About the Company

Our client has a long history of growth, innovation, and market success. They continue to thrive and build upon their strong brand recognition and relationships with customers and suppliers. For more than 100 years, they have, through 600 passionate employees, provided blue-chip clients with the service and expertise they need to grow their businesses. The company offers a wide range of services, including direct mail strategy, pre-press, binding, color imaging, letter shop and mailing, and postal logistics, all housed in a 700,000-square foot facility with state-of-the-art equipment and best-in-class capabilities conveniently located in St. Louis Park, MN. They have very strong financial fundamentals (e.g., FCF Conversion, EBITDA margins, annual growth rates), are backed by a top-tier private equity sponsor and are poised to continue to generate healthy organic growth with potential M&A opportunities.

About the Role

Our client is seeking a talented and experienced Marketing Director to join their team. You will play a crucial role in establishing and developing their brand management and lead generation campaigns. This is an exciting opportunity to build the marketing function from the ground up in a well-established company. They are looking for someone with a proven track record in start-up environments or demonstrated experience in building marketing foundations to help shape their marketing strategy and drive business growth.

The Marketing Director will report to the Chief Commercial Officer and oversee all facets of the marketing process from the research and planning stages through execution and analysis. The individual is responsible for the translation and implementation of the company’s strategic vision and supports the development of tactical marketing plans. The role is also responsible for growing revenue that is traceable back to marketing initiatives, perpetuating the company’s brand promise and increasing the organization’s ability to acquire new customers and maintain existing relationships.

Responsibilities

Brand Management:

• Develop and implement strategies to enhance and promote the company brand
• Create brand guidelines, including visual identity, tone of voice, and brand positioning, and ensure adherence across all marketing materials
• Maintain brand consistency across all marketing channels, ensuring messaging aligns with company values and objectives
• Collaborate with internal teams to ensure brand consistency in product launches, communications, and customer touch points

Lead Generation:

• Develop and execute lead generation campaigns to drive qualified leads and support sales efforts
• Utilize various marketing channels, such as digital marketing, content marketing, email marketing, and social media to generate leads and increase brand awareness
• Analyze campaign performance and optimize strategies to improve lead quality and conversion rates
• Partner with Sales to develop selling stories, foster partnership with key strategic customers and produce effective strategies to obtain new business
• Collaborate with the sales team to align marketing activities with sales objectives and provide them with necessary support and materials

Marketing Strategy & Planning:

• Develop a comprehensive marketing strategy to support the company’s growth objectives and overall business plan
• Conduct market research and competitor analysis to identify opportunities, trends, and best practices
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define target customer profiles and develop effective marketing strategies to reach and engage them

Understand customer buying behavior and ensure appropriate understanding throughout the organization of the

• customer journey
• Set clear marketing goals, monitor progress, and provide regular reports on marketing performance to the Chief Commercial Officer and executive team
• Stay current with new marketing best practices, industry developments and market trends

Marketing Execution & Budget Management:

• Oversee the execution of marketing initiatives, ensuring timely and successful implementation
• Create compelling marketing collateral, including brochures, presentations, case studies, and sales enablement materials
• Develop and oversee the production of engaging content across various channels, such as blogs, whitepapers, videos, infographics, and social media posts
• Experiment with organic and paid acquisition channels to determine best approach for the company
• Manage and steer the company’s digital and publication/media presence
• Organize promotional events, industry/association meetings and trade shows
• Manage the marketing expense budget, including allocation and tracking of funds across various marketing activities
• Establish key performance indicators for the marketing function and provide accurate reports to executive management team
• Monitor marketing expenses and provide regular reports on budget utilization and ROI to the Chief Commercial Officer and finance team
• Continuously evaluate and optimize marketing activities to maximize efficiency and effectiveness within budgetary constraints
• Other duties as assigned

Education + Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business or related field
• Minimum of eight years of experience in a marketing role with focus on lead generation
• Experience in a manufacturing or service industry preferred
• Demonstrated experience in B2B marketing, preferably within the printing, direct mail, or related service industries preferred
• People leadership experience with direct management responsibility preferred
• Demonstrated experience in start-up environments or building marketing foundations in a less mature organization and/or working with limited oversight preferred

Knowledge, Skills & Attributes

• Strong understanding of branding principles, product positioning, lead generation techniques, and digital marketing best practices
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling messages for various channels and audiences as well as to inform and influence senior leadership
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to leverage data to drive decision-making and optimize marketing efforts
• Proficient in marketing automation platforms, CRM systems, and digital analytics tools
• Self-motivated and proactive with a strong drive for results and a passion for continuous learning and improvement
• Ability to communicate effectively with employees at all levels, ability to manage conflicts to reach successful outcomes, and ability to effect change within a mature organization
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate
• Ability to act with integrity, professionalism and confidentiality
• Thorough knowledge of employment-related laws and regulations
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software
• Strong knowledge of ADP payroll software