Job Description - Trade Marketing Associate
Location: Regional Washington
Reports to: Marketing Director
Employment Type: Part-Time Employee
Compensation: $25/hour
Mileage: Mileage reimbursement using MileIQ
New Door Bonus: per approved new retail door opened
Day-to-Day Supervisor: Senior Marketing Coordinator
About Sungrown
Sungrown is a house of cannabis brands, rooted in Washington and expanding into new markets. With a portfolio that includes industry-leading products like Thrills, Solr Bear, Full Spec, Leafwerx, Cookies, and Drops, Sungrown has built a reputation for high-quality products, continuous innovation, and strong retail partnerships.
Our mission is simple: liberate the plant while building a legacy company. We do this by delivering consistent high-quality products and creating the most profitable cannabis operation in Washington over the next decade.
Our Trade Marketing Associates are the frontline representatives of our brands in retail environments, driving product education, budtender engagement, in-store visibility, relationship building, and sell-through.
The Role
The Trade Marketing Associate is a part-time, field-based role focused on executing retail vendor days, completing planned store visits, supporting in-store marketing, building budtender relationships, and helping Sungrown prospect new retail partners.
This role combines:
- Retail activations and vendor days
- Planned store visits and route coverage
- Budtender education and relationship building
- In-store marketing and merchandising support
- New store prospecting
- Timely activity logging through the Pipedrive App
Trade Marketing Associates play a direct role in strengthening retail partnerships, improving budtender confidence, creating better in-store presence, and helping Sungrown grow into new accounts.
Schedule Expectations
This role has a variable schedule that includes, but is not limited to, vendor days, store visits, merchandising support, and new store prospecting routes. Routes will be built around each Trade Marketing Associate's home region, availability, and priority retail areas.
Vendor days most often take place at retail customer locations and require travel, set-up, activation, and break-down. Each vendor day is typically 2 to 3 hours long and may be scheduled on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, or other days based on store needs.
Store visits and prospecting routes are paid hourly at $25/hour, with non-commute mileage reimbursed through MileIQ according to Sungrown policy.
Key Responsibilities
Retail Vendor Days & Activations
- Represent Sungrown brands at retail vendor days and approved in-store activations.
- Set up and break down activation materials professionally and efficiently.
- Engage customers and budtenders with energy, professionalism, and product knowledge.
- Ensure all activations follow Washington state regulations and store-specific guidelines.
Store Visits & Route Coverage
- Complete assigned store visit routes built around your location and priority retail areas.
- Educate budtenders on Sungrown brands, products, strains, effects, technology updates, and active campaigns.
- Build relationships with store staff so Sungrown is viewed as a helpful partner, not just another brand trying to sell products.
- Gather updated buyer and marketing contact information, including email and phone number when available.
- Identify staffing changes, product questions, training needs, and store-level opportunities.
New Store Prospecting
- Visit or identify dispensaries where Sungrown is not currently placed.
- Introduce Sungrown in a professional, low-pressure way and gather buyer or decision-maker contact information.
- Log prospecting activity and next steps in the Pipedrive App.
- Coordinate follow-up with the appropriate Sales Representative or Marketing team contact.
- Trade Marketing Associates may be eligible for a $300 new door bonus for each approved new retail door opened. A new door must be verified by Sungrown leadership, logged in Pipedrive, and tied to a first qualifying Sungrown order.
Field Marketing Support & Retail Execution
- Assist with in-store marketing where permitted, including shelf displays, signage, neon sign installation, and educational materials.
- Support shelf planning by noting where Sungrown products are placed and identifying opportunities for improved visibility.
- Check that product displays, menus, signage, and shelf presence match current brand priorities when possible.
- Support occasional regional events, sponsorships, and festivals.
- Capture customer, budtender, and store feedback through informal conversations or structured surveys when applicable.
Reporting & Communication
- Submit event recaps and feedback after vendor days.
- Log all store visits, prospecting visits, and merchandising activity in the Pipedrive App.
- Pipedrive logs should include store name, date/time, names and roles of employees spoken to, updated contact information when available, notes, and any recommended next steps.
- Submit timesheets for hours worked each day.
- Track non-commute miles driven each work day using MileIQ and submit reimbursable expenses with receipts according to Sungrown policy.
- Share field insights including budtender feedback, product performance observations, merchandising opportunities, and competitive activity.
What Success Looks Like
- Vendor days are professional, engaging, and well-executed.
- Budtenders demonstrate improved product knowledge and confidence recommending Sungrown brands.
- Retail partners view Sungrown as active, supportive, and easy to work with.
- Store staff know Trade Marketing Associates by name and are excited to see them visit.
- Buyer and marketing contact information is current and useful for follow-up.
- In-store marketing materials are installed, maintained, and communicated to the team.
- New store prospects are identified, logged, and moved forward with the Sales team.
- Pipedrive reporting is clear, timely, and complete.
- Positive feedback is received from Sales Representatives, store partners, and budtenders.
Key Metrics
- Vendor Days / Activations Executed
- Store Visits Completed
- Pipedrive Activities Logged
- Buyer and Marketing Contacts Updated
- Budtender Education Coverage
- Retail Relationship Development
- In-Store Marketing Installs and Maintenance
- New Store Prospects Identified
- Approved New Doors Opened
- Activation Sell-Through Lift when measurable
- Event Surveys Submitted
Qualifications
Required
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills
- Professional appearance and demeanor
- Reliable transportation
- Availability for evening and weekend shifts as needed
- Comfortable educating retail staff and starting conversations with budtenders
- Comfortable walking into stores, introducing yourself, and gathering useful information
- Organized, dependable, and able to submit clear notes after visits
- Ability to use mobile apps for work activity, including Pipedrive and MileIQ
Preferred
- Retail, hospitality, sales, or field marketing experience.
- Cannabis industry familiarity.
- Prior experience with in-store activations, vendor days, merchandising, or route-based field work.
Compensation
- $25/hour
- Mileage reimbursement for approved non-commute miles logged through MileIQ
- $300 new door bonus for each approved new retail account opened, once eligibility requirements are confirmed
- Part-time employee status
- Ongoing product training
- Growth opportunities within Sungrown
Growth Opportunities
Trade Marketing Associates are Sungrown's boots on the ground and, in many areas, the face of the company. This role is designed to help team members build real relationships inside dispensaries, strengthen field marketing skills, and learn how retail sales and marketing work together.
Sungrown has real internal growth paths. Our Seattle / King County Sales Representative started with Sungrown as a Trade Marketing Associate, which reflects the type of opportunity this role can create for Trade Marketing Associates who perform well and want to grow with the company.
Reporting Structure
- Trade Marketing Associates report directly to the Marketing Director.
- Day-to-day scheduling and operational coordination are handled by the Senior Marketing Coordinator.
- The Marketing Director conducts quarterly check-ins focused on performance, development, and program standards.
Pay: $20.00 - $25.00 per hour
Benefits:
Work Location: On the road
