The Vita Coco Company, created in 2004 by Co-CEO Michael Kirban and Ira Liran, produces the leading brand of coconut water in the United States with a growing presence around the world. The Vita Coco Company’s brands include the leading coconut water, Vita Coco; clean energy drink Runa; premium canned water, Ever & Ever; and protein-infused water, PWR LIFT.
In 2021, The Vita Coco Company became a publicly traded, Public Benefit Corporation. With a growing portfolio of natural products, The Vita Coco Company has identified its public benefit purpose as creating ethical, sustainable products that uplift communities and do right by our planet by harnessing and protecting nature’s resources.
In 2022, The Vita Coco Company was certified as a B Corporation™ furthering the Company’s commitment toward operating its business as a force for good, while delivering better-for-you products.
Vita Coco is headquartered in New York City with international offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and London.
Role Overview:
The Vita Coco Company is looking for a National Experiential Manager to lead and expand The Vita Coco Company’s experiential strategy across key U.S. markets. The ideal National Experiential Manager will embody the optimistic, entrepreneurial spirit of Vita Coco, bringing creativity, strategic vision, and a relentless passion for building meaningful connections with consumers. This role is key to driving brand love and awareness, fostering strong retail relationships, and amplifying Vita Coco’s presence at high-impact cultural events, trade shows, and retail activations.
The National Experiential Manager will be responsible for overseeing local activation strategies, managing Brand Educator Team Leads in markets like San Diego, Los Angeles, and/or New York City, and ensuring that our brands’ presences are impactful and consistent across the U.S. The Manager will be a strategic leader and a team builder, with responsibilities that include planning national-level brand activations, guiding local market teams, collaborating with cross-functional partners, and tracking performance metrics to maximize the brand’s visibility and growth.
The National Experiential Manager will be based in their home office with regular travel to key markets and Vita Coco HQ as needed.
Key Responsibilities:
Brand Activation Strategy & Execution:
- Develop and lead national brand activation strategy, focusing on high-engagement events, experiential marketing, and retail partnerships that drive brand awareness and trial.
- Seek strategic sponsorships and partnerships at key cultural moments and events, such as music festivals, sports events, fairs, and wellness expos, aligning with trends that resonate with our target audience.
- Plan, coordinate, and execute participation in major trade shows and industry events, including NACS, Expo West, 7-Eleven Experience, Kroger Wellness Festival, and other key gatherings, showcasing our brands’ unique value to both consumers and the trade.
- Work with brand and trade marketing teams to develop local activation “tours” - or recurring owned events – in support of brand and product initiatives; manage tour assets, collect consumer data, and ensure a premium and engaging brand and sampling experience.
- Identify new opportunities for brand expansion within relevant cultural and lifestyle moments, ensuring brand positioning aligns with consumer trends and drives meaningful engagement.
Team Leadership & Management of Brand Educator Team Leads:
- Directly manage Brand Educator Team Leads in San Diego, Los Angeles, and New York City, who oversee:
- Local event execution, scheduling, and staffing of Brand Educators.
- Vehicle, Storage, Product Inventory and Brand asset management for activations.
- Training of Brand Educators on sampling techniques, consumer engagement, and brand representation.
- Gathering and relaying market insights, consumer feedback, and performance recaps.
- Support Team Leads by setting clear expectations, providing strategic direction, and conducting regular market visits to assess performance, build relationships, and foster a collaborative team environment. NOTE: key markets are subject to change based on brand priorities.
Market-Level Engagement Programs:
- Collaborate with Sales, Trade Marketing, and HQ Marketing teams to support integrated retail programs in key markets, ensuring visibility and product trial at key retail accounts.
- Support Team Leads in executing in-store demos, guerilla sampling initiatives, and unique consumer engagement opportunities that connect our brands with local communities.
- Seek relationships with fitness studios, on-premises food accounts, community influencers, or any partnerships aligned with brand and occasion strategies (e.g., daily wellness, active hydration, celebration), to enhance brand relevance across key occasions. Coordinate with Team Leads to execute initiatives locally.
Agency & Vendor Management:
- Manage relationships with external agencies and vendors responsible for event production, staffing, and logistics to ensure high-quality activations that represent the Vita Coco Company’s brands.
- Set and monitor clear expectations, timelines, and KPIs for agency partners, ensuring that all deliverables meet Vita Coco’s brand standards.
Travel and On-the-Ground Execution:
- Travel to activation sites and key markets to ensure flawless execution and identify real-time opportunities for improvement (up to 60% of time on road).
- Act as the brand steward on-site, ensuring all touchpoints reflect Vita Coco’s values and image.
Budget, Data & Insights:
- Conduct post-event recaps, leveraging data and feedback to refine strategies and continually improve Vita Coco’s brand activation approach.
- Manage budgets associated with experiential platforms, ensuring resources are allocated effectively.
Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Collaborate closely with HQ teams, including Brand, Digital, PR, and Sales, to integrate brand activations into the overall marketing strategy, ensuring consistent messaging and leveraging cross-channel support.
- Act as the field marketing liaison, sharing in-market learnings, trends, and consumer insights with HQ teams to influence future brand initiatives.
Qualifications:
- 5+ years of experience in brand activation, experiential marketing, or field marketing, ideally within CPG, with a strong understanding of the beverage or wellness industry.
- Proven success in developing and executing high-impact brand activations and large-scale events.
- Strong leadership skills, with experience managing and mentoring teams across multiple regions.
- Exceptional project management skills, with the ability to manage budgets, timelines, and multiple projects simultaneously.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, adept at building relationships across internal teams, vendors, and external partners.
- Ability to travel approximately 60% of the time to key markets and HQ as needed.
At The Vita Coco Company, compensation decisions are dependent upon a variety of factors, which may include, but are not limited to skill set, experience, education, training, licensure and certifications, knowledge and abilities of the applicant, alignment with market data, and other business and organizational needs. A reasonable estimate of the current pay range for this position is $90,000-$100,000. This range may vary for positions that will be performed outside of California, Colorado, Nevada, New York City, Westchester County, NY, Rhode Island, or Washington.
Vita Coco Co. is committed to the principles of equal employment. We are committed to complying with all federal, state, and local laws providing equal employment opportunities, and all other employment laws and regulations. It is our intent to maintain a work environment that is free of harassment, discrimination, or retaliation because of age, race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sex, sexual orientation (including transgender status, gender identity or expression), physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, AIDS/HIV status, military service, veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local laws. The Company is dedicated to the fulfillment of this policy in regard to all aspects of employment, including but not limited to recruiting, hiring, placement, transfer, training, promotion, rates of pay, and other compensation, termination, and all other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment.
