Senior Shopper Marketing & Brand Activation Manager

Own End-to-End Shopper Marketing for Fast-Growing CPG Brands

This position reports to Max, SVP of ZURU Edge North America.

About ZURU

ZURU is a reimagination company. We look for categories that have stood still, then we build next-generation products and brands that set the new standard. ZURU Toys is reimagining play. ZURU Edge is reinventing everyday consumer brands. Rhodes Pet Science is reimagining pet science. ZURU Tech is leading the next building revolution.

ZURU started in 2003 with two brothers from New Zealand, and we're still founder-owned and operated today. Since then we've become the world's second-biggest privately held toy company, and nearly half of all Gen Y and Gen Z households with kids in the US own a ZURU product. Today we're 5,000 people in 34 offices, selling into more than 150 markets, backed by over 100 acres of fully automated manufacturing. And we're only getting started.

Position Overview

We are looking for a high-ownership Senior Shopper Marketing (Brand Activation) Manager with exceptional project management capability and strong creative judgement to lead the planning and execution of in-store activation across our largest retail partners, including Walmart, Target and key Grocery/Drug customers. You will translate brand strategy into retail-ready execution; owning displays and point-of-sale programs end-to-end so our brands show up with speed, consistency, and impact at shelf.

This role spans multiple ZURU Edge brands, from highly design-forward consumer brands such as DAISE Beauty, MONDAY Haircare and Millie Moon, to other fast-growing categories across our portfolio. It’s a rare opportunity to bring beautifully built brands to life in-store, at scale, and with real visibility.

Position Impact

You will play a pivotal role in how ZURU shows up at retail – turning brand vision into powerful in-store moments of connection that influence shopper behaviour and drive conversion. You’ll champion the consumer at the point of purchase, ensuring every activation is consumer-led and creatively excellent, while driving timelines, stakeholders, and details through to flawless execution. Your work will strengthen retailer partnerships and accelerate growth across ZURU Edge’s consumer goods brands in key markets.

Roles & Responsibilities

• Lead in-store shopper activation across key U.S. retail partners (Walmart, Target, and key Grocery/Drug customers), translating brand strategy into high-converting retail experiences.

• Own end-to-end project management for secondary displays / shippers / floorstands and in-store POS—from briefing and concepts through vendor quoting, retailer approvals, production, deployment, and post-activation reviews.

• Drive activation planning across the path to purchase, including in-store POS, sampling, promotions, endcaps, seasonal programs and other moments of connection.

• Be the day-to-day activation partner to the account team, building customer-specific activation plans that align to brand objectives and delivering against timing, budget, and quality expectations.

• Own trade show and experiential activation execution, including project plans, budgets, timelines, vendor coordination, and on-site delivery for priority events (e.g., trade shows, pop-ups, and brand activations).

• Act as the key activation contact for retailers and external partners on shopper programs—supporting sell-ins/presentations, leading display development, and delivering clear post-program learnings.

• Partner with internal Design to brief, review, and deliver best-in-class creative assets with clear communication hierarchy and strong shelf impact. This role includes creative approval authority within brand guidelines and the ability to use design tools/software to execute required changes (e.g., resizing, layout adjustments, hierarchy tweaks) to keep projects moving at pace.

• Manage external agencies and vendors (e.g., display houses, printers, merchandisers) to ensure quality, compliance, and speed—pushing for better solutions and continuous improvement.

• Own activation budgets for your programs, ensuring disciplined spend management and flawless delivery against deadlines.

• Track performance and extract learnings from activations (e.g., compliance, execution quality, and commercial impact where measurable), recommending improvements and codifying playbooks for future programs.

• Maintain working knowledge of retailer marketing ecosystems (e.g., Roundel, Walmart Connect, Kroger Precision Marketing) to ensure activations integrate effectively with retailer requirements and opportunities.

Skills & Experience

• 5+ years’ experience in shopper marketing / retail activation / trade activation / customer marketing, ideally within CPG (or similarly fast-paced consumer brands).

• Proven experience delivering programs with major retailers such as Walmart, Target, and/or leading Grocery/Drug customers.

• Exceptional project management capability—able to run complex, multi-stakeholder programs end-to-end, hit deadlines, and drive issues to closure.

• Strong creative judgement and design sensibility with the ability to approve shopper-facing assets within brand guidelines.

• Ideally hands-on design capability: comfortable using design tools/software to execute quick updates (e.g., resizing, layout/hierarchy tweaks, light production adjustments) to keep projects moving at pace.

• Clear, confident communicator with strong cross-functional collaboration skills (Sales, Design, Supply, vendors, and retail partners).

• Comfortable leveraging data and in-market observations to improve activations over time.

• Comfortable managing external partners (display houses, printers, agencies); vendor/agency management experience is a plus.

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience).

Who thrives at ZURU

This isn't a 9-to-5. We move fast, think big and set goals most companies would call impossible, then go after them. The people who thrive here are entrepreneurs at heart. They own their work, chase bold ideas and never stop raising the bar.

At ZURU, you drive your career, and we give you the platform to take it as far as you can. There are opportunities here that you won’t find anywhere else, and you'll be surrounded by talented people who make things happen. We're a true meritocracy: we reward impact, not tenure.

How we work

Big ideas happen when great people work side by side, so we're office-first by design. Being together means faster collaboration, sharper decisions and stronger teams, and it's where the real learning happens. Some flexibility may be available depending on the role, location and business needs, but most roles are office-based.

Want to see what life at ZURU really looks like? Follow LIFE@ZURU on Instagram or www.zuru.com

ZURU – Reimagining tomorrow 🚀

ZURU may use AI tools to help screen, assess or select applicants.