Director of Marketing

About the RoleWe're looking for a Director of Marketing to own the strategic direction of our marketing function within a highly regulated financial services environment. This is not an execution-only or order-taking role — we need a strategic operator who can independently assess the business, set the marketing agenda, and drive it forward with minimal hand-holding from executive leadership. You'll bring the point of view, not just implement someone else's.You'll partner closely with our shared Creative Services team (who will execute design, brand, and creative production) so your focus stays on strategy, positioning, planning, performance, and cross-functional leadership — not creative production itself.What Makes This Role DifferentThis role requires someone who:Leads with a strategic point of view, rather than waiting for direction from the executive team — you're expected to bring recommendations, not just requests for inputCan translate business and financial goals into a marketing strategy independently, including where to play, how to win, and how to measure itIs comfortable operating with a high degree of autonomy and accountability in a regulated, compliance-sensitive industryKnows how to partner with (not manage) a shared creative team — influencing without direct authority, briefing effectively, and trusting their execution while you own strategic outcomesKey ResponsibilitiesStrategic LeadershipDevelop and own the marketing strategy and annual/quarterly marketing plan aligned to business and revenue goalsProactively bring insights, market intelligence, and competitive analysis to leadership — rather than waiting to be askedIdentify growth opportunities across segments (retail, wealth, commercial, etc. — adjust to business) and build the marketing plan to capture themOwn marketing budget planning, allocation, and ROI accountabilityFinancial Services ExpertiseEnsure all marketing strategy and messaging accounts for regulatory constraints (FINRA, SEC, state insurance regulations, or relevant compliance bodies)Partner with Legal/Compliance to build efficient review processes that don't bottleneck velocityUnderstand the financial services buyer/client journey, trust-building, and long sales cycles inherent to the industryCross-Functional & Creative PartnershipServe as the strategic brief owner for the shared Creative Services team — providing clear direction, briefs, and success metrics while trusting their creative executionBuild a strong, collaborative (not directive) working relationship with the Creative Services lead as a true partner, not a vendor relationshipAlign sales, product, and executive stakeholders around unified go-to-market and brand strategyPerformance & Team LeadershipSet KPIs and reporting cadence for marketing performance (pipeline contribution, brand metrics, campaign ROI, CAC/LTV, etc.)Build, mentor, and manage a marketing team (channel owners, demand gen, content/brand strategist)Bring a test-and-learn, data-informed mindset to channel investment decisionsRequired Qualifications8–12+ years of marketing experience, with 4+ years in a leadership role, and specific experience within financial services (banking, wealth management, insurance, fintech, or asset management)Demonstrated experience building marketing strategy independently — not just executing a pre-set plan from executivesDeep understanding of compliance/regulatory considerations in financial marketingExperience working with or alongside a shared/centralized creative team, agency, or studio modelStrong track record of cross-functional leadership (sales, product, compliance, executive stakeholders)Experience owning budget, KPIs, and marketing ROI reporting at a strategic level