Head of Digital Marketing

Firstup; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 200,000 - 220,000; Full time

Job summary

Firstup seeks a Head of Digital Marketing in Chicago to lead global growth, owning digital demand, the website, paid channels, content strategy, and lifecycle marketing while partnering with Sales, Product, CS, and Marketing Operations.

This player-coach will build a high-performing team, drive data-driven investment and optimization, and ensure pipeline, bookings, platform adoption, and retention across markets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years in Digital Marketing; 4+ years in leadership within a B2B SaaS organization.
• Deep expertise with modern marketing tech platforms including Clay, Demandbase, Marketo, and Qualified.
• Proven success driving digital marketing programs, ideally with enterprise GTM models.
• A "player-coach" who enjoys both strategy and hands-on execution.
• Experienced in delivering high-performing digital demand generation in growth-focused companies.
• Comfortable prioritizing ruthlessly for impact and effectiveness.
• Bookings-focused with strong fluency in analytics, attribution, and marketing-sales partnership.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, multi-project environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead digital demand generation strategy aligned with bookings growth and platform adoption.
• Own global paid channel strategy across Paid Search, Paid Social, Programmatic, Affiliate and other channels.
• Develop top-of-funnel ABM programs and establish criteria for advancing accounts.
• Partner with Sales, Product, and CS to drive pipeline, product engagement, and retention.
• Own the company website as a growth asset and optimize conversion.
• Lead content strategy to support the full buyer journey and improve conversions.
• Establish a rigorous operating cadence around goals, investments, and insights.
• Attract and retain high-performing talent and coach the team.
• Collaborate with Digital CS for integrated campaigns that reinforce value.

Skills

Digital marketing leadership

ABM strategy

Marketing analytics

Go-to-market strategy

Team leadership

Marketing operations alignment

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or Marketing

Tools

Clay

Demandbase

Marketo

Qualified

Job description

The Head of Digital Marketing will lead Firstup's global digital growth strategy, driving measurable pipeline, bookings, platform adoption, and customer retention. This leader will own digital demand generation, the company website, paid channels, content strategy, and lifecycle marketing while partnering closely with Sales, Product, Customer Success, and Marketing Operations. As a strategic and hands-on player-coach, they will build a high-performing team and establish a disciplined, data-driven approach to investment, execution, and optimization.

Responsibilities

• Build and execute a clear, measurable digital demand generation strategy aligned with company priorities and objectives, including bookings growth and platform adoption, and product launch success.
• Build and execute a compelling AEO and SEO strategy to amplify our point of view in the market and drive inbound demand
• Own global paid channel strategy across Paid Search, Paid Social, Programmatic, Affiliate, and other channels for enterprise audiences, including planning, forecasting, budget pacing, audience design, and performance management.
• Build and execute top-of-funnel account engagement programs (content, paid, nurture) that surface intent and engagement signals across target accounts, and establish clear criteria/thresholds for advancing accounts into the ABM program.
• Partner with the ABM lead to define account scoring and handoff criteria, ensuring a consistent flow of engaged, qualified accounts move from digital marketing into 1:1/1:few ABM plays.
• Partner closely with Sales, Product, and Customer Success to ensure marketing drives pipeline, product engagement, and retention via digital channels.
• Own the company website as a strategic growth asset, improving positioning, buyer journeys, conversion, and experimentation.
• Lead demand generation programs that support both new business acquisition and expansion opportunities.
• Build a content strategy that supports the full buyer journey, strengthens Firstup's market position, and improves conversion at every stage.
• Establish a rigorous operating cadence around goals, investment decisions, performance insights, and optimization.
• Lead the team to
  • Develop lean and effective campaigns, partner marketing programs, and lifecycle marketing programs.
  • Optimize lead management, nurture flows, scoring, and tight alignment with Marketing Operations
  • Build and execute programs targeting top targets and advance them to ABM targets
  • Drive scalable, targeted customer digital marketing programs that support upsell and renewal through lifecycle campaigns and tailored content.
  • Collaborate closely with Digital CS to deliver integrated, data-informed campaigns that reinforce value, accelerate adoption, and improve retention.
• Attract and retain high-performing talent
• Coach team members and lead with agility

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or similar field of study, or commensurate professional experience
• 10+ years of experience in Digital Marketing, including at least 4+ years if leadership experience within a B2B SaaS organizations
• Deep expertise with modern marketing technology platforms, including Clay, Demandbase, Marketo, and Qualified
• Proven success driving digital marketing programs, ideally with enterprise GTM models.
• A "player-coach" who enjoys being in the trenches and can develop strategy and execute without layers of support.
• Resourceful operator who has run high-performing digital demand generation programs in a company focused on profitable growth
• Comfortable with driving trade-off decisions and prioritizing ruthlessly for impact and effectiveness
• Bookings obsessed with deep expertise in digital marketing and ABM, with strong fluency in marketing analytics, attribution, and marketing-sales partnership
• Must be able to thrive in a fast-paced environment and juggle multiple projects

Competencies

• Mission-driven. Deep belief in Firstup's purpose; sees employee experience as a meaningful category to shape
• Able to establish influence and operate as a collaborative partner with peers across Sales and Customer Orgs
• Results-oriented, relentlessly focused on pipeline, adoption, and ROI
• Experience supporting distributed workforces and go-to-market models across North America and Europe

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Firstup expects the base salary for this role to be between $200,000-220,000. The starting rate of pay may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, position offered, location, education, training, and/or experience.