Director of Marketing

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Illinois.

📋 Description

• Take ownership of the marketing engine, ensuring accountability for both lead volume and quality.

• Lead a diverse team comprised of full-time and part-time staff as well as external agencies.

• Oversee an approximate annual marketing budget of $2M.

• Report directly to the Chief Strategy Officer, managing daily marketing operations encompassing strategy, execution, analytics, and testing.

• Achieve the annual lead plan and meet lead-quality objectives.

• Provide monthly reports detailing leads by channel, customer acquisition cost (CAC), lead quality, budget impacts, and actionable recommendations.

• Develop and manage a cross-channel testing roadmap aimed at validating hypotheses and generating incremental improvements.

• Supervise both variable and fixed annual marketing expenditures, reallocating budget across channels based on performance metrics.

• Propose annual budget levels and lead spending plans.

• Direct paid search and social media strategies, including conducting landing page tests.

• Set the strategic direction for organic marketing, SEO, and AEO while holding agencies accountable for results.

• Oversee the design and tracking of referral and brand advocacy programs.

• Lead the strategy and performance for email marketing, events, and partnerships.

• Manage relationships, contracts, and performance metrics for lead providers and affiliate partners.

• Supervise organic social media efforts.

• Guide team members and external agencies by setting goals, providing coaching, and ensuring accountability.

• Assess agency and vendor performance, offering recommendations for improvements.

• Operate the marketing team using the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS), implementing Rocks, scorecards, weekly Level 10 meetings, and issue resolution processes.

• Own marketing analytics and infrastructure, including tools such as HubSpot, GA4, GSC, and reporting frameworks.

• Manage the WordPress/Elementor website, providing hands-on support as required.

• Steward brand identity and messaging on a daily basis.

• Conduct customer research through interviews, surveys, and direct outreach to families.

• Utilize AI tools daily for analysis, research, and content creation.

• Build AI agents and workflows to enhance team productivity.

• Collaborate with the Sales team on lead quality, handoff procedures, and shared funnel metrics.

• Partner with the Service team on referrals, testimonials, and showcasing proof points.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 10 years of experience in the marketing field.

• More than 5 years of experience leading a marketing team, which includes setting objectives, managing personnel, and ensuring accountability.

• Experience in B2C environments, particularly with high-ticket professional services such as education, healthcare, financial, or legal services.

• Extensive knowledge of paid acquisition strategies, including PPC and affiliate or lead-provider programs.

• Proven track record in managing a multi-channel budget and adjusting expenditures based on performance outcomes.

• A metrics-driven approach with a focus on testing: you formulate hypotheses, execute tests, and implement insights gained from findings.

• Proficient reporting skills with a hands-on approach.

• Comfortable working directly within WordPress and Elementor platforms.

• Daily expert usage of Claude or other similar AI tools for analysis, research, and strategic planning.

• Experience in managing agencies and external partners with clear performance metrics.

• Strong understanding of customer needs and messaging, along with a genuine interest in engaging directly with customers.

• Experience in building AI agents or automated workflows is preferred.

• A strong interest in AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is preferred.

• Background in a growth-stage company is preferred.

🏝️ Benefits

• Performance-based bonus.

• Health insurance coverage.

• Dental insurance provided.

• Life insurance included.

• Unlimited paid time off (PTO).

• 401K plan (no matching contributions).

• Quarterly team offsite events.

• Occasional travel for events and partner engagements.