Head of Brand & Integrated Marketing

News can change the world, save lives, and bring us all closer together through empathy and understanding - but not if it isn’t read. Out of the hundreds of millions of articles and posts, how do we deliver the information that matters the most? How do we avoid the filter bubble of personalization and widen people’s interests and knowledge?

SmartNews is creating an entirely new model for the news industry. Our mission is to evaluate (in real-time) what makes a quality story and deliver the stories that matter to people who need it. We are dedicated to the idea that people make better decisions when provided with better information.

We’re not there yet, but we have a great head start. We’re one of the very few pre-IPO, (double) unicorns focused on the news with thousands of publisher partners globally. Founded in Tokyo in 2012, SmartNews has become the go-to source of news for users around the world. We have more than 20M+ monthly active users worldwide, billions of channel interactions, and article pageviews generated per month.

Join us and be a part of the solution as we work to escape the filter bubble, strengthen democracy, and help people be better informed.

About The Role

The ideal candidate has experience balancing the strategic with the tactical, the big thinking with the gritty details, and the analysis with the action. You can see the forest for the trees, and you can get your hands dirty and plant new ones. You have a growth mindset and are open to trying new things. You have built teams that are united under a common purpose, are empowered to make bold choices., and are admired internally and externally. You have 12+ years of experience, with a focus on brand marketing, product marketing, and integrated marketing. Experience in consumer mobile apps is strongly preferred.

The Head of Brand & Integrated Marketing will lead the brand, product marketing, and consumer insights functions at SmartNews. This role is pivotal in crafting and executing our brand strategy, building brand identity and guidelines, and driving brand awareness, consideration, and conversion. The ideal candidate will also have demonstrated a history of successfully leading GTM and 360-degree campaigns and partnering closely with product, growth, data, and other internal stakeholders. 

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership: Manage and mentor a team across brand, product marketing, consumer insights, and organic social by fostering a collaborative and high-performing team environment. Ensure team alignment with overall marketing and business objectives while promoting professional and personal growth and development.
• Brand Strategy Development: Develop and implement a comprehensive brand growth strategy that aligns with SmartNews’s product and brand direction. Build and maintain brand guidelines and identity, ensuring consistency across all touchpoints.
• Product Marketing: Develop and execute go-to-market strategies for new product launches and feature updates. Collaborate with the Product team to align marketing initiatives with product roadmaps and ensure successful product adoption.
• Consumer Insights: Design and implement research methodologies on consumer behavior and preferences to inform marketing strategies, product development, and brand positioning.
• Partnerships: Identify and cultivate strategic marketing partnerships that enhance brand reach and credibility, as well as drive user growth. 
• Campaign Management: Lead and execute 360-degree marketing campaigns that drive brand awareness, engagement, and conversion. 
• Measurement and Analysis: Establish and monitor key performance metrics for marketing initiatives, ensuring return on investment and making data-driven decisions to optimize strategies.
• Cross-functional Leadership: Maintain strong collaborative relationships with Product, Design, Content, and Engineering teams.

Requirements

• Experience: Minimum 12 years of experience in brand and product marketing with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role, ideally in a product-centric environment. 
• Leadership Skills: Demonstrated ability to lead and inspire diverse teams, with a track record of nurturing talent and fostering a positive, productive work environment.
• Strategic Thinking: Strong strategic thinking and business acumen, with a track record of developing and implementing successful marketing strategies.
• Data-Driven Decision Making: Reliable analytical skills, with the ability to use data and consumer insights to drive strategic direction and decision-making. 
• Brand: Proven track record of developing and executing successful GTM and 360-degree campaigns, growth in social, and helping a brand permeate through an organization. 
• Communication Skills: Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and engage a variety of stakeholders.
• Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with the news and media industry, with an understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the mobile app news market.

Benefits

• Equity included
• 401(k) matching program
• 100% medical, dental and vision insurance coverage (for self and family)
• Benefit plan with monthly allowances
• Free lunch, snacks, drinks at the office

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Compensation range of $180,000~$250,000 base salary, plus bonus and equity.