Director of Guest Experience

The Director of Guest Experience is a newly created, critical leadership position on the Brand + Marketing team responsible for key aspects of the guest experience, from menus, guest comments, promotions, digital channels, gift cards, and more, ensuring a cohesive and exceptional experience across all channels.

The Director of Guest Experience will oversee a team of six with three direct reports and play an essential, collaborative role on the Marketing leadership team. This person will work closely with the Director of Brand and the Director of Marketing + Partnership to ensure seamless execution of brand strategy and marketing efforts across guest-facing materials and channels. Furthermore, this Director will work with executives and directors across the organization, influencing cross-functional decisions that impact the customer experience.

**Role Responsibilities**

- Develop, execute, and optimize all promotional strategies, including Happy Hour and seasonal campaigns, ensuring KPIs are met.
- Oversee paid media campaigns, optimizing performance and ensuring alignment with brand strategy.
- Oversee our large gift card program (B2C & B2B), including strategy, partnerships, campaigns, budgets, and new initiatives.
- Manage customer segmentation and loyalty programs, leveraging insights to deliver personalized campaigns and innovative guest experiences.
- Oversee Menu Production across all concepts, including menu master inputs, layouts, printing, shipping, and creative direction.
- Manage menu materials, New + Notable programs, and menu inserts to ensure quality, consistency, and timely execution.
- Serve as the senior point of contact for menu suppliers, maintaining strong relationships and troubleshooting issues as needed.
- Lead menu campaigns, advertising, and menu naming, ensuring all menus and communications are on-brand, compelling, and aligned with governance standards.
- Oversee guest comment management, ensuring timely responses, exceptional communication, empathetic service recovery, and consistent templates.
- Own all websites and SEO across all concepts, including content accuracy, UX improvements, and execution.
- Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of six, including three direct reports, fostering a high-performing, collaborative, and growth-oriented culture.
- Build strong relationships with cross-functional leaders, providing insights and direction that influence guest experience decisions across the organization.

**Qualifications**

- 6-8 years of progressive experience in Marketing, Guest Experience, Digital Strategy, Brand Management, or a related field.
- 3+ years of people leadership experience, including managing cross-functional teams and complex workflows.
- Proven success overseeing guest-facing platforms such as SEO, websites, social media, guest comments, or loyalty programs.
- Strong experience managing promotional calendars, paid media, digital content, or engagement-driven campaigns.
- Exceptional communication, writing, and relationship-building skills with the ability to influence at all levels.
- Demonstrated ability to lead teams through complexity, prioritize multiple timelines, and deliver high-quality outputs across diverse workstreams.
- Strong analytical skills with experience interpreting insights to inform strategy, segmentation, and personalization.
- Proficiency with marketing analytics tools, CMS platforms, social media management systems, and project management software.
- Experience working in hospitality, food & beverage, retail, or multi-location environments is an asset.

**Bonus Points**

- A sense of humour.
- A serious passion for food - we like to eat around here (sometimes wine is involved).
- Open to personal development and growth.
- The drive to succeed and the passion to be a part of Earls growth.
- Big team player - able to be both a leader and also support those around them.

**What We Offer**

- Competitive annual salary ranging from $110,000 to $130,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications, complemented by all the perks and benefits below
- Comprehensive health care benefits effective from your first day
- A healthy lifestyle spending account to support you in living your best life
- Employee Assistance Program
- Earls 50% discount card for food and drinks at all Earls Kitchen + Bar, the Beachhouse, Birdies Eats & Drinks, LOCAL Public Eatery, and JOEY Restaurants locations
- 4 weeks vacation
- Make Life Awesome Week
- Opportunity to be a part of our partner-led Employee Resource Groups (ERG), designed to bring our greater communities together through mutual causes and shared experiences
- Flexibility with our Hybrid work from home/office model
- Bring your furry friend to work in our dog-friendly office
- Office amenities include a rooftop patio, lockers, showers, a full kitchen, and collaborative workspaces
- Travel opportunities for company events, new restaurant openings, and more
- Leadership programs with career development