Advisor, Marketing Product Strategy ( 22-Months Contract)

📍 Job Overview

Job Title: Advisor, Marketing Product Strategy (22-Months Contract) Company: Canadian Tire Corporation Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Job Type: Full-time, Contract Category: Marketing Operations / Product Marketing Date Posted: October 24, 2025 Experience Level: Mid-level (3-5 years) Remote Status: On-site

🚀 Role Summary

• This role is pivotal in bridging the gap between merchandising and marketing to amplify key product narratives within the overarching brand story.
• It involves developing strategic, product-centric marketing plans that align with seasonal objectives and consumer demands, ensuring cohesive and compelling product communication.
• The position demands close collaboration with merchandising, creative, media, and channel execution teams to bring product stories to life across diverse platforms.
• A key responsibility is contributing product insights and positioning to the seasonal briefing and overall campaign planning processes.
• The role requires a deep understanding of consumer behavior and emerging product trends to enhance product relevance and market differentiation.

📝 Enhancement Note: While the title suggests a "Product Strategy" role, the core responsibilities and required experience (3-5 years in product marketing, merchandising, or brand strategy) indicate a focus on the marketing execution of product strategies rather than the foundational strategic development. The emphasis on "elevating key product stories" and "bringing product stories to life across channels" points towards a Marketing Operations or Product Marketing function that operationalizes strategy. The contract nature (22 months) suggests a project-driven need for expertise in executing marketing campaigns tied to product launches or seasonal pushes.

📈 Primary Responsibilities

• Develop and execute product-focused marketing strategies that align with and fulfill key retail storytelling priorities and seasonal merchandising plans.
• Collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, including merchandising, media, creative, and channel execution, to conceptualize and launch impactful product campaigns.
• Cultivate and manage relationships with national brand partners to co-own and execute joint product marketing campaigns, ensuring brand alignment and maximized impact.
• Ensure product messaging is consistently customer-centric, compelling, and accurately represented across all consumer touchpoints, from digital to in-store.
• Provide critical product insights and strategic positioning to inform seasonal briefing documents and overarching campaign planning processes.
• Analyze the performance of product marketing campaigns, identifying key metrics, trends, and areas for optimization to drive continuous improvement.
• Support the seamless integration of product stories and their corresponding marketing efforts across all relevant marketing channels, ensuring a unified customer experience.
• Continuously monitor and analyze product trends, competitive offerings, and market dynamics to inform product marketing strategies and maintain a competitive edge.

📝 Enhancement Note: The responsibilities clearly emphasize the operationalization of marketing strategies tied to products. The emphasis on "elevating product stories," "bringing product stories to life across channels," and "analyzing campaign performance" signifies a role deeply embedded in the execution and optimization of marketing initiatives, aligning it with Marketing Operations or Product Marketing functions.

🎓 Skills & Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or a closely related field is required.

Experience:

• 3–5 years of progressive experience in product marketing, merchandising, or brand strategy roles.
• Demonstrated experience in tracking and analyzing campaign performance is essential.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with diverse, cross-functional teams.

Required Skills:

• Product Marketing Expertise: Solid understanding of product marketing principles, campaign development, and go-to-market strategies.
• Merchandising Acumen: Ability to translate merchandising priorities into compelling marketing narratives and campaigns.
• Brand Strategy Alignment: Capability to ensure product messaging and campaigns are consistent with broader brand values and objectives.
• Consumer Behavior Analysis: Strong understanding of consumer behavior, motivations, and how to leverage these insights for effective product positioning.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Proven ability to work effectively with teams across merchandising, creative, media, and sales/channel execution.
• Analytical & Critical Thinking: An analytical mindset is crucial for problem-solving, performance tracking, and strategic optimization of marketing efforts.
• Communication & Storytelling: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a strong ability to craft compelling narratives around products.
• Organizational Skills: High attention to detail and strong organizational capabilities to manage multiple projects, deadlines, and stakeholders.

Preferred Skills:

• Retail/Apparel Experience: Prior experience within the retail or apparel industry is a significant asset, providing context for product cycles and consumer engagement.
• Campaign Performance Tracking Tools: Familiarity with analytics platforms and tools used for tracking marketing campaign effectiveness.
• Project Management: Experience managing marketing projects from conception to execution and analysis.

📝 Enhancement Note: The required experience level and the blend of strategic thinking ("product positioning," "brand strategy") with execution focus ("elevate product stories," "across channels," "campaign performance tracking") suggest a mid-level role. The "Advisor" title implies a level of expertise and influence in guiding product marketing efforts. The contract nature means candidates with a proven track record of quickly integrating and delivering results will be highly valued.

📊 Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

• Product Marketing Case Studies: Showcase examples of product marketing campaigns developed, detailing strategy, execution, and measurable outcomes. Highlight how product insights were integrated into marketing efforts.
• Campaign Performance Analysis: Present data-driven examples of how campaign performance was analyzed, key insights derived, and optimizations implemented to improve results. Quantify impact where possible.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration Examples: Illustrate instances where you successfully collaborated with merchandising, creative, or media teams to bring product stories to market. Detail your role and contribution.
• Consumer Insight Integration: Provide examples of how consumer behavior research or market trends were translated into product messaging or marketing strategies.

Process Documentation:

• Campaign Planning Workflows: Demonstrate understanding of the process for developing seasonal marketing briefs and campaign plans, including stakeholder input and alignment.
• Performance Measurement Frameworks: Show familiarity with establishing KPIs, tracking metrics, and reporting on campaign effectiveness, particularly for product-focused initiatives.
• Cross-Channel Integration Strategies: Illustrate how product marketing messages are integrated across various channels (e.g., digital, social, in-store, email) to create a cohesive customer journey.

📝 Enhancement Note: For a role focused on marketing execution and product storytelling, a portfolio should emphasize tangible campaign results and the ability to translate strategic product positioning into actionable marketing plans. Demonstrating analytical skills through performance data and showcasing collaborative success in bringing product narratives to life will be crucial.

💵 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range:

• Given the mid-level experience (3-5 years), the contract duration (22 months), and the location in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, a competitive hourly or annual rate would be expected. Based on industry benchmarks for similar roles in major Canadian cities, the estimated salary range for an Advisor, Marketing Product Strategy would be approximately CAD $70,000 - $95,000 annually, or CAD $35 - $48 per hour. This estimate considers the contract nature, which may include a premium for short-term employment and the specialized skills required.

Benefits:

• Store Discounts: Access to discounts across Canadian Tire Corporation's family of brands.
• Supported Learning: Opportunities for professional development through the Triangle Learning Academy.
• Profit Sharing: Eligible employees may participate in Canadian Tire's profit-sharing program.
• Retirement and Savings Programs: Access to retirement and savings plans for eligible employees.
• Mental Health Benefits: Comprehensive mental health benefits, including $5,000 per year for eligible employees and their families, plus access to well-being tools and resources.
• Flex Benefits Program: An enhanced flex benefits program offering comprehensive coverage.

Working Hours:

• Standard full-time hours are typically 40 hours per week. While the role is on-site, there may be flexibility depending on project needs and team collaboration schedules.

📝 Enhancement Note: Salary estimation is based on publicly available data for similar marketing roles in Canada, adjusted for the specified experience level, contract duration, and location. Benefits are extracted directly from the provided company description and are highly attractive for a contract role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏢 Company Culture

Industry: Retail (with a strong focus on automotive, sporting goods, home goods, and Canadian Tire's own brands). Company Size: Large enterprise, as indicated by the extensive retail network and multiple business units of Canadian Tire Corporation. Founded: 1922, signifying a long-standing history and established presence in the Canadian market.

Team Structure:

• The role operates within the Marketing function, specifically connecting with Merchandising.
• It involves close collaboration with Creative, Media, and Channel Execution teams, suggesting a matrixed or highly integrated project-based team structure.
• Reporting likely falls under a Marketing Manager or Director overseeing Product Marketing or Brand Strategy.

Methodology:

• Data-Driven Insights: The role requires analyzing campaign performance and consumer behavior to inform strategy and optimization.
• Collaborative Strategy Development: Product stories are developed through close partnership with merchandising and executed in conjunction with creative and media.
• Customer-Centric Approach: Emphasis on ensuring product messaging is consistent, compelling, and customer-focused across all touchpoints.
• Seasonal Planning Integration: A structured approach to seasonal briefings and campaign planning is expected.

Company Website: https://www.canadiantire.ca/ and https://www.canadiantirecorporation.com/

📝 Enhancement Note: Canadian Tire Corporation is a well-established Canadian retail giant. The "Advisor" title suggests a role that provides expert guidance, particularly in linking product strategy to marketing execution. The company's core values (Innovators, Outcomes Drive Us, Inclusion is a Must, Stronger Together, Personal Responsibility) are likely reflected in the team's operational approach.

📈 Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: Mid-level "Advisor" role, indicating a position of influence and expertise in a specific functional area (product marketing strategy execution). It bridges individual contributor work with strategic guidance. Reporting Structure: Likely reports to a Marketing Manager or Director, with significant dotted-line reporting or collaborative relationships with Merchandising leaders and Creative/Media team leads. Operations Impact: This role directly impacts revenue by driving product relevance and differentiation through compelling marketing narratives, ultimately influencing consumer purchasing decisions and sales performance. It ensures marketing efforts are strategically aligned with product offerings and seasonal priorities.

Growth Opportunities:

• Specialization in Retail Marketing: Deepen expertise in retail product marketing, seasonal campaign execution, and brand storytelling within a large, dynamic retail environment.
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Develop stronger leadership and influencing skills by managing complex stakeholder relationships across merchandising, creative, and media departments.
• Contract-to-Permanent Transition: Successful performance in this 22-month contract could potentially lead to permanent opportunities within Canadian Tire Corporation's marketing or merchandising divisions.
• Skill Expansion: Opportunity to gain exposure to various marketing channels and execution strategies within a leading Canadian retailer.

📝 Enhancement Note: The contract nature suggests that "growth" might be more focused on skill acquisition and project impact rather than a linear promotion path within the 22-month timeframe. However, it provides a strong stepping stone for further opportunities within large retail organizations.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: On-site, indicating a traditional office setting conducive to in-person collaboration. Office Location(s): Quarry Park, Calgary, AB. This location suggests a modern business park environment. Workspace Context:

• Collaborative Environment: The emphasis on cross-functional collaboration suggests an open or semi-open office layout designed to facilitate interaction between teams like Marketing, Merchandising, and Creative.
• Tools & Technology: Access to standard office productivity software, potentially marketing campaign management tools, and communication platforms (e.g., Microsoft Teams, Slack). Specific CRM or marketing automation tools might be utilized by partner teams.
• Team Interaction: Opportunities for regular team meetings, brainstorming sessions, and project-specific working groups.

Work Schedule: Standard 40-hour work week, with potential for occasional extended hours during peak campaign periods. The on-site requirement emphasizes a structured daily presence.

📝 Enhancement Note: The on-site requirement is key for this role, facilitating the close collaboration needed with merchandising and creative teams. The Calgary location positions the role within a significant Canadian business hub.

📄 Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

• Initial Screening: Review of resume and cover letter, focusing on relevant experience in product marketing, merchandising, and campaign execution.
• Hiring Manager Interview: Discussion of experience, role fit, and understanding of product marketing principles. This may involve behavioral questions and situational scenarios.
• Cross-Functional Interview(s): Interviews with stakeholders from merchandising, creative, or media teams to assess collaboration skills and strategic alignment.
• Portfolio Review/Case Study: Presentation of a portfolio showcasing relevant work, with a focus on product marketing campaigns, performance analysis, and cross-functional collaboration. A specific case study related to product storytelling or campaign optimization might be requested.
• Final Interview: Discussion with senior leadership to assess cultural fit, strategic thinking, and overall value proposition.

Portfolio Review Tips:

• Quantify Impact: For each campaign or project presented, clearly articulate the objective, your role, the strategies employed, and the measurable results (e.g., sales lift, engagement metrics, brand awareness changes).
• Showcase Storytelling: Highlight examples where you effectively translated product features or benefits into compelling customer narratives.
• Demonstrate Collaboration: Use examples to show how you partnered with different teams (merchandising, creative, media) to achieve shared goals.
• Focus on Process: Explain your approach to analyzing campaign performance and implementing optimizations. Detail your process for integrating consumer insights.
• Tailor to CTC: Research Canadian Tire's current marketing efforts, brand voice, and product categories to tailor your presentation and demonstrate understanding of their business.

Challenge Preparation:

• Product Storytelling Exercise: Be prepared to outline how you would develop a marketing story for a specific product category relevant to Canadian Tire (e.g., seasonal home goods, automotive accessories).
• Campaign Optimization Scenario: Anticipate a scenario where a product campaign is underperforming and be ready to propose analytical steps and strategic adjustments.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Practice articulating how you would gain buy-in from merchandising on a marketing strategy for a new product launch.

📝 Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "product stories" and "campaign performance" means candidates should be ready to demonstrate not just what they've done, but how they've done it and what the impact was, with a strong focus on data and narrative.

🛠 Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

• Marketing Campaign Management Platforms: Familiarity with tools used for planning, executing, and tracking integrated marketing campaigns.
• Project Management Software: Experience with tools like Asana, Trello, Monday.com, or similar for managing project timelines, tasks, and stakeholder communication.
• Presentation Software: Proficiency in PowerPoint, Google Slides, or similar for creating compelling presentations of strategies and results.

Analytics & Reporting:

• Web Analytics Tools: Experience with Google Analytics or Adobe Analytics to track website traffic, campaign engagement, and conversion rates.
• CRM Systems: Understanding of how CRM data (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics) can inform marketing strategy and customer segmentation, though direct management might not be required.
• Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Familiarity with BI platforms like Tableau, Power BI, or Looker for data visualization and reporting on campaign performance.

CRM & Automation:

• Marketing Automation Platforms: Experience with platforms like HubSpot, Marketo, or Mailchimp for email marketing and campaign automation, especially if involved in channel execution.
• Data Analysis Tools: Proficiency in Excel for data manipulation and analysis; familiarity with SQL for data extraction could be beneficial.

📝 Enhancement Note: While specific tools are not listed, the role's responsibilities imply a need for proficiency in standard marketing analytics, project management, and presentation software. Familiarity with CRM and marketing automation concepts is also advantageous, particularly for understanding how product marketing integrates with customer journeys.

👥 Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

• Innovators & Entrepreneurs: Encourages creative problem-solving and new approaches to product storytelling and campaign execution.
• Outcomes Drive Us: Focus on measurable results and the impact of marketing efforts on product sales and brand perception.
• Inclusion is a Must: Commitment to fostering a diverse and inclusive environment, which should be reflected in marketing messaging and internal collaborations.
• Stronger Together: Emphasis on cross-functional teamwork, collaboration, and shared success in bringing product stories to market.
• Personal Responsibility: Expectation for individuals to take ownership of their tasks, projects, and contributions to campaign success.

Collaboration Style:

• Integrated Approach: Works closely with merchandising to understand product strategy and with creative/media for execution, requiring strong partnership and communication.
• Feedback-Oriented: Openness to constructive feedback on campaign ideas, messaging, and performance analysis to refine strategies.
• Results-Focused Dialogue: Discussions likely center on campaign objectives, consumer insights, performance data, and strategic adjustments needed to achieve desired outcomes.

📝 Enhancement Note: Canadian Tire Corporation's core values are central to its culture. For this role, demonstrating how you embody "Stronger Together" through collaboration and "Outcomes Drive Us" through a focus on results will be key to fitting in.

⚡ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

• Balancing Merchandising & Marketing Priorities: Effectively translating diverse merchandising objectives into a cohesive and impactful marketing narrative that resonates with consumers.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Navigating and influencing multiple stakeholders (merchandising, creative, media) to ensure consistent messaging and timely execution of product campaigns.
• Measuring Product Marketing ROI: Clearly defining and attributing the impact of product-focused marketing initiatives on sales and brand perception within retail cycles.
• Adapting to Market Trends: Staying agile and responsive to rapidly changing consumer preferences and competitive product landscapes within the retail sector.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

• Deep Dive into Retail Marketing: Gain in-depth experience in executing marketing strategies for a wide range of product categories within a leading Canadian retailer.
• Brand Partnership Management: Develop skills in managing and collaborating with national brand partners on co-marketing initiatives.
• Seasonal Campaign Lifecycle: Master the end-to-end process of planning, executing, and analyzing major seasonal marketing campaigns.
• Exposure to Diverse Channels: Learn how product stories are brought to life across various marketing channels, from digital advertising to in-store promotions.

📝 Enhancement Note: The contract role offers a concentrated learning experience within a specific domain of retail marketing. The challenges are typical for roles that bridge product strategy and marketing execution in a large organization.

💡 Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

• "Describe your process for developing a product-focused marketing strategy that aligns with retail merchandising priorities." (Focus on how you translate product goals into marketing actions and consumer narratives.)
• "How do you ensure consistency and customer-centricity in product messaging across multiple marketing channels?" (Highlight your approach to brand voice, audience segmentation, and channel adaptation.)
• "Walk us through a successful product marketing campaign you led or significantly contributed to. What were the objectives, your role, the strategy, and the measurable results?" (Be prepared to present a case study from your portfolio.)
• "How do you approach analyzing campaign performance data to identify optimization opportunities for a product launch or seasonal campaign?" (Emphasize your analytical process, key metrics, and actionable insights.)

Company & Culture Questions:

• "What interests you about Canadian Tire Corporation and this specific role as an Advisor, Marketing Product Strategy?" (Showcase research into CTC's brands, values, and recent marketing efforts.)
• "How do you align your work with company values like 'Stronger Together' and 'Outcomes Drive Us'?" (Provide specific examples of collaborative achievements and results-oriented work.)
• "How do you typically collaborate with merchandising teams to understand product offerings and translate them into marketing strategies?" (Focus on communication, negotiation, and partnership.)

Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

• Structure: Organize your portfolio around key themes: Product Strategy to Marketing Execution, Data-Driven Optimization, and Cross-Functional Collaboration.
• Quantify Everything: For each example, clearly state the business problem, your solution, the execution details, and the quantifiable impact (e.g., % increase in sales, engagement rates, cost savings).
• Tell a Story: For each case study, frame it as a narrative: the challenge, the approach, the execution, and the successful outcome. Connect it back to the core responsibility of elevating product stories.
• Highlight Collaboration: Explicitly mention the teams you worked with and your specific contributions to foster a sense of teamwork.
• Conciseness: Be prepared to present key highlights efficiently, anticipating follow-up questions rather than overwhelming the interviewer with excessive detail.

📝 Enhancement Note: Interview preparation should focus on demonstrating a blend of strategic thinking, analytical rigor, creative storytelling, and collaborative prowess, all through the lens of product marketing execution within a retail context.

📌 Application Steps

To apply for this operations position:

• Submit your application through the provided link on the Canadian Tire Corporation careers site.
• Tailor Your Resume: Highlight experience in product marketing, merchandising, brand strategy, and campaign performance analysis. Use keywords from the job description (e.g., "product-focused marketing strategies," "consumer behavior," "campaign performance," "cross-functional collaboration," "storytelling"). Quantify achievements with metrics wherever possible.
• Curate Your Portfolio: Select 2-3 strong examples that best showcase your ability to develop and execute product marketing strategies, analyze campaign performance, and collaborate effectively with diverse teams. Prepare concise narratives for each, focusing on measurable outcomes.
• Research Canadian Tire Corporation: Understand their brand portfolio, recent marketing campaigns, target audience, and core values. Prepare to articulate how your skills and experience align with their business objectives and culture.
• Practice Your Presentation: Rehearse presenting your portfolio highlights and answering potential interview questions, focusing on clarity, impact, and demonstrating your understanding of the role's strategic and operational demands.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

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