Ampersand Brands
About Us
Ampersand Brands is a growing portfolio of beloved confectionery brands, including Hammond’s Candies, the iconic hand-crafted candy maker, and Lolli & Pops, a premium retail and gifting brand with a national presence. The company is backed by strong growth ambitions, combining innovation, brand storytelling, and operational excellence to expand its reach and solidify its position as a leading player in the U.S. confections industry. The Role
The Director of Marketing for Hammond’s Candies and Lolli & Pops is responsible for driving enterprise growth through brand strategy, performance marketing, and customer lifecycle management across retail, wholesale, and e-commerce channels. This role builds customer acquisition and retention engines, develops data-driven campaigns, and leverages storytelling and innovation to maximize revenue. Key Responsibilities
P&L and Budget Management: Manage the marketing P&L and budget, ensuring resources are allocated to maximize ROI and drive profitable growth. Develop and track annual budget. Align investments with Ampersand Brands’ revenue goals. Partner with Finance to monitor performance and adjust strategies to achieve performance goals. Performance Marketing & KPI Accountability: Develop and manage a marketing KPI scorecard across CAC, ROAS, traffic, conversion, retention, and gifting pipeline growth. Oversee paid search, social, affiliate, and influencer marketing with ROI discipline. Implement A/B testing and attribution models to optimize spend efficiency. E-Commerce & Digital Revenue Growth: Oversee the eCommerce P&L, scaling DTC to be a powerhouse within the enterprise. Optimize Shopify storefronts, Amazon/marketplaces, and wholesale digital platforms. Drive conversion, AOV growth, retention, and LTV expansion. Lead CRM/lifecycle marketing programs (email, SMS, loyalty, subscriptions). B2B & Corporate Gifting Development: Design and launch corporate gifting programs and branded portals. Scale gifting into its own robust revenue channel within three years. Build lead-gen pipelines, account acquisition strategies, and retention campaigns for corporate clients. Integrate gifting into wholesale and enterprise partnerships. Brand & Creative Leadership: Oversee creative, packaging, and campaign storytelling to elevate Hammond’s nostalgic positioning and Lolli & Pops’ prestige gifting identity. Launch seasonal campaigns and collections that cut through in retail, wholesale, and eCommerce. Steward the unique voices of Lolli & Pops and Hammond’s while strengthening Ampersand’s parent brand identity. Customer Growth (Acquisition & Expansion): Demand Generation, Performance Marketing, Brand Positioning, Customer Journey Optimization, Channel Development (e.g., corporate gifting, wholesale, or marketplaces). Customer Retention (Loyalty & Lifetime Value): Onboarding & Engagement, Personalization, Loyalty Programs, Lifecycle Marketing, Customer Community & Advocacy, Feedback & Service Integration. Cross-Functional Impact: Partner with Sales, Finance, and Operations to align digital KPIs with enterprise revenue targets. Mentor a high-performance marketing team with a data-driven, results-first mindset. Present quarterly KPI and growth scorecards to executives and investors. Qualifications
7–10+ years of brand marketing experience (CPG, food/bev, lifestyle preferred). A hybrid thinker: strategic storyteller + hands-on doer. Experience supporting retail marketing activations and wholesale/trade marketing. Track record of scaling digital revenue with KPI-driven performance results. Hands-on experience with Shopify, Amazon/marketplaces, loyalty programs, gifting portals, and automation platforms. Strong performance marketing and data analytics background. Creative brand-builder who also thrives in a metrics-first, private-equity-backed growth environment. Comfortable managing lean, nimble teams and outside partners. A creative sensibility — you know what makes an email sing, a TikTok trend feel on-brand, and packaging stand out on shelf. Curiosity, positivity, and a genuine love for building connections. Leadership Competencies
Strategic thinker Performance, data-driven operator Influential executive partner Creative visionary with commercial discipline Customer champion Omni-channel innovator Why You’ll Love Working Here
The chance to lead two iconic brands — with very different but equally lovable personalities. A small, scrappy team that punches above its weight. A seat at the table to help shape the future of a growing parent company. A culture rooted in thoughtfulness, creativity, and joy. Competitive benefits package with the possibility of bonus and equity. Location : Denver, CO (hybrid onsite 4 days/week with flexibility)
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Ampersand Brands is a growing portfolio of beloved confectionery brands, including Hammond’s Candies, the iconic hand-crafted candy maker, and Lolli & Pops, a premium retail and gifting brand with a national presence. The company is backed by strong growth ambitions, combining innovation, brand storytelling, and operational excellence to expand its reach and solidify its position as a leading player in the U.S. confections industry. The Role
The Director of Marketing for Hammond’s Candies and Lolli & Pops is responsible for driving enterprise growth through brand strategy, performance marketing, and customer lifecycle management across retail, wholesale, and e-commerce channels. This role builds customer acquisition and retention engines, develops data-driven campaigns, and leverages storytelling and innovation to maximize revenue. Key Responsibilities
P&L and Budget Management: Manage the marketing P&L and budget, ensuring resources are allocated to maximize ROI and drive profitable growth. Develop and track annual budget. Align investments with Ampersand Brands’ revenue goals. Partner with Finance to monitor performance and adjust strategies to achieve performance goals. Performance Marketing & KPI Accountability: Develop and manage a marketing KPI scorecard across CAC, ROAS, traffic, conversion, retention, and gifting pipeline growth. Oversee paid search, social, affiliate, and influencer marketing with ROI discipline. Implement A/B testing and attribution models to optimize spend efficiency. E-Commerce & Digital Revenue Growth: Oversee the eCommerce P&L, scaling DTC to be a powerhouse within the enterprise. Optimize Shopify storefronts, Amazon/marketplaces, and wholesale digital platforms. Drive conversion, AOV growth, retention, and LTV expansion. Lead CRM/lifecycle marketing programs (email, SMS, loyalty, subscriptions). B2B & Corporate Gifting Development: Design and launch corporate gifting programs and branded portals. Scale gifting into its own robust revenue channel within three years. Build lead-gen pipelines, account acquisition strategies, and retention campaigns for corporate clients. Integrate gifting into wholesale and enterprise partnerships. Brand & Creative Leadership: Oversee creative, packaging, and campaign storytelling to elevate Hammond’s nostalgic positioning and Lolli & Pops’ prestige gifting identity. Launch seasonal campaigns and collections that cut through in retail, wholesale, and eCommerce. Steward the unique voices of Lolli & Pops and Hammond’s while strengthening Ampersand’s parent brand identity. Customer Growth (Acquisition & Expansion): Demand Generation, Performance Marketing, Brand Positioning, Customer Journey Optimization, Channel Development (e.g., corporate gifting, wholesale, or marketplaces). Customer Retention (Loyalty & Lifetime Value): Onboarding & Engagement, Personalization, Loyalty Programs, Lifecycle Marketing, Customer Community & Advocacy, Feedback & Service Integration. Cross-Functional Impact: Partner with Sales, Finance, and Operations to align digital KPIs with enterprise revenue targets. Mentor a high-performance marketing team with a data-driven, results-first mindset. Present quarterly KPI and growth scorecards to executives and investors. Qualifications
7–10+ years of brand marketing experience (CPG, food/bev, lifestyle preferred). A hybrid thinker: strategic storyteller + hands-on doer. Experience supporting retail marketing activations and wholesale/trade marketing. Track record of scaling digital revenue with KPI-driven performance results. Hands-on experience with Shopify, Amazon/marketplaces, loyalty programs, gifting portals, and automation platforms. Strong performance marketing and data analytics background. Creative brand-builder who also thrives in a metrics-first, private-equity-backed growth environment. Comfortable managing lean, nimble teams and outside partners. A creative sensibility — you know what makes an email sing, a TikTok trend feel on-brand, and packaging stand out on shelf. Curiosity, positivity, and a genuine love for building connections. Leadership Competencies
Strategic thinker Performance, data-driven operator Influential executive partner Creative visionary with commercial discipline Customer champion Omni-channel innovator Why You’ll Love Working Here
The chance to lead two iconic brands — with very different but equally lovable personalities. A small, scrappy team that punches above its weight. A seat at the table to help shape the future of a growing parent company. A culture rooted in thoughtfulness, creativity, and joy. Competitive benefits package with the possibility of bonus and equity. Location : Denver, CO (hybrid onsite 4 days/week with flexibility)
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