-commerce performance, including conversion optimization
• Oversee email marketing and retention strategies to drive repeat purchase behavior
• Guide content development including product education, storytelling, and campaign creative
• Leverage AI tools to support research, content development, and campaign optimization

Campaign Planning and Execution

• Lead integrated campaigns supporting product launches, seasonal programs, and promotional initiatives
• Manage timelines, budgets, and deliverables across digital, social, paid media, and in-store assets
• Partner with creative and digital teams to develop high-impact marketing assets
• Ensure campaigns are aligned across all channels and customer touchpoints

Retail and Performance Marketing Integration:

• Partner with category management and member retailers to improve brand visibility and performance across 700+ store locations
• Develop in-store marketing programs and merchandising support materials
• Align digital campaigns with retail promotions to create a consistent customer experience
• Support educational content that helps customers make informed purchase decisions in pet and animal care categories

Performance & Analytics

• Analyze campaign performance and identify opportunities to improve effectiveness and ROI
• Utilize tools such as GA4 and platform analytics to guide decision-making
• Track key performance metrics including traffic, conversion, and sell-through
• Present performance results and recommendations to internal stakeholders and leadership

Project and Team Collaboration

• Serve as the bridge between marketing, category management, and merchandising
• Manage tasks, workflows, and approvals through Monday.com
• Ensure alignment across teams and keep projects moving on time and on budget

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, AND EXPERIENCE:

• 5 to 7 years of brand, CPG, pet, or e-commerce marketing experience
• Demonstrated success driving measurable growth through digital marketing and brand initiatives
• Strong understanding of performance marketing, e-commerce, and customer acquisition strategies
• Experience with Shopify, email platforms, Meta Ads Manager, and GA4
• Ability to manage multiple brands and initiatives simultaneously
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate product features into clear, compelling messaging
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with pet food brands, consumer packaged goods, or digitally native brands
• Background with companies such as Chewy, Purina, Blue Buffalo, or similar organizations
• Experience supporting both retail and e-commerce growth strategies
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to connect marketing activity to business results
• Experience working with category management or product development teams
  

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Generally, the job requires 80% sitting, 10% walking, and 10% standing. This job is performed in a generally clean environment. The usual and customary methods of performing the job's functions require the following physical demands: some lifting, carrying, pushing, and/or pulling, some stooping and significant fine finger dexterity.

TRAVEL:

There is minimal travel required for this position.

OTHER DUTIES:

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this position. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Reasonable accommodations may enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions..

A few words from our COO:

I have had the pleasure to work for some incredible companies during my career, but Mid-States is truly the best company I have ever worked for. Lead by our dynamic CEO, Tom Mahlke, our team strives to provide a unique, exciting, fun, and fulfilling work environment for our staff. Things like drama, laziness, and entitlement have no place in Mid-States, which makes Mid-States a refreshing place to work. We offer competitive salaries, have a fantastic benefits package, and believe in rewarding those who produce. We serve a wonderful industry, and we are financially sound and growing rapidly. If you are an enthusiastic, high-energy person with a positive attitude and the skills described above, you may have just found the last job you will ever apply for! I look forward to meeting you. – Jeff Rash, COO