The Manager, Brand supports the Director of Brand in driving the growth, health, and performance of the company’s brand portfolio. This role is responsible for executing brand strategies, managing category performance, and ensuring consistent brand positioning across products and channels. The Manager will work cross-functionally with Merchandising, Marketing, Finance, and Planning to execute go-to-market initiatives, monitor business results, and contribute to the brand’s long-term success.

This position is ideal for a collaborative, data-driven brand professional who combines strategic thinking with hands-on execution to bring brand strategies to life.

Key Responsibilities

Brand Strategy Execution: Implement brand strategies and category plans developed in partnership with the Director, ensuring alignment with company goals and market opportunities. Help to define and manage brand architecture and equity: measure brand health (awareness, preference, NPS) and recommend interventions to strengthen brand value.
Drive social media channels and efforts to tell the stories of our brands and products in a compelling way.
Portfolio & Product Management: Manage the product lifecycle within assigned categories — tracking performance, identifying optimization opportunities, and recommending product introductions, refreshes, or retirements based on data insights.
Pricing & Positioning Support: Collaborate with Merchandising and Finance to support pricing strategies and value propositions that enhance competitiveness and profitability.
Go-to-Market (GTM) Planning: Coordinate go-to-market activities for product launches and seasonal initiatives, ensuring consistent execution across Marketing, Merchandising, and Supply Chain teams. Manage brand experience across channels (digital, social, retail, direct-to-consumer), ensuring coherence and compelling consumer engagement in each channel.
Brand Storytelling: Partner with Marketing to ensure brand messaging, visuals, and campaigns reflect brand positioning and resonate with target audiences.
Business Analysis: Monitor brand and product performance metrics (sales, margin, velocity, etc.), and provide actionable insights to guide strategic decisions.
Consumer & Market Insight: Track market trends, consumer behavior, and competitive activity to inform brand and product recommendations.
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with key stakeholders across Sourcing, Planning, and Creative to ensure cohesive execution of brand objectives and initiatives.
Support regional/local brand execution in retail stores where applicable and engage with store leadership and high-performers to build and maintain brand presence and awareness
Build and engage brand communities and customer advocacy programs (influencers, ambassadors, loyalty) to deepen brand-consumer connection
Operational Excellence: Support process improvement across brand planning, reporting, and communication workflows to enhance efficiency and visibility.
Team Partnership: Provide mentorship and support to coordinators or analysts on the brand team, fostering a culture of curiosity, collaboration, and accountability.
Brand Stewardship: Act as a brand ambassador internally and externally, ensuring all touchpoints uphold brand integrity and voice. Strong storytelling ability and experience in partnering with Marketing teams to translate brand strategy into compelling consumer narratives across platforms and touchpoint

To join our band, you'll need the following experience:

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
6–8 years of experience in brand management, category management, or marketing within consumer goods, retail, or lifestyle industries.
(Musical/Audio background is a strong plus but not a requirement)
Demonstrated success executing brand or category strategies that drive growth and strengthen brand equity.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with experience interpreting market and performance data.
Proven ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent collaboration, communication, and presentation skills.
Experience working cross-functionally across Merchandising, Marketing, and Finance.
Proficiency with brand analytics, reporting tools, and Microsoft Office or similar systems.

Why Guitar Center? Here’s just some of the rewards:

For our employees who are musicians we offer the unique opportunity of gig leave—take time off to share your music with the world and return to your job after your tour! Guitar Center offers robust benefits and perks, including Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K plus company match, mental health support, paid sick/holiday/vacation time, employee discount program, and tuition reimbursement options.

Pay Rate: $95,000- $140,000 depending on background and experience.

This position is eligible to participate in the Guitar Center Company bonus program based on Company performance. The job posting is not necessarily reflective of actual compensation that may be earned, nor a promise of any specific pay for any specific employee, which is always dependent on actual experience, education, and other factors. The pay range(s) listed are provided in compliance with state specific laws. Pay ranges may be different in other locations.

Guitar Center is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides fair and equal employment opportunity to all employees and applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status prohibited under Federal, State, or local laws. All employment decisions are based on valid job‐related requirements.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our website, you may request a reasonable accommodation to express interest in a specific opening. You can request reasonable accommodation by calling 1‐818-735-8800 ext. 2862 or by sending an email to recruiting@guitarcenter.com.

Why join us?

With a career at Guitar Center, you become part of the world's largest multichannel musical instrument retailer. Whether at our Stores, Contact Centers, Distribution Centers, or Support Center, Guitar Center employees have a common goal: to help people find their sound and fill the world with more music.

Love this gig and want to apply?

Send your resume and cover letter today along with salary expectations!

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Brand Manager - Private Brands