Director of Marketing

Cannabis Retail and Wholesale

Location: Columbia, MO-Remote arrangements will be considered for the right candidate. 
Employment Type: Full Time, Exempt
Work Environment: Onsite 

Join Shangri-La in Columbia, Missouri, where your marketing leadership will help shape the future of a growing, values-driven cannabis organization. This role sits at the center of how our brand is experienced across retail stores, wholesale channels, and new markets.

You will collaborate closely with executive leadership and cross-functional teams in an environment that values clarity, accountability, and thoughtful execution. This is an opportunity to solve complex challenges, lead a talented team, and drive meaningful growth in a professional and fast-evolving industry.

Shangri-La offers a comprehensive benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Paid Time Off, Employee Discounts, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, and additional life insurance coverage options.

Our Story

Shangri-La Dispensaries was founded in 2019 with the goal of creating a premium cannabis experience centered on education, wellness, and trust. What began as a medical cannabis company focused on patient care has grown into a multi-state organization serving both medical and adult-use customers.

As we have grown, our commitment to professionalism, compliance, and community involvement has never changed. We believe cannabis retail can be responsible, welcoming, and elevated, and we are intentional about building a culture that reflects those values. Shangri-La is growing with intention, valuing clarity, accountability, and people at every stage.

About the Role

The Director of Marketing leads the vision, execution, and performance of all marketing initiatives across Shangri-La's retail, wholesale, and brand efforts. This role balances strategic leadership with hands-on execution and is responsible for ensuring marketing efforts directly support operational performance, growth goals, and brand integrity.

This position oversees a cross-functional marketing team and partners closely with Retail Operations, Sales, Compliance, and Executive Leadership. The ideal candidate is a collaborative leader who understands regulated environments and enjoys building scalable systems, strong teams, and campaigns that deliver results.

Key Responsibilities

  Strategy

• Develop and own the overarching marketing strategy across all markets and business units

• Build and maintain long-term brand architecture and market positioning for Shangri-La and associated brands

• Analyze market trends, competitive activity, and consumer insights to inform strategic direction

• Align all marketing initiatives with organizational goals related to revenue growth, customer acquisition, and brand expansion

Budget Management

• Own and manage the national marketing budget across states, channels, and initiatives

• Forecast, track, and optimize marketing spend to ensure efficiency and strong return on investment

• Oversee budget planning for campaigns, technology, staffing, and vendor partnerships

• Maintain transparent financial reporting and collaborate closely with Finance and Executive Leadership

Campaign Development

• Lead the planning and execution of national and regional marketing campaigns, including seasonal initiatives, product launches, store openings, and promotional events

• Oversee creative direction, messaging consistency, and multi-channel deployment

• Ensure all marketing campaigns comply with applicable state cannabis advertising regulations

• Measure campaign performance and apply insights to improve future initiatives

Advertising & Media Placement

• Oversee paid media strategy across digital, print, out-of-home, radio, marketplaces, compliant social channels, and community partnerships

• Manage relationships with advertising platforms, agencies, and media vendors

• Optimize media placements to maximize reach, customer acquisition, and revenue impact

National Co-Op Marketing & Promotions

• Develop and manage national and regional co-op marketing programs with brand partners, distributors, and vendors

• Ensure promotional alignment between retail operations and wholesale partners

• Coordinate promotional calendars and ensure consistent execution across all store locations

• Track performance of co-op initiatives and negotiate future partner commitments

Project Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Oversee major marketing initiatives from concept through execution, ensuring timelines, budgets, and deliverables are met

• Coordinate communication and execution across Marketing, Retail Operations, Purchasing, Sales, Compliance, and Executive Leadership

• Prioritize initiatives and allocate resources to ensure efficient workflows

• Maintain documentation, SOPs, and reporting processes to support scalable and repeatable execution

Leadership & Team Development

• Directly manage Communications, Digital Marketing, Marketing Coordination, and Creative roles

• Provide coaching, performance feedback, and professional development to marketing team members

• Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performance team culture

• Ensure the marketing function operates with clarity, consistency, and operational excellence

Qualifications

• Seven or more years of marketing leadership experience

• Experience in retail, cannabis, CPG, or other regulated industries preferred

• Strong background in brand management and campaign execution

• Proven experience leading teams and working cross-functionally

• Ability to balance creative vision with operational execution

• Excellent communication, organization, and leadership skills