PRODUCT MARKETING MANAGER (CONTRACTED 1099)

Kampgrounds of America, Inc. (KOA) is the world’s largest network of privately owned campgrounds and the leader in outdoor hospitality. KOA has 500+ locations across the United States and Canada including a mix of franchised and company-owned parks (OAK). Founded in 1962, the mission of KOA is “connecting people to the outdoors and each other,” and those who represent the brand share the values of being family-oriented, passionate, entrepreneurial, customer-focused, and innovative.

At KOA, we believe the outdoors is fun and for everyone. We are committed to having an environment where all are treated with dignity and respect. We strive to:

• intentionally create a sense of community and belonging for our guests, employees and franchise partners

• continually educate ourselves and expand our knowledge to foster an inclusive and supportive environment

• sustain a culture that promotes diversity of thought and experiences

• ensure everyone has the ability to experience the outdoors and that our facilities are accessible to all

• drive change in our company and industry through action and implementation

Engagement terms

• Initial term of twelve months, with the intent to evaluate at nine months for renewal, expansion, or conversion to a full-time position

• Approximately 20 to 25 hours per week, with flexibility around release cycles and industry events

• Compensation commensurate with senior contract product marketing experience.

Summary:

K2 is KOA's proprietary reservation and campground management software platform, and it is one of the most concrete reasons an independent campground owner chooses to franchise with KOA rather than go it alone or sign with a competing system.

We know what K2 delivers. We have the operating data and the results to prove it. What we do not have is anyone whose job it is to carry that story into the market with consistency and force. The proof exists internally. It is not reaching prospective franchisees, existing owners, or the trade press with anything close to the frequency or clarity a differentiator of this significance deserves.

This role exists to close that gap. The Product Marketing Manager for K2 owns the story of the product in the market and turns results we already have into proof that a campground owner believes, and puts that proof in front of the right audiences on a sustained cadence.

The work serves both of KOA's core audiences. Stronger K2 positioning gives Franchise Development a sharper close, gives existing owners more confidence and more reason to adopt new capability, and ultimately drives more reservations into the system.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Positioning and Messaging

• Own the K2 value proposition for prospective franchisees, existing owners, and the broader industry

• Translate technical capability and performance data into plain business outcomes: revenue, occupancy, staff time, guest experience

• Maintain a single source of truth for K2 messaging so every team describes the product the same way

Turning Proof into Stories

• Convert existing K2 performance data into owner-attributed, externally credible proof: named case studies, testimonials, competitive switch stories

• Secure owner participation and permissions, and manage those relationships with care

• Build ROI framing and comparison tools an owner can use in a real decision

Partnership with Information Systems

• Serve as the primary marketing counterpart to the IS team on all things K2, with a named day-to-day partner inside IS

• Maintain a standing seat in K2 roadmap and release planning, with enough visibility into what is coming and when to communicate it before it ships rather than after

• Translate technical capability into business outcome language for owners, prospects, and press, and translate market and competitive feedback back into terms IS can act on

• Validate every external claim about K2 with IS before it is published. Marketing does not describe capability the product does not have or has not shipped.

• Build a repeatable release communication process that gives IS a clear, predictable set of inputs marketing needs and when, so communication does not depend on anyone remembering to send an email

• Partner with IS on demo environments and demo data used in franchise sales, ensuring what a prospect sees reflects what they will actually get

• Bring structured owner and prospect feedback to IS on a regular cadence, including the capability gaps that come up in competitive situations

Franchise Development Enablement

• Equip the franchise sales team with the narrative, materials, and answers that make K2 a decisive factor

• Sit in on franchise sales conversations regularly enough to know what actually objects, resonates, and closes

• Diagnose and fix gaps between the proof we have and the proof the sales team is using

Public Relations and Industry Presence

• Own a sustained cadence of K2 storytelling in outdoor hospitality and travel technology media, in partnership with communications

• Develop speaking abstracts, bylines, and award submissions that establish K2 and KOA as leaders in campground technology

• Build and maintain relationships with the reporters, editors, and event programmers who matter in this category

Owner Adoption and Release Communication

• Plan and execute communication for K2 releases and feature launches so owners understand what changed and why it matters

• Support adoption campaigns for underused capability, in partnership with owner support and training

Competitive Intelligence

• Maintain current, honest knowledge of competing reservation and property management systems in the outdoor hospitality space

• Provide product leadership with market feedback that informs the roadmap

• Anticipate and prepare responses to competitive claims as K2's visibility increases

Non-Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• This job description is not intended to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

Required Education and Experience:

• Contractors must follow all applicable local, county, and state laws in their work area.

• Must hold and keep any applicable licenses within their work area.

• Must have a full understanding and carry full responsibility for following all local and state legal standards for contracted employment.

• Five or more years in product marketing, communications, or a hybrid role, with at least three connected to a B2B software or SaaS product

• Existing working relationships with editors, reporters, or event programmers in outdoor hospitality, travel, hospitality technology, or an adjacent vertical

• Track record personally placing product and customer stories in trade media, with specific examples and outcomes

• Demonstrated experience turning customer results into published proof: case studies, testimonials, reference programs

• Strong writing ability across formats: sales narrative, launch communication, bylined article, executive summary

• Experience building sales enablement materials that a sales team actually used

• Comfort operating independently in a part-time capacity with limited supervision, and the judgment to prioritize without being told what matters most

Willingness

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Direct experience in outdoor hospitality, camping, RV, or campground technology

• Experience marketing software to franchise networks, multi-unit operators, or small business owners

• Background in hospitality, travel, or property management technology

• Familiarity with reservation systems, revenue management, or channel distribution

• Prior experience as a trade journalist or editor

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

• Work is performed in an office environment and requires the ability to operate standard office equipment and keyboard, including lifting and carrying a laptop and other small items up to 20 pounds.

• Prolonged exposure to computer screens and artificial lighting.

• Use of repetitive motion, standing, bending, sitting, lifting, and walking short distances.

• Ability to travel by air or car, as needed.

• Will experience occasional interruptions and shifting priorities.

Engagement terms

• Initial term of twelve months, with the intent to evaluate at nine months for renewal, expansion, or conversion to a full-time position

• Approximately 20 to 25 hours per week, with flexibility around release cycles and industry events

• Compensation commensurate with senior contract product marketing experience.

This job description is not intended to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities. Other duties, responsibilities and activities may change or be assigned at any time with or without notice.

KOA does not sponsor Visas

KOA currently does NOT hire in the following states:

Alaska

Idaho

North Dakota

District of Columbia

Louisiana

Rhode Island

Hawaii

New Hampshire

Vermont

Benefits Offered:

• Medical/Vision Insurance

• Dental Insurance

• Health Savings Account

• Flexible Spending Account

• Dependent Care Account

• Paid Life & AD&D Insurance

• Paid Short Term and Long Term Disability

• Voluntary Life & AD&D Insurance

• Voluntary Critical Illness Insurance

• Voluntary Accident Insurance

• Voluntary Hospital Indemnity Insurance

• Paid Time Off

• Paid Parental Leave

• Employee Assistance Program

• 401K Retirement Plan

• 401K Company Contributions

Kampgrounds Of America, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer and strives to provide an environment where all employees and applicants are treated with respect. The company is committed to fair treatment of all people. This value ensures employees and candidates are treated equally and are protected from discrimination or harassment of any kind. All employment decisions shall be made without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors, or any other protected status.