Manager, Retail Media & Advertising

Position Summary

Reporting to the Director of Marketing & Advertising, the Manager, Retail Media & Advertising plays a key role in driving eCommerce growth and brand visibility through retail media, digital advertising, and integrated marketing campaigns. This position is responsible for developing, executing, and optimizing paid media strategies across key retail accounts and digital platforms, with a strong focus on maximizing return on advertising investment and driving measurable business results.

The Manager combines creative thinking with strong analytical capabilities to translate brand and commercial objectives into effective advertising strategies. This role manages campaign planning and execution, media budgets, performance measurement, and optimization while partnering cross-functionally with eCommerce, Sales, Marketing, Creative, and other teams to ensure campaigns support brand strategy and customer objectives.

In addition to retail media and paid advertising, the role supports content development, organic social media, affiliate marketing, SEO, and emerging digital commerce opportunities.

Primary Responsibilities

Retail Media & Paid Advertising

- Develop, execute, and optimize retail media and digital advertising strategies across key retail accounts and platforms.
- Manage paid media campaigns across retailer media networks, paid search, display, social media, and other digital advertising channels.
- Maximize return on advertising investment through ongoing campaign optimization, testing, audience targeting, bid management, and budget allocation.
- Develop scalable advertising campaigns that support brand, customer, and eCommerce growth objectives.
- Partner with eCommerce and Sales teams to align retail media strategies with customer priorities, promotional calendars, product launches, and sales objectives.
- Monitor campaign pacing and manage advertising budgets to ensure effective utilization of available spend.
- Identify opportunities to improve advertising efficiency, conversion, traffic, and sales performance.

Analytics & Performance Management

- Track, analyze, and report advertising and promotional performance by retailer, platform, campaign, and account.
- Monitor key performance indicators including ROAS, sales, traffic, conversion, CPC, CTR, impressions, and other relevant metrics.
- Translate campaign data into actionable insights and recommendations to improve future performance.
- Establish and manage advertising schedules and promotional calendars to optimize campaign timing and effectiveness.
- Regularly communicate performance results, trends, risks, and opportunities to Marketing, eCommerce, Sales, and leadership.
- Use data and testing to continuously improve campaign effectiveness and inform media investment decisions.

Campaign & Content Development

- Develop campaign concepts and advertising strategies that align with brand positioning, customer objectives, and commercial priorities.
- Collaborate with internal creative resources and external partners to develop advertising assets across digital and retail media platforms.
- Organize and manage photo and video shoots in partnership with the studio to develop campaign assets.
- Ensure advertising creative maintains consistent brand voice and meets retailer and platform requirements.
- Partner cross-functionally to ensure teams understand campaign objectives, merchandising priorities, timing, and execution requirements.

Digital Commerce & Brand Support

- Conduct SEO research and analysis to support product discoverability and eCommerce performance.
- Execute organic social media strategies in alignment with broader brand and advertising initiatives.
- Support and manage affiliate marketing relationships and programs.
- Plan and host live shopping events through platforms such as Amazon Live and Instagram Live.
- Stay current on evolving retail media networks, advertising capabilities, platform changes, measurement practices, and digital commerce trends.
- Identify and recommend emerging advertising opportunities that can improve brand visibility, customer engagement, and profitable growth.
- Coordinate with other departments as needed and perform additional duties in support of company and management initiatives.

Professional Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Business, eCommerce, or a related field.
- Minimum of 3+ years of experience in retail media, digital advertising, performance marketing, eCommerce advertising, or a related field.
- Minimum of 2+ years of direct people leadership experience, including coaching, performance management, development, and accountability for team results.
- Hands-on experience managing paid advertising campaigns within retail media and/or eCommerce environments.
- Experience with major advertising platforms such as Amazon Ads, Google Ads, Meta Ads Manager, Pinterest Ads, and other relevant retail media or digital advertising platforms.
- Demonstrated experience managing advertising budgets and optimizing campaigns against performance and ROI/ROAS objectives.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret campaign and sales data and translate findings into actionable recommendations.
- Experience with paid search, display advertising, PPC, audience targeting, campaign optimization, and performance measurement.
- Working knowledge of SEO and organic digital marketing strategies.
- Familiarity with Adobe Photoshop and/or other Adobe Creative Cloud tools preferred.
- Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively with internal and external partners.
- Ability to collaborate effectively across Marketing, eCommerce, Sales, Creative, and other cross-functional teams.
- Self-directed, highly organized, and comfortable managing multiple campaigns and priorities within concurrent deadlines.
- Creative and analytical thinker with a strong focus on continuous improvement and measurable business results.

Preferred Qualifications

- Experience managing campaigns across multiple retailer media networks.
- Experience with Amazon advertising and eCommerce marketplace environments.
- Experience analyzing advertising performance at the retailer/account level.
- Experience supporting consumer products or omnichannel retail brands.
- Familiarity with affiliate marketing, social commerce, and live shopping platforms.

Benefits and Perks:

- Amazing and supportive company culture
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
- Free Life Insurance
- Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
- 401k with company match
- Paid vacation, holidays and sick time
- Employee Assistance Program
- Access to thousands of free online courses
- Discounts on cell phones, movie tickets, gym memberships, and more!
- Education Assistance (both college degrees and professional certifications)
- Paid parental leave

Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT) (NASDAQ: CENTA) is a leading consumer goods company in the pet and garden industries. Guided by the belief that home is central to life, the Company's purpose is to proudly nurture happy and healthy homes. For over 45 years, its innovative and trusted solutions have helped lawns grow greener, gardens bloom bigger, pets live healthier, and communities grow stronger. Central is home to a diversified portfolio of market-leading brands including Amdro®, Aqueon®, Best Bully Sticks®, Cadet®, C&S®, Farnam®, Ferry-Morse®, Kaytee®, Nylabone®, Pennington®, Sevin® and Zoёcon®. With fiscal 2025 net sales of $3.1 billion, Central has strong manufacturing and logistics capabilities supported by a passionate, entrepreneurial growth culture. The Company is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, and employs over 6,000 people, primarily across North America.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.