EVP, Brand & Marketing

The Company

Since 1945, EBONY has celebrated and chronicled Black excellence and leadership worldwide. In January 2021, the iconic brand was relaunched under new ownership as EBONY Media Group, a diversified multi-platform media company. This is an exciting chapter for the beloved brand, and we are looking for talented, enthusiastic candidates to join our close-knit, highly collaborative team. We’re calling all innovators and creators who want to be part of the legacy by helping shape EBONY’s future!

The Role: The EVP of Marketing will plays a critical role in shaping the company's overall marketing strategy by developing and executing effective brand and consumer plans that drive audience growth, increase market share, and build brand loyalty.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Marketing Leadership:

• Craft a comprehensive, forward-looking marketing strategy that aligns with the company’s overall business objectives, focusing on both short-term wins and long-term brand equity.
• Drive the integration of digital and experiential marketing strategies, ensuring a cohesive approach that maximizes impact across all channels and allows for internal sales team to monetize in the marketplace.
• Collaborate with the executive team to align marketing strategies with overall business goals, ensuring seamless execution and alignment across departments.
  
  

Brand Positioning And Storytelling

• Lead the refinement of the company’s brand positioning, ensuring it resonates with target audiences and stands out in a crowded marketplace.
• Oversee the creation of compelling brand narratives and messaging that reflect the company’s values, vision, and competitive edge.
• Ensure consistent brand voice and messaging across all platforms, including digital, social media, experiential events, and audience touchpoints. Develop internal processes that allow for consistent creative to set forth the brand position in the marketplace.
  
  

Digital Marketing Excellence

• Implement data-driven strategies to track and measure the performance of digital marketing efforts, using analytics to continuously improve and refine campaigns.
• Lead efforts to innovate and experiment with new digital marketing trends, tools, and technologies to keep the company at the forefront of the industry.
  
  

Experiential Marketing And Events

• Design and implement experiential marketing strategies that create unforgettable brand experiences, driving deeper audience engagement and brand loyalty.
• Collaborate on the development of large-scale events, pop-ups, activations, and other audience touchpoints that align with brand objectives and resonate with target audiences.
• Manage relationships with event production partners, ensuring seamless execution and high-impact results.
  
  

Strategic Partnerships And Influencer Collaborations

• Identify and cultivate relationships with key influencers, both celebrity and non-celebrity talent, which align with the brand’s image and objectives.
• Forge strategic partnerships with key organizations, media outlets, and industry leaders to expand the company’s reach and impact in the marketplace.
• Negotiate and manage partnership agreements, ensuring mutually beneficial outcomes that drive brand awareness and revenue growth.
• Collaborate with external PR agencies to manage and enhance the company's public image, ensuring consistent messaging and alignment with brand values.
  
  

Market And Audience Insights

• Conduct thorough market research and competitive analysis to stay informed of industry trends, emerging opportunities, and potential threats.
• Utilize audience insights and consumer data to inform marketing strategies, ensuring they resonate with the company’s core demographics.
• Stay ahead of cultural and technological shifts that could impact the company’s marketing efforts, adjusting strategies as needed to stay relevant.
  
  

Leadership And Team Development

• Lead, mentor, and inspire a diverse marketing team, fostering a culture of creativity, innovation, and high performance.
• Build a collaborative and inclusive team environment where all members feel empowered to contribute and grow.
• Provide ongoing professional development opportunities for the marketing team, ensuring they stay current with industry trends and best practices.
  
  

Financial Oversight And ROI Analysis

• Manage the marketing budget with precision, ensuring resources are allocated effectively to achieve maximum ROI.
• Conduct rigorous analysis of marketing spend versus outcomes, making data-driven decisions to optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of campaigns.
• Report regularly to the CEO and executive team on the financial performance of marketing initiatives, including detailed ROI assessments and recommendations for future investment.
  
  

Qualifications

• Educational Background: Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field is required; an MBA or equivalent advanced degree is highly preferred.
• Experience: A minimum of 10-15 years of progressive marketing experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership role within digital media, experiential marketing, or a related industry.
• Digital Expertise: Demonstrated a strong understanding in digital marketing, including SEO, SEM, influencer marketing, and analytics. Proven ability to drive traffic, engagement, and conversion through innovative digital campaigns.
• Brand Strategy: Strong experience in brand development and storytelling, with a track record of building and sustaining powerful brand identities in competitive markets.
• Experiential Marketing: Deep understanding of experiential marketing strategies and a history of executing successful events and activations that drive brand loyalty and customer engagement.
• Partnerships and Influence: Proven ability to build and maintain strategic partnerships and influencer relationships that enhance brand presence and drive business growth.
• Leadership Skills: Exceptional leadership and team-building skills, with the ability to inspire and guide a high-performing marketing team.
• Financial Acumen: Strong financial management skills, with experience overseeing marketing budgets and delivering measurable ROI on marketing investments.
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present and influence at the executive level.
• Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment, with a proactive and flexible approach to meeting the evolving needs of the business.