Remote Head of Brand and Communications presso Caribou

About the Role

As the Head of Brand and Communications, you will be responsible for growing Caribou’s overall consumer and B2B brand awareness and consideration, and for establishing Caribou as the leader in the auto refinancing space. This role is a blend of strategy and execution, storytelling and relationship building, with a focus on building a strong, consistent brand identity and clear value proposition across earned and social media, with consumers and B2B partners, through a variety of online and offline channels. You’ll oversee brand and communications strategy, storytelling, editorial and content, organic social media, community engagement, and creative direction. Communications is a shared service that extends beyond marketing, and the role will support the external and internal needs of the C-suite. The ideal candidate is skilled at work prioritization as someone who has built this function in other companies (over time) and is both strategic-minded and a hands-on leader who will craft and execute initiatives that build consumer, partner and employer brand equity as we seek to drive customer engagement and advocacy.

In this role, you will be responsible for…

• Brand Strategy: Working with our VP of Marketing and VP, Lender Development, you will build our brand awareness and consideration by developing and implementing a comprehensive brand strategy that reflects our core values, mission, and market positioning. You will guide the evolution of our brand to ensure it remains relevant, competitive, unique, and inspiring.
• Brand Storytelling: Craft and communicate a compelling brand narrative that resonates with our target consumer audience, strategic partners, and lenders to generate awareness, enhance brand affinity, and differentiate us in the market. 
• PR Strategy & Execution: Develop and execute PR strategies, including pitching compelling story ideas to media outlets to secure earned media placements across print, digital, and broadcast platforms. Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, and influencers to generate consistent media coverage and drive organic leads.
• CEO/C-Suite Branding: Develop and execute a CEO branding strategy to position the CEO and other C-Suite executives as industry thought leaders.
• Community Engagement: Evolve and execute an organic social media and third party review site strategy that builds community, fosters positive engagement, and promotes brand advocacy. 
• Content Strategy: Lead the development of high-quality, on-brand content for owned channels to attract, educate, and engage prospects, leads, and customers across the customer lifecycle. Ensure all messaging and visuals align with our brand voice and mission. Oversee content strategy, calendar, and execution, consistently building and reinforcing our brand story and identity.
• Grow Media Affiliate Partners: Collaborate with the Partnerships and Performance Marketing teams to grow submissions from earned media, bloggers and influencers in the personal finance and automotive space, by utilizing Caribou’s affiliate program.
• Brand Stewardship: Work cross-functionally with performance marketing, partnerships, product, sales, lending, people & culture, and other teams to ensure brand alignment and consistency. 
• Customer Insights: Conduct customer surveys and stay updated on industry trends, consumer preferences, and competitive landscape, using insights to inform brand decisions. Collaborate with analytics to uncover insights and trends to utilize for content creation and to generate earned media.
• Brand Performance Tracking: Develop and track KPIs to measure the effectiveness of brand initiatives, storytelling efforts, and audience engagement. Provide regular updates to executive leadership on brand performance, insights, and opportunities for growth. 
• Brand and Creative Team Leadership: Manage a small team of creative contractors and agency partners.

Additionally, you will advise and consult with the C-Suite across the following areas:

• Corporate Communications: Consult the C-Suite on corporate communications, including but not limited to external executive communications, financial communications, business development opportunities, and financial events. In matters of crisis communications, you may also serve in the official capacity as company spokesperson.
• Internal Communications: Partner with the company’s chief people officer across internal channels (e.g. All Hands) and external channels (e.g. LinkedIn) to build a strong employer brand, drive positive engagement around company news, initiatives, OKRs, etc., and to communicate relevant information they need to excel in their jobs and attract top talent to the company.

Public Affairs: Working in partnership with the Head of Legal and Compliance and any relevant in-house or external government relations activity, you will help develop supportive communications strategies that influence lawmakers and regulators within state and federal governments around public policy issues that could positively or negatively impact Caribou’s business model. 

This role can be based out of our Caribou office in Denver, CO. Alternatively, this role may work remotely from a state where Caribou operates, with a preference for the Boston, MA, Chicago, IL, Denver, CO or San Francisco, CA markets.*

This role will require attendance at occasional in-person team meetings at one of our offices, in-person meetings with key journalists, and attendance of and support of key industry events..

About You:

You, like us, are driven to achieve your goals. At Caribou, we have just three core values: Give a damn. Velocity. Make the assist. We’re motivated. We race towards our goals. And we help each other along the way. 

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 12+ years of brand strategy and brand building experience, preferably in a high growth start-up in the fintech or financial services industry. 
• Experience managing PR, social media, and content strategy, with a passion for creating impactful brand narratives. 
• Gifted storyteller and creative thinker with a strong sense of design, aesthetics, and narrative structure.
• Proven leadership skills, with experience managing and developing high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with an ability to articulate and advocate for the brand vision.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-paced environment.

How we will take care of you:

Everyone at Caribou is a valued team member. Our compensation and benefits package includes: 

• Competitive compensation: $172k - $215k
• Eligible for annual performance-based incentive
• Equity options
• 401k savings program
• Generous paid time off including: Flexible Time Off (FTO) for all employees and 100% paid parental leave for all parents.
• Robust wellness benefits including company-paid plans for health, dental, vision, mental health, disability and basic life insurance.
• Optional benefits to suit your individual circumstances such as HSAs, FSAs, supplemental life and medical insurance, and pet insurance.
• Up to $1,000 per year for eligible professional development expenses.