Associate Brand Marketing Manager

About the Role

The Associate Brand Marketing Manager represents an exciting opportunity to work cross‑functionally with GIA business units across the organization, including the Laboratory, Instruments, Education, Research, Alumni, and Market Development. This role is responsible for elevating the visual and experiential representation of the GIA brand at trade shows and industry conferences worldwide.

In this role, you will advance the Institute’s strategic initiatives and programs through end‑to‑end execution of trade show strategy, planning, and delivery—ensuring all experiences consistently reflect GIA’s brand standards and business objectives.

Location: Carlsbad, California; This hybrid role gives you the perfect balance: you’ll be onsite Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, collaborating face‑to‑face, building relationships, and soaking in GIA’s energetic campus culture—while still enjoying the flexibility of remote work on Mondays and Fridays. It’s the best of both worlds, wrapped in an exciting opportunity to grow, contribute, and shine!

You’ll lead the end‑to‑end strategy, planning, and execution of global trade shows, ensuring consistent brand excellence and seamless cross‑functional partnership. This role is an exciting opportunity to influence how GIA shows up on a global stage and to drive business goals through high‑impact events.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Planning (approx. 40%)

• Serve as the day‑to‑day partner to global stakeholders, Brand Marketing, Market Development, and internal teams to support integrated marketing campaigns.
• Define trade show and event goals, strategies, and success metrics in alignment with business objectives.
• Maintain high standards of brand representation across all trade show and event executions.
• Provide direction and mentorship to trade show and event team members.
• Own and maintain the annual trade show and event calendar and activity records.
• Stay current on industry trends related to exhibit design, event technology, and trade show best practices.

Trade Show Execution (approx. 40%)

• Collaborate with global stakeholders across multiple time zones to plan and execute trade show participation.
• Lead booth design and visual execution, including development of creative briefs and project tickets.
• Partner with the Creative Project Manager to manage workflows on a quarterly and annual basis.
• Manage GIA trade show activations, including Show Service Laboratories and on‑site GIA events.
• Act as the primary global point of contact for all trade show stakeholders.
• Oversee production of promotional materials, including graphics, print and digital advertising, lead generation tools, collateral, signage, displays, and giveaways.
• Review and approve promotional giveaway concepts to ensure alignment with brand strategy and event objectives.

Brand Management (approx. 20%)

• Collaborate with Laboratory, Instruments, Education, Alumni, and Market Development teams to gather inputs and develop creative briefs for trade shows and related initiatives.
• Support Senior Brand Managers on projects as needed.
• Maintain project status reports, timelines, and manage stakeholder schedules to meet marketing workflow deadlines.

Minimum Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or Communications preferred
• CMP certification is a plus

Experience

• 6+ years of experience in Brand Management, corporate trade shows, or related disciplines
• Agency experience preferred

Core Knowledge & Skills

• Advanced knowledge within brand marketing with exposure to related marketing disciplines
• Strong stakeholder management experience across multiple teams
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to develop creative and project briefs and present effectively to varied audiences
• Strong aesthetic judgment and attention to detail
• Working knowledge of design principles related to marketing and brand materials

Job Competencies

• Clear and effective communication
• Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills
• Sound judgment and problem‑solving ability
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Ability to manage complex projects and competing deadlines
• Flexibility and adaptability in a dynamic environment
• Accountability and follow‑through
• Conflict resolution and stakeholder alignment
• Cultural awareness and global collaboration
• Mentorship and knowledge sharing
• Proficiency with MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Additional Requirements

• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• Professional office environment with extensive computer use
• Regular sitting, standing, and movement throughout the day
• Occasional lifting of up to 25 pounds
• May be exposed to outdoor conditions during trade show and event activities

Pay Range: $89-$109K