About the Role

Reporting to the Chief Marketing Officer, the Vice President, Consumer Marketing oversees all functions relating to the growth and engagement of our consumer audience and the Cars.com brand. From how Cars.com connects with culture to how we can improve the consumer experience of buying and selling a car via our product, this position has a significant impact on one of the most recognized and long-standing brands in digital automotive. Specific responsibilities include brand positioning, strategy, and execution; product marketing; paid media; content partnerships and social media management; lifecycle marketing; SEO; and the application of our audience data to full-funnel consumer marketing strategy and activation.

A member of Marketing Leadership and highly influential leader within the extended executive team, this role interfaces with Product, Audience Strategy, Communications, Analytics, Finance, and B2B Marketing teams to ensure a future-proofed approach to brand-building and traffic leadership that results in value delivery for both sides of our marketplace. In addition to cross-functional leadership, this person will develop and manage relationships with agencies, the media marketplace, and strategic partners. This executive is also expected to represent Cars.com and Cars Commerce externally at industry events.

Responsibilities include

• Own the Cars.com brand, including our “big idea” and the promises we make, to our values, voice and personality. In our highly competitive environment, your primary focus is to create distinction and preference that drives traffic and qualified leads in the short-term and builds meaningful preference in the long-term.
• In close partnership with the Product team, ensure that there is a constant feedback loop between consumer satisfaction, brand differentiation measures, consumer behavior, competitive features/benefits/positioning, and product communication to consumers. 
• Partner with research, analytics, audience strategy, and data science to ensure a constant connection between our business KPIs, behavioral data, and our marketing strategy that positions us for sustainable traffic leadership.
• Oversee connected, audience-led, and full-funnel strategies covering all paid media channels, SEO, social, lifecycle, and content marketing that create consumer engagement and brand differentiation throughout the car shopping experience and beyond.
• Fiduciary responsibility for the consumer marketing budget.
• Oversee the selection, negotiation, and management of creative, media, lifecycle, and search agency relationships.
• Continually monitor the media and technology landscape for new ways to break through with consumers in meaningful and differentiated ways.
• Oversee a team of approximately 20 marketing professionals, including hiring, retention, employee engagement, DEI tracking, and raise/promotion cycles.
• Ensure connectivity between B2C and B2B efforts to drive both sides of the marketplace simultaneously whenever possible.
• Build industry expertise and provide strategic thought leadership both internally and in external press/speaking engagements/industry groups. 

Preferred skills & experience

• MBA or Masters in Marketing preferred.
• 15 years of consumer marketing experience for a national brand, spanning all facets of integrated marketing communications.
• 10 years of experience in digital media planning and buying.
• 10 years of experience managing budgets of $100MM .
• 7 years people management experience.
• 7 years managing agency, partnership, and internal relationships.
• Strong sense of accountability and urgency to deliver goals and budgets.
• Experience working in a B2C2B, digital marketplace, or digital media/technology business; agency experience a plus.
• Strong track record of innovation and breathing new life into established brands.
• Highly analytical with the ability to direct quantitative and qualitative research and data analysis/modeling; strong understanding of modern marketing measurement approaches.
• Collaborative and approachable style.
• Excellent, executive-ready communication and presentation skills, both verbally and in writing.

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