Marketing / Product Category Manager

Position: Marketing / Product Category Manager Home/Studio

Location: Northampton, UK

Blackstar Amplification s Marketing team are recruiting for a truly exciting position, a dream role for someone who is passionate about music and guitars, and has their finger on the pulse with the latest trends in music equipment.

This role isn t for the faint hearted and would suit someone who loves being busy! It is an incredibly varied role and would fit someone who is driven by achieving targets.

Being the point-person for the Home/Studio category will require a strong team ethic and an ability to focus on the bigger company picture , helping the company achieve its growth ambitions.

The successful candidate will be joining our award-winning global business and taking ownership of growing the awareness and success of our Home/Studio category.

The role:

You will take lead responsibility for Blackstar s Home/Studio Product Category. Your goal is to make Blackstar the choice for home and recording musicians worldwide. Success in this role will be measured by the impact that your initiatives have on the global commercial success and reputation of the Blackstar Home/Studio product offering.

You are the specialist for this Product Category you are the main contact, internally and externally, for any Marketing, Sales, Customer Service, and field needs.

The PM owns decisions on, and helps to create, materials and communications for educational, presentational, and positioning purposes. These include marketing assets, product copy, video and visual content, product launch campaigns, selling tools, and training and LMS content.

The duties and responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Develop innovative content for the Home/Studio category to engage consumers, staff and retailers.
• Materials and communications will be evidence based with competitive information, industry trends, and real-world applications in mind.
• Ensure all content is on-brand, consistent in style and quality, and optimised for consumers.
• Deliver Home/Studio category products from pre-launch, to market and monitor sell-through.
• Deliver content requirements set by brand management including copywriting, developing concepts for print and digital advertising, video direction / production or editing.
• Communicate launch plans, ETAs, new product production schedules and relevant product information to the company as required.
• Provide general editorial direction and support.
• Interface with external partners, including global distributors and dealers.
• Understand the competitive landscape be an expert on our competitors and how the products are positioned in the market.
• Work with the New Products team on the planning, specification and development of new products.
• Develop compelling product positioning and messaging strategies for each new product launch, as well as updating and redefining the messaging and marketing content for existing products.
• Be the on-screen face when necessary to demonstrate products in video, live tradeshows and at retailers. Where appropriate bring in external demonstrators as needed to support initiatives.
• Interact with retailers and reps to maintain expert awareness and knowledge of dealer networks, and the retail environment. Assist and lead trade show preparations as required by the management team. Plan, organise, and attend video and photo shoots.

• Work closely with the Director of Marketing and Product Design team on projects that help to increase sales, awareness, and advocacy of Blackstar products.
• Work closely with the sales department to drive the category sales number globally.
• KPIs for category success include: global sales performance, digital and social media stats, on / offline reviews, artist acquisition, media exposure and end-user satisfaction surveys.
• Manage the category marketing budget and report on spend against ROI (Return on Investment).

Required Knowledge and Experience:

• Marketing degree or equivalent Marketing qualification.
• Minimum 2 years experience within a Marketing role.
• Demonstrate genuine enthusiasm for our products and be the go-to resource for all things Home/Studio product-related.
• Possess the interpersonal skills to develop strong rapport with Blackstar and retail personnel, artists and members of the media.
• Possess excellent organisational and time management skills; must be able to independently manage a diverse workload while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced business environment.
• Possess analytical skills and the ability to convert numbers to summaries, strategies and actions.
• Must have strong presentation skills on and off camera.
• Possess a strong working knowledge of MS Office, music DAWs (Digital Audio Workstations) and CRM.
• Demonstrate the desire and drive for continual self-improvement in all relevant areas.
• Should have the ability to play guitar and have in-depth knowledge of guitar amps, pedals, and associated equipment, plus home and studio recording.
• Video recording and editing experience is a major benefit.

The Company:

Launched in 2007, Blackstar is globally recognised and respected as an innovator and leader in guitar amplification design. We are a company of musicians who are truly passionate about what we do and understand the importance of great tone.

Blackstar is based in Northampton, with over 80 years combined experience in guitar amplification design and production. Our team pioneers change in the industry and has a strong commitment to driving transformational innovation within all of our products. Blackstar products are the best in the world for design, technology and performance we create the ultimate tolls for self-expression.

The Environment:

Blackstar is a unique environment; we are all musicians/music lovers and the dress code is relaxed.

Our teams are experts in their field and we are incredibly passionate about our products and the industry as a whole. Most of our staff have worked in the industry for a long time and we are looking for candidates who wish to grow with the company and share in our current and future success. Office hours are 8:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday, with a willingness to work extra hours as and when required to achieve project deliverables to schedule. Flexible approach to working hours/environment where possible, according to business needs.

If you share our passion, approach your work with pride, are driven by innovation, want to be the best and help to grow our global brand to its highest potential we would love to hear from you. Please apply with an up-to-date CV and a 60 second video telling us why you are the right person for the role. We are looking to hold interviews ASAP, for which an initial telephone conversation would be the first step.