An executive search firm sent me this Chief Marketing Officer role in Dallas and I found it to be one of the better descriptions I’ve seen. Others I receive are many pages long covering every last detail, but I like this CMO role description because it hits the major responsibilities clearly and concisely. Take a look and let me know what you think should be added/changed.
The Position:
To support the achievement of short and long-term strategic objectives and to ensure our continued growth, we are seeking a Chief Marketing Officer to assume complete responsibility for our marketing activities. Reporting to the CEO and interacting frequently with the Board, the Chief Marketing Officer will serve as a member of the senior management team.
The Chief Marketing Officer will lead the Company’s new positioning, determine and execute the messaging, and effectively shape the public perception of Confidential Company to ensure the Company’s continued growth. Additionally, the Chief Marketing Officer will create and maintain a strong marketing infrastructure; attract, build and manage a lean, cohesive and proactive marketing team; develop and execute innovative marketing strategies that build brand recognition, market relevance and awareness; and define a communications strategy and approach that optimizes the company’s position.
Key Responsibilities
● Assist in driving strategy by working with the executive team on strategic development of products and services with the goal of productizing, merchandising, pricing, packaging, and promoting the company as it transitions from a business process outsourcing (BPO) provider to a technology-driven advertising and marketing services provider.
● Bring a focus to market expansion and increase the visibility of our market presence and impact, particularly among our target audience and stakeholders.
● Partner with sales leaders, sales teams and clients, and consistently ensure that all marketing tactics and strategies are aligned with sales activities and revenue generation.
● Provide insight to optimal pricing strategies by working with sales, operations, finance and product management in order to fully understand the detailed economics and profit levers of all products and services.
● Own product direction and strategy by developing an intimate understanding of the existing and planned products and services. Utilize input from clients and the marketplace and collaborate with peers to further refine the future product roadmap and achieve a best-in-class experience for customers.
● Build and execute a long-term strategy for generating profitable leads via advertising, public relations, social media, event marketing and other means. Align lead generation tactics in support of vision and strategic goals.
● Achieve full potential for the company’s brand by creating marketplace “buzz” and ensuring that all customer touch points produce an experience that is consistent and positive.
● Provide management over the content and flow of all outbound communications and all promotional initiatives including websites, blogs, trade shows, search, online advertising, print advertising, sales support materials and client/sales messaging to ensure they’re consistent with the brand.
● Analyze and report on the ROI of marketing initiatives.
● Prepare the annual marketing plan and budget.
● Build and lead a highly talented marketing team who can work together with a shared mission and goals and collaborate with other departments in the achievement of Company goals.
● Implement customer advisory board and conduct focus groups to strengthen our strategy, become thought leaders in our chosen markets, and refine our product road map.
● Provide management over and collaborate with human resources on “internal” branding guidelines to align them with external positioning. In addition to internal marketing communications, this would include a review of the Company’s mission, values and culture.
● Create and deliver effective interactions with the Board that communicate the marketing team’s accomplishments, activities, and strategies in a clear and compelling manner.
● Work with executive team to build Company culture and support an open and highly collaborative work environment that fosters high engagement both internally and externally.
Qualifications
● Previous success in a similar position at a digital marketing services company; experience with small business customers is a plus.
● 15+ years of experience-based mastery of contemporary marketing practices, demonstrated understanding of changing market dynamics, market development strategies, customer decision-making processes and business-to-business brand management, and expertise translating them into actionable strategies to achieve strong brand recognition and market awareness.
● Advanced experience working with a variety of marketing teams on branding and messaging to different target audiences.
● Entrepreneurial and risk-oriented, with an understanding of the dynamics of small, high-growth companies, and the ability to work in a rapidly changing environment. Comfortable with risk/reward equation in an emerging growth company.
Desirable Personal Attributes
● “Respectful persuasion” style of communication. Ability to align the organization behind a groundbreaking vision yet honor the Company’s heritage and existing strengths.
● Natural leadership know-how with the ability to effectively lead others who have deeper industry knowledge and experience. In addition, he/she should have a track record of inspiring confidence, high energy and focus while leading an organization through uncharted waters.
● Well-rounded business orientation with knowledge of how to optimize both revenue and profitability. The successful candidate should have the ability to demonstrate an unmistakable link between the marketing function and overall financial results.
● Proven ability to integrate and synthesize diverse and previously separate talents, knowledge and technologies to create entirely new solutions.
● Agile and adaptive style that effectively anticipates and reacts to changes in marketplace environment.
● Never ending curiosity and the ability to constantly refresh his/her insight and perspective on intellectual, experiential and personal levels.
● A reputation as a motivated and relentless self-starter.
● Strategic orientation, strong problem-solving and analytical skills, combined with the ability to execute at the tactical level.