Media Strategy & Planning Specialist

Rust-Oleum Corporation; Vernon Hills (IL); On-site; USD 64,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Rust-Oleum Corporation in Vernon Hills, IL is seeking a Media Strategy and Planning Specialist to develop and activate creator relationships within affiliate programs to grow sales. You will partner with Sales, E‑Commerce, and Consumer Engagement to optimize conversions and enhance retailer content.

Responsibilities include managing creator partnerships, supporting retail media, and shaping the affiliate strategy with data-driven insights to drive ROAS and brand performance.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of experience in affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, performance media, retail media, e‑commerce marketing, or social commerce.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations or related field
• Experience managing creator or affiliate campaigns focused on measurable sales outcomes.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate performance data into optimization recommendations.
• Experience using digital advertising/social media channels, tools, techniques and best practices for business
• Experience analyzing marketing data and social analytics and identifying/communicating key insights
• Working knowledge social listening and publishing tools including social listening software; experience with Sprout a plus
• Working knowledge of retail affiliate and creator ecosystems, including Amazon Creator Connections, Amazon Influencer Program, retailer‑owned creator programs, and commerce‑driven social platforms.
• Experience with affiliate platforms and creator commerce ecosystems such as Amazon Influencer, Impact, Rakuten, Partnerize, CreatorIQ, LTK, ShopMy or similar platforms.
• Working knowledge of web, search and social analytics tools; experience with Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, or Pinterest Analytics a plus
• Team player with the ability to collaborate across a cross‑functional team

Responsibilities

• Identify, develop, and activate relationships with high-value talent and creators in affiliate programs to drive sales.
• Partner with Sales, E-Commerce, Integrated Marketing, Media Strategy, Consumer Engagement to improve conversions through affiliate content.
• Lead influencer and creator partnerships with media agencies; manage portfolio of creators for long-term sales growth.
• Support retail media networks with plan activation, timelines, briefs, content sourcing, and retailer relationships.
• Define strategies to optimize influencer content for advertising with agencies and Consumer Engagement.
• Evolve media affiliate strategy based on data and act as a thought leader in affiliate marketing for Rust‑Oleum.
• Drive sales while contributing to brand awareness and confidence objectives.
• Educate end-users and build confidence when using Rust‑Oleum products.
• Negotiate affiliate/composer agreements and promotional opportunities with agencies and creators.

Skills

Affiliate marketing

Influencer marketing

Performance media

Retail media

E-commerce marketing

Social commerce

Analytics

Data interpretation

Cross-functional collaboration

Team player

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations or related field

Tools

Sprout Social

Google Analytics

CreatorIQ

Partnerize

Rakuten

Amazon Creator Connections

Amazon Influencer Program

LTK

ShopMy

Job description

Job Description

Location: Vernon Hills, IL

Department: Marketing

• This individual plays a key role in identifying, developing, and activating relationships with high-value talent, creators who are a part of affiliate programs (such as Amazon Creators) with the overall goal of driving sales
• Close partnership with Sales, E-Commerce, Integrated Marketing, Media Strategy, Consumer Engagement. Partner with E-Commerce teams to improve conversion performance through affiliate content, PDP optimization, ratings and reviews, and retailer content enhancements
• Focus on lower-funnel creator and influencer partnerships with a dotted line to the Consumer Engagement team, who lead on organic strategy, ensuring a seamless social experience, reflected of the Rust‑Oleum brand and values
• Lead affiliate work with influencer, social and media agencies
• Recruit, onboard, and manage a portfolio of affiliate creators and partners, developing long-term relationships that drive incremental sales and content production in conjunction with the media and consumer engagement teams
• Provide support on retail media networks in partnership with Media Strategy Managers with items such as plan activation, project management of timelines, development of briefs, sourcing of content and building strong relationships with Rust‑Oleum retail partners
• Define strategy to optimize influencer or creator content for advertising in conjunction with agencies and Consumer Engagement team
• Evolve media affiliate strategy based on data, acting as thought leader in affiliate marketing space for Rust‑Oleum
• Drive sales while supporting broader brand awareness, consideration, and confidence objectives
• Educate end-users and build confidence when using Rust‑Oleum products
• Support affiliate negotiations, commission structures, creator agreements, and promotional opportunities with agency partners and creators.

Job Title: Media Strategy and Planning Specialist

Location: Vernon Hills, IL

Department: Marketing

Job Responsibilties

Media Strategy:

• This individual plays a key role in identifying, developing, and activating relationships with high-value talent, creators who are a part of affiliate programs (such as Amazon Creators) with the overall goal of driving sales
• Close partnership with Sales, E-Commerce, Integrated Marketing, Media Strategy, Consumer Engagement. Partner with E-Commerce teams to improve conversion performance through affiliate content, PDP optimization, ratings and reviews, and retailer content enhancements
• Focus on lower-funnel creator and influencer partnerships with a dotted line to the Consumer Engagement team, who lead on organic strategy, ensuring a seamless social experience, reflected of the Rust‑Oleum brand and values
• Lead affiliate work with influencer, social and media agencies
• Recruit, onboard, and manage a portfolio of affiliate creators and partners, developing long-term relationships that drive incremental sales and content production in conjunction with the media and consumer engagement teams
• Provide support on retail media networks in partnership with Media Strategy Managers with items such as plan activation, project management of timelines, development of briefs, sourcing of content and building strong relationships with Rust‑Oleum retail partners
• Define strategy to optimize influencer or creator content for advertising in conjunction with agencies and Consumer Engagement team
• Evolve media affiliate strategy based on data, acting as thought leader in affiliate marketing space for Rust‑Oleum
• Drive sales while supporting broader brand awareness, consideration, and confidence objectives
• Educate end-users and build confidence when using Rust‑Oleum products
• Support affiliate negotiations, commission structures, creator agreements, and promotional opportunities with agency partners and creators.

Results And Insights

• Harness first party and third-party data to understand end-user motivations, challenges and successes of multiple target audiences
• Maintain routine reporting cadence with internal teams with progress on KPIs, sales and strategies
• Understanding of affiliate tracking, attribution, commission structures, and conversion measurement.
• Monitor affiliate program performance and optimize commissions, content strategies, and promotional tactics to improve ROAS, sales, and efficiency.
• Manage affiliate and creator budget allocations in partnership with agency and internal stakeholders.

Conversion

• Working in conjunction with other teams, drive optimization based upon real-time insights; measure effect upon purchase intent, point of sale and brand affinity.
• Drive conversions through optimized, cohesive marketing content that harnesses best-in-class marketing capabilities.
• Analyze affiliate performance using attribution and retail sales data to identify growth opportunities and optimize investment decisions.
• Evaluate incremental sales impact, ROAS, conversion rate, click-through rate, and other key affiliate KPIs.

Qualfications

• 3-5 years of experience in affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, performance media, retail media, e‑commerce marketing, or social commerce.
• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations or related field
• Experience managing creator or affiliate campaigns focused on measurable sales outcomes.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate performance data into optimization recommendations.
• Experience using digital advertising/social media channels, tools, techniques and best practices for business
• Experience analyzing marketing data and social analytics and identifying/communicating key insights
• Working knowledge social listening and publishing tools including social listening software; experience with Sprout a plus
• Working knowledge of retail affiliate and creator ecosystems, including Amazon Creator Connections, Amazon Influencer Program, retailer‑owned creator programs, and commerce‑driven social platforms.
• Experience with affiliate platforms and creator commerce ecosystems such as Amazon Influencer, Impact, Rakuten, Partnerize, CreatorIQ, LTK, ShopMy or similar platforms.
• Working knowledge of web, search and social analytics tools; experience with Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, or Pinterest Analytics a plus
• Team player with the ability to collaborate across a cross‑functional team

Preferred

• Experience supporting retail media programs.
• Experience within consumer goods, home improvement, or retail environments.

Allocation of time:

50% Affiliate Marketing & Creator Commerce

25% Retail Media

25% Influencer/Creator Partnerships

This role is primarily office‑based, with typical physical and environmental expectations for professional roles.

Salary Target Range: $64,000 - $78,000, bonus eligible

From big benefits to small, we take care of our associates!

After 30 days of employment, you will be eligible for a benefits package that includes medical, dental, life, disability and business travel insurance, flexible spending accounts, EAP, stock purchases and vacation/sick days/parental leave.

We also offer a 401(k) plan after three months of employment and offer a company match. Associates are vested in the RPM Pension plan after completing five years of service. Rust‑Oleum offers 9 paid holidays and two floating holidays per year. You are also eligible to earn three weeks of vacation on an annualized basis.

Rust‑Oleum is an equal opportunity employer. Employment selection and related decisions are made without regard to sex, race, age, disability, religion, national origin, color, or any other protected class.