Director, Marketing

Director, Marketing

Hangzhou GreatStar Industrial, Ltd. is one of the largest manufacturers of hand tools in the world, specializing in R&D, and manufacturing high quality products for the DIY, professional and industrial channels. Our brands include Arrow Fastener, Shop-Vac, SK Tools, Goldblatt, Pony & Jorgensen, EverBrite, WorkPro, as well as many others.

GreatStar Industrial US, LLC, with headquarters in Huntersville, NC, is a wholly owned subsidiary of GreatStar Tools USA whose other operating companies include Arrow Fastener Co., LLC, Shop-Vac USA, LLC & Prime-Line Products.

Director, Marketing will report directly to both the CEO and Sr. VP of Hangzhou GreatStar Industrial and will be responsible for driving brand and product marketing across the Great Star USA brands and organizations.

As the Director, Marketing you'll be the architect of our brand strategy, the voice of our consumer, and the driving force behind product innovation. You'll lead cross-functional initiatives that shape how our products look, feel, and resonate—from packaging and positioning to insights-driven development. A key part of this role is collaborating closely with our China-based team to ensure seamless execution from concept to shelf. You'll also be responsible for crafting and executing marketing strategies tailored to big box retailers, hardware and building supply chains that resonate with both the professional and DIY end user.

Key responsibilities include:

• Develop and execute targeted marketing strategies for big box retailers (e.g., Home Depot, Lowe's), hardware stores, and building supply distributors
• Customize brand messaging and promotional tactics for DIY consumers and professional tradespeople
• Partner with sales and retail teams to drive in-store engagement, merchandising, and promotional success
• Build retailer-specific marketing plans that align with seasonal cycles, category trends, and shopper behavior
• Build and evolve a cohesive brand strategy across all channels (retail, digital, trade, packaging)
• Elevate brand equity through storytelling, visual identity, and campaign execution
• Manage agency relationships and oversee creative development
• Lead packaging strategy and innovation to enhance shelf impact and user experience
• Collaborate with design, R&D, and supply chain teams to ensure packaging aligns with brand and consumer expectations
• Oversee packaging compliance, sustainability initiatives, and cost optimization
• Translate consumer insights and market trends into actionable product concepts
• Partner with product management and engineering to guide product roadmap and go-to-market strategy
• Work closely with China-based teams to ensure product concepts are executed with precision, quality, and speed
• Influence product positioning, naming, and launch strategy
• Own consumer research strategy—qualitative and quantitative—to uncover unmet needs and drive decision-making
• Monitor competitive landscape and category trends to identify growth opportunities
• Translate insights into compelling product and brand strategies
• Foster strong, daily collaboration with China-based teams across product development, packaging, and sourcing
• Navigate cross-cultural communication with clarity and empathy to drive alignment and execution
• Ensure product concepts are translated into manufacturable, market-ready solutions
• Establish KPIs and metrics that measure successes around brand awareness & perception scores, retail conversion, launches, retail sell-through and promotional lifts across key accounts, ROI on campaigns and research, and speed of product execution with a global team

Experience and qualifications include:

• At least 8 years of progressive marketing leadership experience in consumer-packaged goods; preferably in tools, hardware, building supply or adjacent categories. Prior experience with private label and/or OEM products preferred.
• Proven success in brand building, packaging development, and consumer-led product innovation
• Deep understanding of big box retail dynamics, hardware/building supply channels, and DIY consumer behavior
• Experience working with international teams, especially China-based manufacturing and development partners
• Strong leadership and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Data-driven mindset with fluency in consumer research methodologies
• Ability to translate ideas into tangible products that resonate with consumers
• Ability to plan and manage at both the strategic and operational levels.
• Established contacts and relationships with potential customers and channel partners.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with executive level customers and partners.
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues and staff to create a results driven, team oriented environment.
• Capacity to assume more significant executive responsibilities over time.

Education:

• BS degree in Business or related field of study. MBA