Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

Chief Marketing Officer

Steak n Shake is one of America's most recognizable restaurant brands and is leading the industry in same-store sales—and we're just getting started. We're transforming the business with a relentless focus on operational excellence, digital innovation, premium ingredients, and exceptional value. We serve real food, made fresh to order. Beef tallow fries. Grass-fed Steakburgers. No microwaves. Fresh ingredients. Clear standards. Real execution. Our pace is fast. Our standards are high. Our mission is clear. 

As we accelerate growth through company-owned and franchised restaurants, we're looking for a visionary Chief Marketing Officer to lead the next chapter of our brand evolution. This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of an iconic brand by driving customer growth, strengthening brand relevance, and creating industry-leading marketing strategies that deliver measurable business results.

Position Summary

The Chief Marketing Officer is responsible for the overall marketing strategy and execution for Steak n Shake. This executive leader will oversee brand management, advertising, digital marketing, customer loyalty, menu innovation support, public relations, creative development, media strategy, consumer insights, and local marketing initiatives.

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officerexecutive leadership, the CMO will develop innovative marketing programs that increase guest traffic, strengthen brand loyalty, accelerate franchise growth, and maximize restaurant sales while protecting and enhancing the Steak n Shake brand.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the company's long-term marketing and brand strategy.
• Lead all national and local marketing initiatives across company-owned and franchised restaurants.
• Drive guest acquisition, frequency, retention, and lifetime value through data-driven marketing.
• Oversee digital marketing, CRM, loyalty, social media, email marketing, mobile engagement, and customer personalization.
• Partner with Operations and Culinary teams to successfully launch new menu items and promotional campaigns.
• Build compelling advertising strategies across television, digital, social, influencer, and emerging media platforms.
• Strengthen the Steak n Shake brand while maintaining its heritage and positioning for future growth.
• Utilize consumer insights, analytics, and market research to guide marketing investments and business decisions.
• Manage agency relationships, media buying, creative development, and marketing budgets.
• Develop measurable KPIs and ROI metrics across all marketing initiatives.
• Support franchise development through marketing strategies that drive unit growth and profitability.
• Build and lead a high-performing marketing organization focused on innovation, accountability, and execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or related field; MBA preferred.
• 15 years of progressive marketing leadership experience.
• Executive marketing leadership within the restaurant, retail, hospitality, or consumer brand industry.
• Proven success building nationally recognized consumer brands.
• Strong experience leading digital transformation and customer acquisition strategies.
• Deep knowledge of loyalty programs, CRM, digital advertising, social media, and performance marketing.
• Demonstrated ability to translate consumer insights into revenue-generating campaigns.
• Strong financial acumen with experience managing significant marketing budgets.
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and organizational skills.
• Experience supporting franchise organizations is highly desirable.

What You'll Bring

• Visionary leadership balanced with hands-on execution.
• Strategic thinking supported by data-driven decision making.
• Passion for building brands that customers love.
• A relentless focus on measurable business outcomes.
• Creativity paired with operational discipline.
• The ability to thrive in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment.

Why Steak n Shake?

Steak ‘n Shake is a classic American brand born on Route 66 in 1934. We are the creators of the Steakburger, extraordinary homemade milkshakes, and famous beef tallow fries. We use higher quality ingredients.  We care about our people by proudly being the maximum wage employer. We seek to lead in food quality and service and embrace leading technologies such as Bitcoin. We are proud to be an American company. 

If you are ready to lead with pride, discipline, and purpose, we want to hear from you.

Location: Indianapolis, Indiana
Position: Full-Time | Executive Leadership