Director of New Club Opening Market Growth

JOIN OUR TEAM

At VASA Fitness, we want to create an uplifting experience for everyone by offering inclusive, accessible, and on-trend fitness. The foundation of our brand is rooted in a culture centered on unity, passion, love, integrity, fun, and trust. Because our culture is alive--embodied by members and team members alike--VASA is a place where lives are changed because of authentic connections made within our supportive community.

BENEFITS

All employees receive two complimentary gym memberships--one for themselves and another to give away--plus 401k options. Additional benefit packages are available for employees who work 30+ hours per week.

• Salaried Employees: Flexible Vacation Plan, Paid Holidays, Paid Parental Leave, and Health, Dental, Vision Benefits

Come join VASA Fitness and join a passionate, fun, and united team!

Proud to be a 'Great Place to Work' certified company!

PURPOSE

VASA Fitness is seeking a strategic, entrepreneurial Director of New Market Growth to lead the marketing strategy, community integration, and launch execution for every new club opening.

This role owns the marketing success of each new market--from the day construction begins through the first year of operation--ensuring every club launches with strong community awareness, a robust founding member base, and sustained membership growth.

The Director of New Market Growth will serve as the quarterback for all local marketing efforts, partnering across Brand, Paid Media, CRM, PR, Social, Operations, Real Estate, Sales and Club Leadership to bring each market to life.

This leader will also build meaningful community relationships before opening, develop scalable market launch playbooks, oversee grand opening events, and lead a Field & Experience Marketing Specialist responsible for executing local initiatives.

Success in this role will be measured by one thing:

Helping every new VASA club achieve aggressive membership growth goals and become an integral part of its community.

This position is ideally based in the Chicago area but we will also consider candidates based in Denver. This role will require heavy travel to support new club openings. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITES AND COMPETENCIES

Own New Market Launch Strategy

Lead the end-to-end marketing strategy for every new VASA market.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop comprehensive market launch plans from site acquisition through the first 12 months after opening
• Develop a Market Launch Playbook that captures best practices, timelines, partnership strategies, media plans, event templates, communication cadences, and post-opening growth tactics after every opening. Each new club should make the playbook smarter, creating a repeatable engine that accelerates future launches.
• Build scalable launch playbooks that can be replicated across future markets
• Coordinate launch timelines across Marketing, Operations, Sales, Real Estate and executive leadership
• Identify launch risks and proactively solve issues before they impact performance
• Create executive launch scorecards and communicate market readiness across the organization
• Ensure all marketing initiatives are launched accurately and on schedule

Drive Membership Growth

Own the marketing strategy that supports aggressive membership growth during the first year.

Responsibilities include:

• Partner with Paid Media, CRM, Social, PR and Brand teams to maximize lead generation and membership sales
• Ensure marketing campaigns are coordinated and visible to club leadership
• Optimize launch strategies based on market performance and member acquisition trends
• Identify opportunities to increase awareness and improve conversion throughout the first year
• Support club teams with local marketing initiatives that continue momentum well beyond grand opening

Build Community Presence

Establish VASA as an active and valued member of every community before opening.

Responsibilities include:

• Develop local partnership strategies unique to each market
• Build relationships with Chambers of Commerce, city officials, schools, employers and nonprofit organizations
• Secure sponsorships and community partnerships that increase local awareness
• Identify opportunities for VASA to make a meaningful impact through volunteerism, charitable initiatives and local events
• Cultivate relationships with local influencers, media outlets and community leaders
• Ensure VASA becomes part of the fabric of each community--not simply another business opening its doors

Lead Grand Opening & Market Activation

Create memorable launch experiences that drive awareness, excitement and memberships.

Responsibilities include:

• Plan and execute grand openings, VIP previews, founder events and ribbon cuttings
• Coordinate media outreach alongside PR
• Manage event budgets, vendors and timelines
• Develop scalable event playbooks that elevate every opening
• Partner with Operations to deliver exceptional member experiences during launch

Communicate & Coordinate Across Teams

Serve as the central hub for all new market marketing communications.

Responsibilities include:

• Maintain launch calendars and project timelines
• Communicate campaign status, paid media launches and promotional activity to internal stakeholders
• Ensure club leadership understands what marketing is live, what is coming next and how they can maximize local opportunities
• Coordinate regular cross-functional launch meetings
• Maintain documentation, reporting and best practices for every market

Lead the Field & Experience Marketing Team

Lead and develop the Field & Experience Marketing Specialist responsible for executing local marketing initiatives.

Responsibilities include:

• Coach and mentor team members
• Establish priorities and market execution plans
• Oversee local events, partnerships and grassroots marketing efforts
• Build scalable processes that support future team growth as VASA expands

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• 8--10+ years of experience in field marketing, growth marketing, retail marketing, new market development or experiential marketing
• Experience launching multiple brick-and-mortar locations
• Proven success driving customer acquisition in new markets
• Experience leading cross-functional initiatives involving Marketing, Operations and Sales
• Strong project management and organizational skills
• Exceptional communication and executive presentation skills
• Experience managing budgets and external partners
• Willingness to travel regularly to support market launches

Preferred

Experience with:

• Multi-unit retail
• Fitness
• Restaurants
• Consumer brands
• Franchise organizations
• Hospitality
• Health & wellness

Experience leading:

• Grand openings
• Local partnerships
• Community marketing
• Grassroots marketing
• Experiential events
• New market launches

Success Metrics

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Founding member acquisition
• Membership count on opening day
• Pace to 10,000 members within eight months
• First-year membership growth
• Community partnerships established
• Event attendance and lead generation
• On-time execution of launch plans
• Cross-functional launch readiness
• Brand awareness within new markets
• Member engagement during the first year

Leadership Competencies

The ideal candidate is:

• Strategic thinker who sees the big picture
• Builder who creates repeatable systems and playbooks
• Highly organized and thrives in complex, fast-moving environments
• Comfortable influencing without direct authority
• Entrepreneurial and willing to roll up their sleeves
• Data-driven while remaining highly creative
• Passionate about building authentic community connections
• Equally comfortable in executive planning meetings and on-site at a grand opening event

WORKING CONDITIONS

Primary work in a fitness facility and office setting. Temperature variations can occur. The environment includes some ambient noise such as talking and use of gym equipment and machinery.

PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ACTIVITIES AND REQUIREMENTS

• Talking: Especially where one must frequently convey detailed or important instructions or ideas accurately, loudly, or quickly.
• Physical Strength: Sitting, standing, and walking. Must be able to lift, push, pull, and move a minimum of 30 pounds.
• Reasoning Ability: Ability to deal with a variety of variables under limited standardization. Able to interpret various instructions and relay instructions to clients.
• Attendance is an essential duty of the position. Employees must work regularly scheduled shifts, during business hours to assist members and sell services in-person.

This position description intends to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. It is not intended to include all duties and responsibilities. The order in which duties and responsibilities are listed is not significant.

VASA Fitness is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Chicago, Illinois 60555 or Denver, CO 80111