AVP, Small Business Marketing Strategy & Planning

We’re determined to make a difference and are proud to be an insurance company that goes well beyond coverages and policies. Working here means having every opportunity to achieve your goals – and to help others accomplish theirs, too. Join our team as we help shape the future.   

The Harford is seeking an AVP, Small Business Marketing Strategy and Planning to serve as the senior leader responsible for shaping the Small Business brand, marketing and communications agenda, a strategic, collaborative leader who can balance innovation with operational excellence. The AVP will set marketing and communication priorities and ensure seamless execution of integrated strategies and plans that drive sales, fuel customer retention and loyalty, and build brand equity. You will translate business and marketing objectives into clear strategies and activation plans, driving alignment across Small Business, Enterprise Marketing, and Operations. The AVP will foster agility and cross-functional collaboration, bringing fresh ideas and proven results to reach more small business owners. This role is based in our Hartford, CT Home Office. Candidates based in other locations may also be considered.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Planning

• Partner with the Chief Marketing Officer to define a Small Business brand and marketing strategy that connects with small business owners, drives brand consideration, and grows the business while improving brand reputation and visibility.

• Uncover and translate marketing data, insights, and performance metrics that inform an actionable messaging strategy for Small Business, including ongoing messaging matrix and content calendars.

• Monitor emerging people, platforms, business and cultural trends to identify opportunities to connect with small business owners and energize our small business brand in an evolving AI-driven world.

• Lead creation and implementation, in collaboration with internal and external teams, of our annual marketing and media campaigns for Small Business based on small business owner insights that align with business objectives.

• Develop and implement a comprehensive Small Business marketing roadmap that integrates brand, acquisition, partner, customer experience and communication initiatives.

• Plan communications and create briefs for internal and external creative resources that define insight-based, initiative strategies for Small Business agency channel, direct channel, and experience initiatives.

• Lead annual and quarterly marketing strategy planning and communication processes, ensuring alignment with business goals and sales priorities.
   

Integration

• Partner with Small Business Demand Generation team, Enterprise Marketing teams and external agencies to collaborate, implement and optimize marketing plan.

• Drive integration across marketing functions by implementing best practices and ensuring consistency in execution across channels and teams.

• Improve and support digital experiences that connect to our marketing plan initiatives for prospects and customers through design thinking, experience development, communication and training initiatives.

• Establish and oversee a marketing governance process to ensure resources are focused on the highest-impact opportunities, and the roadmap is implemented effectively.

• Manage key leadership forums to facilitate alignment and decision-making with our marketing strategy and plan while sharing progress against our plan.

Analytics & Optimization

• Track key performance indicators for marketing programs, campaigns, and initiatives to measure effectiveness, ROI, and alignment to business objectives.

• Develop campaign feedback loops to optimize initiatives based on performance data and insights.

• Partner with the Small Business Media, Reporting, and Analytics leader to identify and evolve KPIs as the business grows.

Leadership & Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of five Marketing Directors and Strategists, fostering a culture of curiosity, creativity, and personal growth.

• Identify gaps in marketing capabilities and propose solutions, such as training, hiring, or technology enhancements.
   

Collaboration and Innovation

• Collaborate with product, sales, transformation, and analytics teams to deliver integrated customer value propositions and successful business outcomes.

• Manage and optimize the total small business marketing budget, ensuring ROI accountability.

• Influence future technology and investment roadmaps to ensure brand growth is aligned with business growth.

• Champion the integration of AI tools and automation into planning and execution workflows, including content generation.
   

Qualifications

• Minimum of 12 years in B2B marketing, with at least 5 years in strategic marketing planning roles in a large corporate setting and/or an agency. Experience in insurance and/or financial services preferred.

• Curious thinker that can identify compelling insights via solid research and analytics and then bring their insights to life through storytelling.

• Proven experience implementing large budgets ($25M+) and leading cross-functional teams; some people leadership experience required.

• Demonstrated success in building strong brands and delivering measurable growth through integrated marketing strategies.

• Deep expertise in digital and performance marketing optimization, marketing automation, and ROI improvement.

• Strong understanding of financial products, customer behavior, and the financial regulatory environment.

• Exceptional strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to translate complex insurance solutions into compelling, customer-relevant value propositions.

• Creative and innovative approach to marketing strategy development.

• Familiarity and strong interest in AI-driven marketing tools and agile methodologies.

• Experienced presenter who can tailor their message to a variety of audiences, including senior leadership.

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience

Compensation

The listed annualized base pay range is primarily based on analysis of similar positions in the external market. Actual base pay could vary and may be above or below the listed range based on factors including but not limited to performance, proficiency and demonstration of competencies required for the role. The base pay is just one component of The Hartford’s total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include short-term or annual bonuses, long-term incentives, and on-the-spot recognition. The annualized base pay range for this role is:

Equal Opportunity Employer/Sex/Race/Color/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity or Expression/Religion/Age