Summary

Serves as Marketing’s lead strategist for Sunward’s geographic expansion, branch openings and retail-growth initiatives. Recognized as a subject matter expert in market-entry and retail marketing strategy, translating organizational expansion plans and market research into actionable, cross-functional marketing strategies for new and priority markets.

Partners closely with Retail, Facilities, Product, Analytics, Communications, executive leadership and agency partners to plan, launch and continuously optimize marketing for branch openings and market-growth initiatives, and develops a repeatable playbook to guide future expansion.

Operates with a high degree of autonomy, exercising broad judgment and influencing decisions across departments and senior stakeholders to advance Sunward’s expansion strategy and drive market awareness, membership growth and retail performance.

Essential Functions

• Own and lead the marketing strategy for Sunward’s geographic expansion, branch openings and priority retail markets.
• Serve as Marketing’s primary strategic partner for expansion and retail-growth initiatives, working closely with Retail, Events, Facilities, Product, Analytics, executive leadership and internal Marketing teams.
• Participate in expansion and branch-planning discussions to understand organizational objectives, operational requirements, market conditions, timelines and existing research.
• Translate organizational expansion plans, market intelligence and business objectives into actionable market-entry and retail-growth marketing strategies.
• Partner with the marketing analyst to define research questions, analytical requirements, audience considerations and measurement needs for prospective, new and established markets.
• Guide the development and interpretation of demographic, geographic, traffic, behavioral, competitive and member analyses to support marketing decisions.
• Use market research and analysis to recommend target audiences, localized positioning, priority messages, channel strategies and opportunities for market differentiation.
• Develop the marketing component of market-entry plans, including audience strategy, brand and product positioning, messaging, channel recommendations, campaign timing, budget requirements and measures of success.
• Lead the marketing workstream for branch openings, developing coordinated pre-opening, opening and post-opening marketing plans.
• Coordinate marketing timelines with Facilities, Retail and other operational partners to ensure campaigns align with construction, staffing, soft-opening, grand-opening and market-readiness milestones.
• Determine how Sunward’s enterprise brand and value proposition should be introduced and expressed within priority markets while maintaining overall brand consistency.
• Partner with the Lending and Deposit Product Marketing Managers to determine which approved products, offers, benefits and messages should be emphasized within each market.
• Draft foundational content, positioning statements, market narratives, key messages and creative briefs for branch openings and market-growth initiatives.
• Provide Marketing Operations and agency partners with the strategic direction and source content required to develop market-specific campaigns and assets.
• Write or revise channel-specific marketing content directly when project needs, timing or team capacity require additional support.
• Coordinate with Brand, Digital, Marketing Operations, Communications, Community Engagement, Business Development, Retail and agency partners to develop integrated market launch and growth plans.
• Recommend market-specific channel mixes that may include paid digital media, search, social media, outdoor advertising, direct marketing, public relations, sponsorships, events, partnerships and community engagement.
• Partner with Retail and the retail communications leader to provide campaign context, FAQs and source information that support aligned frontline communications and branch readiness.
• Maintain market-entry and branch-opening marketing roadmaps that identify priorities, dependencies, deliverables, responsible partners and key milestones.
• Partner with the marketing analyst to establish and monitor measures of market awareness, member acquisition, deposit and lending activity, campaign response, branch traffic, engagement and marketing efficiency.
• Prepare and present recurring updates to Marketing, Retail and organizational leadership on expansion activity, market performance, emerging insights, risks and recommended actions.
• Monitor marketing performance during the post-opening growth period and recommend changes to audiences, messaging, channel mix, timing or investment.
• Identify marketing opportunities within established markets and branch communities where Sunward has additional potential for awareness, membership or relationship growth.
• Conduct post-launch reviews with cross-functional stakeholders and document lessons learned from each branch opening or market-entry initiative.
• Develop and continuously improve a repeatable marketing playbook for future branch openings, geographic expansion and retail-market growth.
• Perform other duties as assigned that are consistent with the general scope and responsibilities of the position.

Experience

• Minimum of 6+ years of progressive experience in marketing strategy, brand marketing, retail or market-entry marketing, or a related field, including demonstrated ownership of complex, cross-functional marketing initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience developing and leading marketing strategy for new-market entry, retail expansion, branch openings or similarly complex growth initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience partnering with research and analytics functions to translate demographic, geographic, competitive and member data into audience, positioning and channel strategy.
• Experience in financial services, banking or credit union marketing preferred.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, business administration or a related field OR relevant work experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree.

Knowledge

• Deep knowledge of marketing strategy development, including audience segmentation, positioning, messaging and channel planning.
• Working knowledge of market research methods (demographic, geographic, traffic, behavioral, competitive and member analyses) and how to apply them to marketing decisions.
• Knowledge of retail and branch operations sufficient to align marketing timelines with construction, staffing and market-readiness milestones.
• Knowledge of integrated marketing channels, including paid digital media, search, social media, outdoor advertising, direct marketing, public relations, sponsorships, events and community engagement.
• Working knowledge of Sunward’s products, brand and member value proposition, and how expansion marketing supports the member and community experience.
• Familiarity with marketing performance measurement, including awareness, acquisition, campaign response and marketing-efficiency metrics.

Skills/Abilities

• Applies strategic, enterprise-level thinking to translate ambiguous business objectives into clear, actionable marketing strategy.
• Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills; interprets market research and performance data to guide strategic recommendations.
• Exercises sound, independent judgment and a high degree of autonomy in complex or ambiguous situations; escalates only the most significant risks.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; develops positioning statements, key messages and creative briefs, and presents recommendations credibly to Marketing, Retail and executive leadership.
• Skilled at influencing and aligning cross-functional partners and senior stakeholders without direct authority.
• Strong project and roadmap management skills; manages multiple markets, timelines, dependencies and deliverables simultaneously.
• Collaborative and consultative; partners effectively with Retail, Facilities, Product, Analytics, Communications, agency partners and executive leadership.
• Adaptable in ambiguous or unprecedented situations; builds repeatable processes and playbooks from experience.
• Demonstrates a strong service mindset and understanding of how expansion and retail-growth marketing affects the member and community experience.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

• Prolonged periods of sitting and working at a computer.
• Must be able to operate standard office equipment (computer, keyboard, mouse, phone, video-conferencing tools).
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with internal teams, executive leadership and external agency partners.
• Visual acuity to review market research, data and creative materials on screen.
• Ability to occasionally lift or move materials up to 10–15 pounds (e.g., event or branch-opening materials).
• Some travel required to branch locations and priority markets, including for branch-opening events; ability to travel occasionally, including overnight, as needed.
• Work performed in a professional office or hybrid environment; may require schedule flexibility around branch openings, launches or events.