Director, Brand Portfolio & Strategic Partnerships

Kids for the Future; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Links Unlimited, Inc. is seeking a strategic leader to build and lead the Brand Partnerships & Product Strategy function in the Cincinnati area.

The role focuses on shaping the brand portfolio, partnerships with premium brands, and driving long-term growth across merchandising solutions and eCommerce experiences. You will own the strategy, identify opportunities, and develop executive relationships with key suppliers, while collaborating across Sales, Marketing, and Operations to align

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field.
• 8+ years in brand partnerships or related commercial leadership.
• Experience identifying and growing strategic brand relationships.
• Strong negotiation and cross-functional collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute Links' long-term brand partnership and product strategy.
• Grow and optimize our portfolio of premium brands, products, and supplier partnerships.
• Negotiate commercial agreements and pricing strategies to boost profitability.
• Identify emerging brands and market trends to create growth opportunities.
• Develop and maintain executive relationships with key suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Build processes and governance for product information, onboarding, and data.

Skills

Brand partnerships

Merchandising

Product strategy

Category management

Strategic sourcing

Retail partnerships

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

• Employee Type FT Exempt

Description

A LITTLE ABOUT US

Links Unlimited®, Inc. is a leader in premium incentives, branded merchandise, merchandising solutions, and fulfillment services. We partner with many of the world's most recognized brands to create product experiences that drive engagement, loyalty, and business growth.

We're building the next generation of our business and investing in the brands, products, partnerships, and capabilities that will define our future. We're looking for a strategic leader to build and lead our Brand Partnerships & Product Strategy function.

Why This Role Matters

Brands are the foundation of everything we do. They power our customer programs, merchandising solutions, eCommerce experiences, and fulfillment business.

This role owns the strategy behind Links' brand portfolio. Identifying and acquiring premium brands, building world-class supplier partnerships, expanding product offerings, and maximizing the long-term value of our brand ecosystem.

What You'll Be Doing

• Define and execute Links' long-term brand partnership and product strategy.
• Grow and optimize our portfolio of premium retail brands, products, and supplier partnerships.
• Negotiate commercial agreements, pricing strategies, and strategic partnerships that improve profitability and competitive advantage.
• Identify emerging brands, product categories, and market trends that create future growth opportunities.
• Develop and maintain executive relationships with key suppliers and manufacturing partners.
• Create and maintain a centralized supplier and brand knowledge framework that provides enterprise visibility into supplier capabilities, product categories, sourcing opportunities, strategic partnerships, and available product offerings.
• Establish a scalable strategy for product information, supplier onboarding, and product data governance to support customer programs and future digital capabilities.
• Monitor the health and performance of the brand portfolio, identifying opportunities to increase sales, expand product assortments, and strengthen supplier engagement.
• Develop supplier scorecards, portfolio insights, and strategic growth plans for key brand partners.
• Partner with Sales, Brand Activation, Merchandising, Marketing, Operations, and Technology to align supplier capabilities with customer needs.
• Support strategic customer opportunities, major RFPs, and enterprise initiatives with product expertise and supplier strategy.
• Build the processes, infrastructure, and organizational visibility needed to manage Links' growing brand ecosystem.
• Build, mentor, and lead the brand partnerships team as the function expands.

What We're Looking For

• 8+ years of progressive experience in brand partnerships, merchandising, product strategy, category management, strategic sourcing, retail partnerships, or a related commercial leadership role.

· Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Supply Chain, Merchandising, Sales, or a related field preferred. Equivalent combination of education and progressive industry experience will be considered

• Proven success in identifying, acquiring, and growing strategic relationships with premium brands, manufacturers, retailers, or supplier partners.
• Strong commercial negotiation experience, including pricing strategy, supplier agreements, and partnership development.
• Demonstrated ability to identify market opportunities and translate them into measurable business growth.
• Experience with product portfolio management, supplier onboarding, product information, or Product Information Management (PIM) concepts preferred.
• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and the ability to influence cross-functional teams.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and executive presentation skills.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with experience building new capabilities, processes, or business functions.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at time.