Marketing Manager (Public Sector)

Root; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Flexible hours

Open, informal culture

Job summary

Aikido is seeking a Marketing Manager for the Public Sector to own ASD marketing, shaping messaging for government and defense buyers and driving cross-functional campaigns. You’ll own programs from strategy to execution, partnering with content, events, and demand-gen teams to ensure government-focused success.

You will drive messaging, campaigns, and digital presence for ASD while collaborating across teams in a fast-paced startup setting, with flexible hours and equity incentives.

Qualifications

• 3–7 years of experience marketing to government, defense, or public sector audiences.
• Broad, cross-functional marketing background across channels: content, events, digital, web, campaigns.
• Strong understanding of government/defense messaging and buyer nuance.
• Ability to shape messaging and push back when generic approaches won’t work.
• Organized, proactive, and comfortable in a fast-paced startup environment.

Responsibilities

• Own the marketing strategy and execution for ASD (Aikido Strategics and Defense) leveraging the broader marketing engine.
• Partner with content, web, PR, events, and demand gen to launch ASD programs.
• Develop messaging and positioning for federal/government buyers as the internal voice of the government/defense customer.
• Support field marketing at industry events, private dinners, and VIP programs.
• Drive government-focused content, campaigns, and digital presence.
• Ensure ASD priorities are represented in broader company marketing plans.

Skills

Govt Marketing

Cross-functional collaboration

Federal buyer messaging

Independent worker

Startup environment

Job description

We’re making security suck less for developers.

Security tools haven’t kept up with how software is built today. They interrupt teams, slow releases, and turn security into a bottleneck instead of a capability. We built Aikido to change that. Aikido builds developer-first security products that reduce real risk without getting in the way of shipping software. We focus on what actually matters and automate the rest.

We’re taking on legacy security tools teams have been stuck with, and we’re winning. If you want to help us take market share and build products developers actually enjoy using, you’re in the right place.

Founded in 2022 by third-time founders, Aikido has $85M in the bank, a long runway ahead, and unicorn status. We’re building toward self-securing software. Join an all-star team. Take real ownership. Push boundaries. Build things that matter.

As our Marketing Manager (Public Sector), you’ll own and drive marketing for Aikido Strategics and Defense (ASD), shaping how we show up to government and defense buyers, building messaging that speaks their language, and making sure the right programs actually get off the ground. You’ll have full ownership to drive messaging, campaigns, events, and cross-functional execution for this fast-growing vertical.

Responsibilities

• Own the marketing strategy and execution for ASD, leveraging Aikido’s broader marketing engine to support a distinct government and defense vertical
• Partner closely with content, web, PR, events, and demand gen teams to get ASD programs launched
• Develop messaging and positioning that resonates with federal/government buyers, acting as the internal voice of the government/defense customer
• Support field marketing efforts around industry events, private dinners, and VIP programs
• Drive government-focused content, campaigns, and digital presence
• Ensure ASD priorities are represented in broader company marketing plans

• 3-7 years of experience marketing to government, defense, or public sector audiences
• Broad, cross-functional marketing background and ability to work across a variety of channels including content, events, digital, web, and campaign execution
• Strong understanding of government/defense messaging and buyer nuance
• Confidence to shape messaging and push back when generic commercial approaches won’t work
• Ability to operate independently and move work forward across teams
• Organized, proactive, and comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment
• Bonus points if you have experience in developer tooling, DevOps, or cybersecurity

What you can expect

• Short decision lines. Big ownership. Shape the projects that matter and ship fast.
• Grow as fast as we do. Take on more, own more, and carve out your own path.
• Top-tier tech pay and equity.
• High trust, strong values, zero corporate BS.
• Flexibility in working hours.
• A company that sticks to its values in an open and informal atmosphere.

We hire for talent, drive, and potential. Everything else is noise.