Major/Essential Functions
The Associate Director of Brand Experience & Activations provides strategic and operational leadership for Evermore Exclusives, the university’s official merchandise retail operation within Marketing & Communications. This position is responsible for the day-to-day management, strategic growth, and brand integration of the merchandising enterprise, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and brand standards.
This role leads the planning, execution and optimization of retail operations including inventory management, merchandising strategy, point-of-sale systems, visual presentation, and in-store experience design. The Associate Director develops and activates comprehensive brand campaigns that drive affinity, engagement, and revenue across key university audiences including students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and additional stakeholders of the university.
Serving as a central collaborator within Marketing & Communications, this position partners with functional team leaders and team members throughout the department, to amplify merchandise campaigns and ensure cohesive storytelling across all channels. The Associate Director also contributes to long-term growth strategy, policy development, budget oversight, and performance measurement for the merchandise operation.
Provide strategic and operational leadership for Evermore Exclusives, overseeing daily retail operations, inventory planning, merchandising execution, staffing coordination, pop-up sales opportunities and point-of-sale performance.
- Develop and implement comprehensive brand activation strategies and retail campaigns that drive revenue growth, brand affinity and audience engagement, with a proactive approach to identifying market trends and emerging consumer behaviors.
- Lead store layouts, visual merchandising, and experiential retail design to enhance customer experience and align with university brand standards.
- Oversee vendor relations, including sourcing, negotiations, product development collaboration, and performance evaluation to ensure quality, compliance and alignment with brand standards.
- Identify and pursue custom-product development opportunities that differentiate the university’s merchandise offerings and respond to evolving audience demand.
- Collaborate with internal Marketing & Communications functional teams to integrate merchandise initiatives into broader institutional campaigns and promotional strategies.
- Establish and manage operational policies, procedures, budgets, vendor relationships, licensing coordination, and performance metrics to ensure efficient and compliant retail operations.
Grant Funded?
No
Pay Basis
Monthly
Schedule Details
Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 5:00pm
Work Location
Lubbock
Preferred Qualifications
- Demonstrate experience managing retail campaigns, merchandising strategy, customer initiatives, and vendor partnerships.
- Experience in a collegiate, licensed merchandise, or brand-driven retail environment.
- Experience collaborating within a marketing or brand division or creative organization.
- Knowledge of university licensing, trademark management, and vendor compliance processes.
- Experience managing retail budgets and revenue forecasting.
- Experience in online retail sales, including e-commerce platforms, digital merchandising strategies, and fulfillment coordination.
- Experience with custom-product development, including concept ideation, vendor collaboration and market testing of new merchandise lines.
- Master’s degree in retail management, marketing, or related field.
Department
Marketing and Communications
Required Attachments
Cover Letter, Portfolio and/or Video, Resume / CV
Job Type
Full Time
Shift
Day
Required Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in the area of specialization or closely related field. Four years of related administrative and technical experience. Additional job related education may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.
Does this position work in a research laboratory?
No
About the Department and/or College
In Marketing & Communications, we deliver high-quality communications that tell the story of Texas Tech in the most compelling way possible.
Special Instructions to Applicants
A portfolio is required for consideration.
Safety Information
Adherence to robust safety practices and compliance with all applicable health and safety regulations are responsibilities of all TTU employees.
Pay Statement
Compensation is commensurate upon the qualifications of the individual selected and budgetary guidelines of the hiring department, as well as the institutional pay plan.
EEO Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or status as a protected veteran.
About the University
Founded in 1923, Texas Tech University began with a mission to serve the needs of West Texas, but its impact has always reached far beyond. Today, Texas Tech, located in Lubbock (pop. 300,000+), is home to a vibrant community of more than 42,000 students.Texas Tech's 1,800-acre campus showcases Spanish Renaissance architecture and is home to one of the country's largest public art collections. Its 13 colleges include a prestigious School of Law and a distinguished School of Veterinary Medicine. These programs equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their respective fields. Built on the values of West Texas — hard work, grit and authenticity — the university graduates students who are deeply engaged in service to their communities and well-positioned to succeed in the world. Texas Tech is committed to achieving research and scholarly accomplishments that compare favorably to the member institutions of the Association of American Universities (AAU). For more than 100 years, Texas Tech has been a premier destination for those seeking a world-class education and a unique, personalized experience as a member of the Red Raider family.
Job Family
Communications & Marketing
Job Sub Family
Marketing
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Knowledge of merchandise retail operations including inventory control systems, point-of-sale platforms, vendor sourcing and retail analytics.
- Strong understanding of brand strategy, experiential marketing, and campaign activation within a complex organizational environment.
- Ability to analyze sales data and consumer trends to inform merchandizing, pricing, and promotional strategies.
- Demonstrated ability to be a self-starter who takes initiative, proactively identifies opportunities for growth and drives projects forward with minimal supervision.
- Strong organizational skills with a task-oriented mindset and the ability to manage multiple priorities, deadlines, and cross functional initiatives simultaneously.
- Ability to receive constructive feedback with professionalism and adaptability, incorporating input to elevate ideas, campaigns, and operational outcomes.
- Demonstrated leadership, project management, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage various stakeholders and audiences.
Annualized Pay Range
$53,900 $70,100 $86,200