Position Title: Marketing Programs Manager
Department: Marketing
Reports To: Head of Marketing
Location: Chicago, Illinois or Dallas, Texas
Employment Type: Full-Time
AVANT is a platform for IT decision-making and the nation’s premier distributor for next-generation technologies. AVANT provides unique value to its extensive network of Trusted Advisors with original research, channel sales assistance, training, and tools to guide decision-making around IT services that promote business growth. From complex cloud designs to global wide-area network deployments to the latest in security services, AVANT sets the industry standard in enabling its partners and clients to make intelligent, data-driven decisions about services, technology and cost-effective communications.
Employees located in the Greater Chicagoland Area or Dallas/Frisco area are currently expected to work from the office 1 day per week; however, this is subject to change.
Role Overview
The Marketing Programs Manager develops and executes national and regional marketing campaigns and communications focused on events, educational programs, and partner engagement. Working closely with National and Field Event Managers, Channel Managers, Channel Directors, and the broader Marketing team, this individual translates national marketing initiatives into relevant regional outreach while developing targeted programs that address both enterprise and local opportunities. The role owns marketing strategy, messaging, promotion, and performance measurement across events, training, and other programs, partnering with Event Management, which retains responsibility for event logistics and coordination.
This is a marketing role, not an event logistics or coordination role. Event Management retains responsibility for operational planning and execution. The Marketing Programs Manager partners closely with that team to ensure promotional strategy, regional outreach, attendee communications, and the overall experience are aligned.
Key Responsibilities
Event and Education Marketing Strategy
- Develop marketing and communication plans for AVANT’s events, educational opportunities, and other programs defining target audiences, positioning, promotional timelines, channel strategies, and success measures. Align campaigns and outreach with broader marketing priorities, sales objectives, and partner engagement goals.
- Build a coordinated promotional calendar that balances events with ongoing educational opportunities. Identify opportunities to reach new and existing audiences, increase participation among existing Trusted Advisors, and strengthen engagement throughout the year.
Integrated Campaign Development
- Own the marketing campaign lifecycle from initial awareness and registration through program execution and post-program follow-up. Develop campaign briefs, messaging, email sequences, landing-page content, social promotion, and other supporting materials in partnership with the broader Marketing team.
- Segment outreach based on regions, audience needs, relationships, program agendas, and engagement history. Create compelling value propositions that clearly explain who a program is intended for, what participants will gain, and why they should consider. Test and optimize messaging, timing, and calls to action to improve results.
Training Promotion & Ongoing Engagement
- Position AVANT’s training and education programs as an ongoing source of value for Trusted Advisors and relevant internal audiences. Partner with program owners and subject-matter experts to translate session content into clear learning outcomes and audience-specific benefits.
- Develop campaigns that encourage enrollment, attendance, access to on-demand resources, and repeat participation. Use audience feedback and engagement data to recommend topics, formats, and promotional approaches.
- Support the marketing and packaging of educational content without serving as the primary curriculum developer or trainer.
Sales & Vendor Marketing Collaboration
- Equip Channel Managers and Channel Directors with audience-specific invitations, outreach templates, talking points, and follow-up materials that help them further promote events and training through their relationships in addition to the event specific marketing-triggered outreach.
- Work with regional VPs to establish and implement additional touchpoints as needed based on regional activities and opportunities. These could include Sales- and/or Marketing- initiated materials and communications.
- Partner with vendor-facing teams to support co-marketing opportunities, speaker promotion, and agreed-upon sponsor marketing deliverables. Ensure partner contributions reinforce AVANT’s messaging and provide clear value to the intended audience.
- Work with Sales to establish timely, relevant follow-up approaches that turn participation into continued conversations and relationship development.
Cross-Functional Partnership with Event Management
- Serve as the primary marketing partner to both National and Regional Event Management, maintaining alignment on event details, audience goals, registration milestones, communication deadlines, and changes that affect promotion.
- Coordinate marketing requirements and handoffs through shared timelines and clearly assigned responsibilities. Partner on the registration and attendee communication experience so that promotional messages accurately reflect the program being delivered.
- Event Management owns logistics, venue and supplier coordination, operational schedules, and on-site execution. This role owns the associated marketing plan, promotional campaigns, messaging, and engagement strategy.
Performance Measurement & Optimization
- Establish campaign goals and report on performance across the audience journey, including registration conversion, audience quality, attendance, training participation, repeat engagement, and post-event actions. Determine and implement best practices for marketing and communications based on results.
- Maintain consistent campaign tracking and connect participation to sales activity and influenced pipeline where measurable. Distinguish direct marketing results from business outcomes shared with Sales and program owners.
- Manage assigned marketing campaign budgets (if applicable), evaluate promotional effectiveness, and lead post-campaign reviews that translate results into improvements for future programs.
- 5-8 years of relevant marketing experience, with demonstrated success in event marketing, field marketing, partner marketing, demand generation, and/or educational program marketing.
- Experience developing multichannel campaigns that drive measurable registration, attendance, engagement, or conversion.
- Strong writing and messaging skills, including the ability to translate complex technology or educational topics into clear, compelling audience benefits.
- Excellent project management and cross-functional collaboration skills, with the ability to manage overlapping campaigns and influence stakeholders without direct authority.
- Experience using customer relationship management, marketing automation, webinar or event platforms, and reporting tools to execute campaigns and evaluate performance.
Experience in B2B technology, channel ecosystems, or partner-focused organizations is preferred. Familiarity with Salesforce and Salesforce Marketing Cloud would be valuable. A bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, business, or a related field—or equivalent practical experience—is preferred.
Benefits:
- Medical Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Commuter Benefits
- 401K Match
- Unlimited PTO
- Generous Parental Leave
The information contained in this job description is intended to convey information about the essential functions and requirements of the position. It is not an exhaustive list of the skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities or working conditions associated with the opportunity. In addition, the employee should be able to communicate effectively and in a constructive manner with management, peers and coworkers.