Helly Hansen Retail Marketing Manager, North America

Who We Are:

Kontoor Brands is a portfolio of three of the world's most iconic lifestyle, outdoor and workwear brands: Wrangler, Lee and Helly Hansen. Kontoor Brands is a purpose-led organization focused on leveraging its global platform, strategic sourcing model and best-in-class supply chain to drive brand growth and deliver long- term value for its stakeholders.

Job Posting:

Helly Hansen Retail Marketing Manager, North America

Founded in Norway in 1877, Helly Hansen continues to develop professional-grade apparel that helps people stay and feel alive. Through insights drawn from living and working in the world's harshest environments, the company has a long legacy of delivering first-to-market innovations, including the first supple waterproof fabrics over 140 years ago. Other breakthroughs include the first fleece fabrics in the 1960s, the first technical base layers in the 1970s, and the award winning and patented H2Flow, temperature regulating system.

Recently, Helly Hansen won the coveted Outside Magazine "Gear of the Year" award for the Odin Infinity Insulated Jacket, which features proprietary technologies including Lifaloft, insulation and Lifa Infinity Pro, a waterproof breathable construction made without chemical treatments, providing long-lasting durable water resistance (DWR) without a coating, continuing our innovation.

Helly Hansen is a leader in both technical sailing and performance ski apparel. Its ski uniforms are tested and trusted by over 55,000 professionals, as well as Olympians, National Teams, and over 200 ski resorts and mountain guiding operations around the world. Helly Hansen's outerwear, base layers, sportswear, footwear, and workwear and sold in more than 40 countries and are trusted by professionals and enthusiasts around the world.

Helly Hansen operates globally, with offices in over 19 countries and is owned by Kontoor Brands (KTB). To learn more about Helly Hansen and their latest collections, visit www.hellyhansen.com

Mission

The Retail Marketing Manager is responsible for defining and leading the regional retail marketing strategy that drives qualified store traffic, deepens community engagement, and elevates the in-store experience for outdoor enthusiasts. This role owns the strategic planning, development, and optimization of retail marketing initiatives across both brand and outlet stores across all markets, ensuring alignment with brand vision, commercial objectives, and omni-channel priorities.

This role serves as a key strategic partner to local marketing teams, retail leadership, e-commerce, and external partners, translating global and regional priorities into locally relevant, high-impact retail experiences.

Core Responsibilities

Retail Marketing Strategy & Traffic Development

• Own the regional retail marketing strategy, including the annual and seasonal commercial calendar, traffic-driving initiatives, and store-level activation plans.
• Develop market and store specific growth strategies informed by consumer insights, performance data, weather patterns, and local market dynamics.
• Lead the planning, execution, and optimization of the retail commercial calendar, including product launches, seasonal transitions, promotions, and experiential activations.
• Establish tools and frameworks to measure traffic incrementality, conversion, event performance, and customer engagement, using insights to refine strategy.
• Partner with store leaders to create authentic, experience-led in-store events, including gear demos, clinics, workshops, athlete talks, and community nights.
• Manage retail store advertising, local email marketing, and social amplification to promote events, launches, and traffic-driving initiatives.
• Build and maintain local partnerships with guides, outfitters, conservation groups, clubs, athletes, and non-profits to strengthen store relevance and credibility.
• Represent the brand at key outdoor industry events (e.g., boat shows, ski races, outdoor movie premiers, brand partnership training events), ensuring strong retail tie-in and post-event conversion.
• Own regional retail marketing budgets, ensuring strategic allocation, fiscal discipline, and measurable ROI.
  

Community Engagement & Brand Advocacy

• Position stores as community gathering points by fostering relationships with local outdoor organizations, advocacy groups, and influencers.
• Lead community-driven initiatives tied to stewardship, sustainability, and access to the outdoors, aligning brand purpose with local action.
• Activate athlete, ambassador, and guide programs at the retail level to create authentic storytelling and expertise-led experiences.
• Ensure community initiatives drive both brand equity and commercial performance.

Visual Merchandising & In-Store Experience Leadership

• Define and execute the regional visual merchandising strategy that brings outdoor stories, technical product benefits, and seasonal adventures to life in-store.
• Lead development and execution of windows, POP, campaign storytelling, and seasonal transitions.
• Ensure VM standards reflect the authentic, technical, and experiential nature of outdoor specialty retail through regular store visits and reviews.
• Champion the overall store atmosphere, ensuring stores feel welcoming, authentic, and connected to the local outdoor environment.
• Partner with product, VM, and retail ops teams on planograms, category initiatives, and flow, optimizing for discovery, conversion, and dwell time.
• Translate global retail marketing and VM initiatives into locally relevant executions.

KPI

• Growth in realized in-store traffic
• Growth in realized in-store conversion rate
• Growth in retail store KPIs and budget achievement
• Adherence to deadlines
• Budget management
• Growth in open rate and click-through rate.

Experience / Skills Required

• Passion for the outdoors (e.g., skiing, sailing, hiking, biking) with the credibility to engage customers, partners, and communities as a brand ambassador.
• Proven ability to represent and advance brand values, acting as a strategic steward of brand, culture, and community at the retail level.
• 3-5+ years managing a team of marketing/visual merchandising personnel.
• 5-8+ years of progressive experience in retail marketing, retail strategy, or community marketing, ideally within specialty, lifestyle, or outdoor retail.
• Ability to travel to stores and markets 30% of the time (or otherwise as required).
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing retail or market-level strategies that drive traffic, conversion, and customer loyalty across multiple locations.
• Bachelor's degree required; BA/BS in Marketing, Business, or related field preferred.
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to translate data, customer insights, and market dynamics into actionable retail strategies.
• Proven leadership and influence skills, including the ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and guide store teams, agencies, and cross-functional partners.
• Deep understanding of retail marketing levers (commercial calendars, promotions, events, CRM, loyalty, local media, VM) and how to align resources for maximum impact.
• Track record of successful stakeholder management, collaborating across retail, product, brand, e-commerce, operations, and external partners while maintaining brand integrity.
• Strong program and project management capabilities, with experience managing complex, multi-store initiatives from concept through execution and evaluation.
• Highly effective communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence decision-making and gain alignment.
• Strong commercial and sales-oriented mindset, with experience partnering with retail leadership to drive revenue and performance outcomes.
• High personal standards and a demonstrated commitment to continuous improvement and excellence.
• Experience working within a global or multi-region consumer outdoor brand preferred.
• Experience in the outdoor industry or adjacent lifestyle category strongly preferred.
• Advanced computer skills, including Excel for analysis and forecasting, PowerPoint for strategic storytelling; familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite and CRM platforms preferred.

Disclaimer

The job description is part of every Helly Hansen employee's contract.However, this is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, skills, duties, requirements, efforts or working conditions associated with the job.While this description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the job or require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change.

Hiring Range: $95,000 to $125,000 USD annually.

Why Kontoor Brands?

At Kontoor, we offer a comprehensive benefit package to fit your lifestyle. Our benefits are crafted with the same care as our products.

When our employees are healthy, secure, and well, they bring their best selves to work. Kontoor Brands supports you with a competitive benefits program that provides choice and flexibility to meet your and your family's needs - now and in the future. We offer resources to support your physical, emotional, social, and financial wellbeing, plus benefits like discounts on our apparel. Kontoor Brands also provides four weeks of Paid Parental Leave to eligible employees who are new parents, Flexible Fridays, and Tuition Reimbursement.

We are proud to offer a workplace culture centered on equitable opportunities and a sense of belonging for all team members. Here we have a global workforce of high-performing teams that both unlocks our individual uniqueness and harnesses our collaborative talents.