Associate Marketing Manager, Direct Marketing

About the role

The Associate Manager, Direct Marketing serves as the strategic planning and governance lead within Direct Marketing. This role is responsible for developing enterprise communication strategies, campaign planning frameworks, customer journey orchestration, governance standards, and cross-channel communication plans that support enterprise business objectives while delivering consistent, customer-centric experiences across all direct marketing channels.   This position translates business priorities into integrated customer communication strategies and serves as the primary liaison between Direct Marketing and key business partners including Merchandising, Loyalty, Creative, Analytics, Digital, Marketing Technology, and IT. The Associate Manager is responsible for establishing strategic planning processes and governance frameworks that enable scalable, customer-led marketing and ensure all customer communications are aligned, coordinated, and measurable. 1.    Marketing Strategy •    Develop enterprise direct marketing strategies supporting promotional, lifecycle, and customer engagement initiatives. •    Translate business objectives into integrated communication plans across email, SMS, push notifications, direct mail, and future engagement channels. •    Develop strategic recommendations that drive customer engagement, retention, and incremental sales. •    Create and maintain communication frameworks that support customer-led marketing. •    Recommend channel strategies and communication sequencing. •    Support annual and quarterly planning processes. 2.    Campaign Planning & Orchestration •    Own the enterprise direct marketing calendar and communication planning process. •    Develop campaign briefs and strategic recommendations for all major initiatives. •    Lead customer journey planning and communication orchestration efforts. •    Partner with business stakeholders to prioritize marketing initiatives and communication requests. •    Develop modular communication strategies and reusable customer experience frameworks. •    Coordinate cross-channel communication strategies to ensure a consistent customer experience. •    Support always-on, lifecycle, and trigger-based marketing initiatives. 3.    Governance & Operating Standards •    Establish and maintain enterprise communication governance standards. •    Develop and document campaign planning processes and best practices. •    Define standards for campaign prioritization, channel usage, and communication sequencing. •    Partner with Customer Intelligence & Personalization to support enterprise contact governance. •    Develop governance frameworks supporting testing, experimentation, and optimization. •    Ensure customer communications align with established standards and operating principles. •    Maintain campaign planning documentation and strategic standards. 4.    Cross-Functional Leadership •    Serve as the primary strategic partner for Merchandising, Loyalty, Creative, and Analytics. •    Facilitate communication and alignment across cross-functional teams. •    Coordinate planning meetings and campaign intake discussions. •    Drive alignment on priorities, timelines, and strategic objectives. •    Provide thought leadership regarding customer communications and engagement strategies. •    Influence business partners toward customer-centric communication practices. 5.    Performance & Optimization •    Review campaign performance and identify opportunities for improvement. •    Partner with Analytics to evaluate tests, experiments, and campaign results. •    Recommend strategic enhancements based on customer insights and performance trends. •    Identify opportunities to improve customer experiences and communication effectiveness. •    Evaluate channel performance and recommend optimization strategies. •    Support development of enterprise KPI frameworks and measurement approaches. 6.    Innovation & Continuous Improvement •    Evaluate emerging marketing trends, technologies, and best practices. •    Recommend new communication strategies and capabilities. •    Support implementation of AI-enabled marketing capabilities. •    Identify opportunities to improve planning efficiency and campaign effectiveness. •    Champion continuous improvement across communication planning and governance processes. •    Support organizational readiness for new marketing technologies and capabilities.   •    Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, related field, or equivalent years of experience.  •    5+ years of CRM, direct marketing, lifecycle marketing, or integrated marketing experience. •    Experience developing marketing strategies and communication plans. •    Experience leading cross-functional projects and initiatives. •    Strong project management and organizational skills. •    Strong written and verbal communication skills. •    Ability to influence without direct authority. •    Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities.   Since opening our first store in 1979, AutoZone has grown into a leading retailer and distributor of automotive parts and accessories across the Americas. Our customer-first mindset and commitment to Going the Extra Mile define who we are, for both our customers and AutoZoners. Working at AutoZone means being part of a team that values dedication, teamwork, and growth. Whether you're helping customers or building your career, we provide tools and support to help you succeed and drive your future. Benefits at AutoZone AutoZone offers thoughtful benefits programs with one-on-one benefits guidance designed to improve AutoZoners’ physical, mental and financial well-being. All AutoZoners (Full-Time and Part-Time): Competitive pay Unrivaled company culture Medical, dental and vision plans Exclusive discounts and perks, including an AutoZone in-store discount 401(k) with company match and Stock Purchase Plan AutoZoners Living Well Program for free mental health support Opportunities for career growth Additional Benefits for Full-Time AutoZoners: Paid time off Life, and short- and long-term disability insurance options Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts with wellness rewards Tuition reimbursement Minimum age requirements may apply.  Eligibility and waiting period requirements may apply; benefits for AutoZoners in Puerto Rico, Hawaii, or the U.S. Virgin Islands may differ. Learn more about all that AutoZone has to offer at   Careers.AutoZone.com. We proudly support Veterans, Active-duty Service Members, Reservists, National Guard and Military Families. Your experience is highly valued, and we encourage you to apply to join our team. Online Application: An online application is required. Click the Apply button to complete your application. For step-by-step instructions on how to apply visit careers.autozone.com/candidateresources. AutoZone, and its subsidiary, ALLDATA are equal opportunity employers. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status, or any other legally protected categories. ​