Aviation Marketing Manager
Full-Time, Olathe, Kansas
Overview
A leading aviation technology company seeks an accomplished and passionate Aviation Marketing Manager to join its team in Olathe, Kansas. This pivotal full-time role involves spearheading the development and execution of integrated marketing campaigns for cutting-edge aviation products. The position uniquely blends deep technical expertise with innovative creative strategy, aimed at bringing groundbreaking solutions to life for pilots and aviation professionals worldwide.
The Aviation Marketing Manager will serve as a critical cross-functional collaborator, engaging with in-house creative teams, product engineering, and sales departments. A core responsibility is translating complex avionics technologies into compelling, customer-centric marketing messages that resonate powerfully with the target audience. A profound understanding of aviation, including flight principles, avionics systems, and industry dynamics, is paramount to effectively shaping product positioning and messaging. This hands-on role encompasses the entire campaign lifecycle, from crafting persuasive copy and planning dynamic productions to optimizing targeting strategies and executing across diverse digital platforms, including social media and email. The Manager will be instrumental in guiding teams to unify these elements into cohesive campaigns that clearly demonstrate product value and drive significant customer engagement.
Key Responsibilities:
- Strategic Leadership & Planning: The Manager will formulate comprehensive marketing strategies for aviation products and services, including defining product positioning, key benefits, target markets, and go-to-market strategies. This involves developing and maintaining multi-year product and technology roadmaps, assessing competitive campaigns, and providing input for new product concepts.
- Campaign Development & Execution: This role encompasses leading the creation and deployment of integrated marketing campaigns across various channels. Responsibilities include crafting compelling copy, planning and overseeing production of marketing materials, optimizing targeting, and executing across digital platforms such as social media, webinars, forums, and web search.
- Cross-functional Collaboration & Influence: The Manager will routinely collaborate with sales leadership, product engineering, and marketing communications teams to translate complex technical specifications into persuasive marketing messages. This includes providing marketing judgments on complex avionics systems, influencing diverse internal and external teams, and training sales teams on product selling points and competitive advantages.
- Market Analysis & Intelligence: Regular activities include conducting competitive analysis, performing market research (including at trade shows), and collecting and presenting competitive intelligence. The Manager will identify opportunities for product line expansion based on market needs and customer insights.
- Content & Communication Development: Responsibilities extend to developing and presenting engaging product presentations, contributing to the creation of high-impact printed collateral, website content, press releases, and marketing memos. This also involves comprehensive material development, including writing, editing, and logistical coordination.
- Financial & Performance Oversight: The Manager will ensure product financials align with overall product strategy and pricing guidelines, contribute strategies to stimulate sales growth, and provide timely follow-up notes from key marketing meetings with actionable plans.
- Industry Representation: Participation in trade shows and regional events is required to demonstrate products and articulate their competitive benefits. The Manager will also contribute customer, market, and product knowledge to internal cross-functional teams.
Required Qualifications:
- Education and Experience: A Master's Degree with a minimum of one (1) year of relevant professional experience, OR a Bachelor’s Degree with a minimum of three (3) years of relevant professional experience.
- Aviation Acumen: Possession of a Private Pilot certification, a strong aviation technical background, or a demonstrated proficiency in articulating the added benefits of aviation products to customers.
- Industry Knowledge: Basic understanding of the avionics industry and relevant aviation products.
- Business & Strategic Skills: Demonstrated basic business-to-business analytical, financial, and strategic thinking skills, coupled with proficiency in problem-solving through analysis and best practices.
- Strategic Planning: Proven knowledge in developing and executing strategy and growth plans for new products and markets, supported by strong technical product knowledge.
- Communication & Presentation: Exceptional verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills, alongside effective presentation abilities and public speaking proficiency.
- Technical Proficiency: Demonstrated proficiency in using Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook.
- Personal Attributes: The successful candidate will be positive, detail-oriented, accurate, organized, team-oriented, a driven problem-solver, highly capable of multi-tasking, and a self-starter. This role requires the ability to prioritize effectively and thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
- Collaboration: Ability to communicate and interface effectively with all levels of management and associates.
Desired Qualifications:
- A minimum of two (2) years of experience in managing and promoting high-technology products from inception through sunset.