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We are working with H20 Plus in their search for an E-Commerce and Digital Marketing Manager, in Chicago, IL …
HARRY’S COMMENTS: H2O Plus manufactures and markets facial skin care products and body products for consumption worldwide. Originally a family-owned business founded by Cindy Melk, in 2008 H2O Plus was sold to a consortium of private equity firms including Goldman Sachs, and later purchased by its current parent, Pola Orbis. According to hiring manager, Jim McLaughlin, the company could not have ended up in better hands.
Based in Japan, Pola Orbis has been in business 83 years, and went public in 2010. Pola’s principal owner donated one third of the company’s value to a charitable trust for the development of the arts. The company has a big museum on its campus in Tokyo, as well as a major endowment for the arts in Japan. Recently, Pola acquired an Australian beauty brand called Jurlique, which owns their own farms and grows their own ingredients in Australia.
The typical H2O Plus customer.
The typical H2O Plus customer is a female “youthful beauty activist.” She is young at heart, 18 to 50, a deliberately broad range due to the company’s line of “pre-aging” and anti-aging products. She is very active in her skin care regime, and will self educate to stay abreast of current skin care technologies and trends. Her buying is very research-based, and she is acutely aware of her alternatives.
She is well aware of the technologies and benefits behind certain products, and she is active in the evolving her regime to try new products. She is very networked with other youthful beauty activists. Mr. McLaughlin believes that H2O Plus must empower its customers with information, to make sure that they have access to the latest information to educate, inform and engage her so that she appreciates the benefits of the H2O Plus lifestyle. Moreover, H2O plus would like to connect her with other consumers who can reinforce these things.
Worldwide, Pola puts quality and efficacy first and foremost.
Management staunchly refuses to optimize costs in any way that dumbs down the product. According to Mr. McLaughlin, “I have been with the company 19 years, and even though Cindy has been gone a long time, our operating philosophy reminds me of her everyday. Now more than ever, H2O Plus is about making the best product and impacting the consumer as positively as possible.”
“We are more focused than ever around Cindy’s initial vision, taking advantage of powerful sea-derived ingredients. Many companies our size do not manufacture. We do. We formulate all of our products in a 100,000 square-foot building on the west side of Chicago, near the Sears building. We occupy an entire city block. Marketing, sales, manufacturing, R&D and distribution are all right here. Anyone who works here is right on top of the product, just the way Cindy would have wanted it.”
H2O Plus’ go to market strategy is equally interesting.
The company has a very large amenities business, which revolves around a 10 year deal with Disney resorts. If you go on a Disney cruise or visit any Walt Disney property in Orlando, Los Angeles, Hawaii, Paris or Hong Kong you will see H2O Plus’ products in every hotel room lavatory. This puts 40 million samples into consumers hands every year, and every complementary H2O Plus soap and body wash features the company’s URL.
Given the retail price of H2O Plus’ products, this is a brilliant strategy. These consumers who visit H2OPlus.com have already tried the company’s products and are predisposed to buy them.
Beyond this strategy, the company has a long track record of taking smart chances online. McLaughlin started H20Plus.com in 1997, long before the company had retail channel partners. Without the threat of channel conflict, McLaughlin’s team was able to develop a deep commitment to the e-commerce channel that continues to serve the company well. With regard to ecommerce investment, the only thing that has changed is the depth of the company’s pockets.
H2O Plus is well-funded for its aggressive growth plans online.
Just about everything about H2O Plus’ e-commerce business is sound: domestic sales are up, international sales are improving. Traffic is up, as is the average order value and conversion rate. This job is not a “turnaround.” The online business is running very well, yet its growth initiatives should keep this new hire very busy, especially in the areas of mobile marketing and commerce, SEO, SEM, site search, social media, and analytics.
Is this job for you?
H2O Plus seeks a seasoned online marketer with 7 to 10 years of experience, preferably in the beauty industry. You must have an analytical bias to the way you make decisions, and you must be able to manage multiple priorities. Additionally, preference will be given to process oriented candidates who can bring consistency and scalability to H2O Plus’ fluid operating environment.
Moreover, the ideal candidate will be able to work across multiple departments, up and down the organization. You must be able to develop and present lucid, analytically sound cases for new e-commerce initiatives. And you must be able to do that in a way that’s hard on the issues and soft on the people.
Please Tweet this job, and you’ll be automatically entered into our monthly drawing. Just do it and see what happens: 2010 prizes included $100 Amazon gift certs, Dean & Deluca steaks, and Keurig coffee machines …
Position Overview:
The E-commerce and Digital Marketing Manager is responsible for implementing digital marketing strategy and managing performance of the online sales channel. This includes daily maintenance of the of the company website and all online marketing channels including email, social media, paid and natural search and affiliate. The primary objectives of this position are to grow e-commerce revenue and build brand awareness through effective site content, merchandising, customer e-mail communications, strategic planning and through affiliate and merchant partner site marketing.
Responsibilities include:
- Responsible for deployment of all h2oplus.com website content in a brand consistent manner that supports our positioning as a prestige skincare company.
- Manages development and execution of all website merchandising initiatives including product catalog and content sections. Maintains a 6 to 12-month website marketing calendar and presents all content in advance of deployment for management review.
- Manages design and execution of all customer e-mail communications including programming of e-mail
- Management of Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Campaigns and optimization of the website for search visibility (SEO)
- Administration of Social Media Communications and Site Integration
- Manages and measures relationships with all Affiliate Marketing Partners, identifies and implements quality new affiliate partners and develops specific affiliate campaigns to drive traffic to the website.
- Manages and measures all 3rd party merchant partnerships including storefront merchandising and campaign development and execution. Maintains positive and productive relationships with all partners to ensure exposure is maximized on 3rd party sites
- Measures the effectiveness of all internet marketing and merchandising initiatives and optimizes content on a continual basis to maximize results.
- Contributes to preparation of Website Monthly Management Report.
- Works with Creative, Graphics and Copywriter on digital content development
- Works with agency to support digital marketing campaigns.
Position Requirements:
- 7-10 years of proven exceptional Web marketing and merchandising experience, preferably in the beauty industry
- Strong E-commerce analytics tools experience with ability to analyze Web data and formulate Internet marketing strategies, including search engine optimization experience
- Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and Optimization (SEO) Experience
- Experience with 3rd Party E-mail Service Administration (ie..Bronto)
- Working knowledge of HTML and CSS Administration
- Social media marketing experience
- Outstanding written, verbal and presentation skills
- Strong detail orientation and ability to effectively multi-task
- Strong creative and online design orientation
- Effective coordination, time management and organizational skills
- Strong proficiency with MS Office Suite and Excel based analysis
- Bachelor’s degree, preferably in related field
Applications for this position are being coordinated by Harry Joiner. To apply, CLICK HERE. Candidates, please be sure to email Harry Joiner for a packet of market research and company / competitive intel that will differentiate you in your candidacy. Due to the intensely competitive nature of this search, thorough preparation for these interviews with this proprietary material is strongly recommended.
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