Associate Operations Marketing Manager (On-Site)

Ace Hardware; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 88,000 - 111,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k plan

Paid time off

Healthcare benefits

Company car

Job summary

Ace Hardware seeks an Associate Operations Marketing Manager to lead communication, training, and ongoing support for the Ace Rewards Program. You will own the internal and external communication strategy for program incentives and calendar planning, serving as the main contact for retailers, field teams, and leadership.

You will develop SOPs and user guides, manage CRM initiatives, and collaborate with the Loyalty Business Manager to align marketing with program benefits and events.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of marketing experience with hands-on responsibility for program execution, promotions, and marketing campaign coordination.

Responsibilities

• Lead internal communication strategies to support loyalty program incentives across channels.
• Manage and execute Ace Rewards CRM strategies to drive customer retention and loyalty.
• Develop and maintain operational materials (SOPs, user guides) to drive program adoption and performance.
• Partner with Loyalty Business Manager to develop integrated marketing strategies for key program benefits/events.
• Own the planning process for Ace Rewards promotional calendar and delivery across channels.
• Design and deliver training programs/content for retailers, field teams, and internal stakeholders.
• Monitor performance metrics and feedback to identify optimization opportunities.
• Assist with major events by developing materials and managing follow-ups.

Skills

Marketing experience

Communication skills

Project management

Stakeholder collaboration

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, or Business

Job description

About This Role

The Associate Operations Marketing Manager is responsible for leading communications, training, and ongoing operational support for our Ace Rewards Program, both internally and externally. This role owns the communication strategy for all program incentives, including corporate communications, ACENET content, and the annual Ace Rewards calendar planning process. In this role you will serve as the primary point of contact for Ace retailers, field teams, and Ace Care Center leadership and agents, you will ensure consistent, clear, and effective program execution.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and execute all internal communication strategies to support loyalty program incentives across multiple channels
• Manage and execute Ace Rewards CRM strategies across Ace Hardware, with a focus on driving customer retention and strengthening loyalty
• Develop and maintain operational materials (such as SOPs, user guides, etc.) to drive program adoption and increase program performance
• Partner with the Loyalty Business Manager to develop integrated marketing strategies to support key program benefits and events
• Own the planning process for Ace Rewards promotional calendar (including all execution support materials), ensuring alignment with and seamless delivery across channels
• Design and deliver training programs and content for retailers, field teams, and internal stakeholders
• Monitor performance metrics and feedback to identify opportunities for optimization and continuous program improvement
• Assist with major events, including conventions and retailer visits, by developing materials and managing follow-ups

Who You Are

If you love analytics and marketing and are passionate about using data to drive key business decisions and like working in a team environment that fosters strong collaboration, we would love to talk to you!

Required Skills

• Minimum 3 years or progressive marketing experience, with hands‑on responsibility for program execution, promotions, and Marketing Campaign coordination
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with experience representing a team or program in trainings, presentations, planning sessions, and stakeholder forums
• Strong organizational skills and project management skills, with strong ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously
• Demonstrated ability to proactively identify opportunities, rally the right stakeholders, and drive decisions forward in a fast‑paced environment
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, or Business

Preferred Skills

• Experience with customer‑focused or loyalty‑based programs preferred
• 5 years of progressive marketing experience
• Experience in advertising, creative design and development, or branding a plus

WORK AUTHORIZATION

This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Compensation Details

$88400 - $110700 per year

Why should you join our team?

We live our values - W.E.L.I.G.H.T (Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork). Gratitude. Humility. Love. You don’t often see values like these in most corporate statements, but Ace is different. These things are important to us. They represent our commitment to the company, our employees, to Ace retailers and to the Ace brand. In addition to providing our employees a great culture, Ace also offers competitive benefits_ that address life’s necessities and perks, many of which expand and improve year after year, including:

• Incentive opportunities, based on role/grade level (company growth over the past 5 years resulted in incentives being paid out at an average of 122% of your target opportunity!)
• Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution the first year in addition to quarterly contributions and annual discretionary contribution (once eligibility requirements have been met).
• Over the past 5 years, company contributions (matching, quarterly & discretionary) for fully eligible employees have averaged 10% of total eligible compensation
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability – up to 26 weeks short‑term disability and long‑term disability) & life insurance benefits for you and your dependents
• 21 days of vacation immediately available (prorated in the first year) and up to 6 paid holidays depending on the month of hire
• Company Car, phone and fuel card are provided for field‑based positions
• Your career at Ace is more than just a job. It’s a chance to be part of something meaningful. We help locally‑owned businesses thrive and make an impact in their communities – and we support our employees in doing the same by offering an annual Ace Cares Week, 20 hours off work per year to volunteer at an organization of your choice, opportunities to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation Ace invests in every employee we hire, with a key focus on development and coaching. We offer on‑site classes, facilitator‑led courses, and a generous tuition assistance program, plus a performance management approach that goes beyond the typical annual review
• We know the work environment matters. That’s why Ace holds frequent campus events like Employee Appreciation Week, vendor demos, cookouts, and merchandise sales
• We bring them to you! Services such as mobile spas, auto maintenance, car wash and detailing, dry cleaning, dentists, eye doctors, flu shots, recycling and more!
• Employee discounts on Ace merchandise (including top brands like Weber, Traeger, Yeti, Craftsman, DeWalt and more), travel, fitness, computers and thousands more
• Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off
• Adoption cost reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to free visits to therapists and lawyers, guidance on financial matters, elder and childcare, and assistance with tickets to entertainment events
• Identity theft protection _ Benefits are provided in compliance with applicable policies.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Ace Hardware Corporation is committed to a policy of promoting equal employment opportunities. The company recognizes the importance of diversity and leveraging the skills and talents of all people to the mutual advantage of each individual and the organization. The company is committed to the prevention of employment discrimination related to race, religion, color, sex (including sexual harassment), gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability and military or veteran status, sexual orientation or any other action covered by federal or applicable state/local laws.

Disclaimer

The pay range for this position starts as listed in the job posting, but could be higher based on education and experience. Please note, compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each opening. We take into consideration the minimum requirements outlined in the job description, such as an individual’s education, training and experience, the position’s work location, required travel (if any), and external market conditions when determining the final salary for potential new hires. Be aware that salary estimates published via alternate online job boards may not be a true representation of the actual pay range offered for this position. Please refer to the Ace position description for the accurate starting pay range information and feel free to discuss this with a Talent Acquisition professional if you are chosen to move forward with an interview. This written “Position Description” is not intended to cover all aspects of the position listed. It is meant to cover the basic/general essential job functions of a particular position. Ace Hardware Corporation reserves the right to change job duties, including essential job functions, according to business necessity. It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

Additional Information

Ace Hardware is the largest retailer-owned hardware cooperative in the world with over 5,800 locally owned and operated hardware stores in approximately 60 countries. Headquartered in Oak Brook, Ill., Ace and its subsidiaries operate an expansive network of distribution centers in the U.S. and have distribution capabilities in Ningbo, China; and Cuautitlán Izcalli, Mexico. Since 1924, Ace has become a part of local communities around the world and known as the place with the helpful hardware folks. For more information, visit acehardware.com or newsroom.acehardware.com.