Senior Content and Brand Strategy Manager

📌 Core Information

🔹 Job Title: Senior Content and Brand Strategy Manager

🔹 Company: Guidant Financial

🔹 Location: Remote (Available in select US states)

🔹 Job Type: Full-Time

🔹 Category: Marketing & Branding

🔹 Date Posted: April 11, 2025

🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years

🔹 Remote Status: Fully Remote

🚀 Job Overview

Key aspects of this role include:

• Developing and leading an AI-driven content strategy that aligns with the brand's overall strategy and thought leadership.
• Adapting various content formats to fit different channels and optimize engagement.
• Serving as a creative gatekeeper, ensuring all content maintains a cohesive narrative and reflects brand evolution.
• Collaborating with designers and social media managers to ensure all visuals reinforce brand messaging and appeal to target audiences.
• Leveraging data-driven insights to refine content strategies, monitor performance metrics, and improve lead generation.

ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic thinker with a strong creative background who can balance data-driven insights with innovative storytelling to drive brand growth.

📋 Key Responsibilities

✅ Develop and own an AI-driven content strategy that aligns with the brand's overall strategy and thought leadership.

✅ Tailor written materials, videos, infographics, and podcasts to resonate with each channel's audience, maximizing engagement.

✅ Create captivating social media posts, visuals, and advertising creatives that align with our brand guidelines.

✅ Establish a strategic editorial calendar and oversee the entire content pipeline from concept to publication.

✅ Act as the creative guardian, ensuring that all content tells a coherent story that mirrors our brand's evolution.

✅ Oversee external creative partners by assigning tasks, evaluating deliverables, and incorporating AI tools when applicable.

✅ Infuse insights from brand studies and other research into our content, positioning Guidant as a leader in the industry.

✅ Streamline content processes to ensure consistently high-quality thought leadership and successful brand rollouts.

✅ Promote innovative social media storytelling across all Guidant platforms.

✅ Plan and implement content strategies for product launches and events, aligning with our brand's evolution milestones.

✅ Publish and manage articles, ensuring they adhere to both brand and SEO standards.

✅ Develop concepts and oversee the production of video content that effectively communicates key brand messages.

✅ Track performance metrics (traffic, downloads, conversions) to fine-tune strategies and enhance lead generation.

✅ Utilize data-driven insights from analytics and brand studies to refine content strategies and boost business impact.

ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high level of autonomy and initiative, as well as strong collaboration skills to work effectively with various teams and external partners.

🎯 Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, or a related field.

Experience: At least 5 years of experience in content placement, video editing, and branding.

Required Skills:

• Exceptional writing skills with samples of work.
• Familiarity with content management systems like WordPress or similar, search engine optimization (SEO), and website structure.
• Experience with WordPress for posting articles is preferred.
• Background in video strategy, scripting, and editing would be beneficial.
• Solid understanding of branding and the dynamics of social media.
• Thrives in an independent setting where you can take initiative and work autonomously.
• Committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where every employee feels valued, encouraged to ask questions, and empowered to share their voice.

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with Adobe Creative Cloud or similar design platforms.
• Fluency in additional languages (Spanish, French, etc.) for reaching a broader audience.

ASSUMPTION: While a Bachelor's degree is required, relevant experience and a strong portfolio may be considered in lieu of a degree for the right candidate.

💰 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $80,000 - $95,000 annually

Benefits:

• Comprehensive Health Coverage (with free premium option)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Generous 401k Match
• Paid Time Off (3 weeks)
• Paid Holidays (11 days)

Working Hours: Full-time, typically 40 hours per week, with flexible hours and the ability to work remotely.

ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for similar roles and experience levels. The actual salary may vary based on the candidate's qualifications and the company's internal equity.

📌 Applicant Insights

🔍 Company Context

Industry: Financial Services, specifically focused on small business financing and entrepreneurship.

Company Size: 51-200 employees, which offers a balance between a startup-like environment and the resources of a larger organization.

Founded: 2003, with a history of helping entrepreneurs secure funding to start, buy, or grow their businesses.

Company Description:

• Guidant Financial is an industry leader in innovative business and franchise funding, offering a full suite of funding options including 401(k) business financing, SBA small business loans, and unsecured business loans.
• The company works with new and existing business owners to educate them on their funding options and create customized solutions.
• Guidant is committed to empowering entrepreneurs and helping them succeed, with a mission to increase the number of people who succeed in small business.

Company Specialties:

• Retirement fund financing
• Unsecured loans
• Small business financing
• Franchise financing
• SBA loans
• Accounting and Tax
• Payroll
• and Business Services

Company Website: http://www.guidantfinancial.com

ASSUMPTION: Guidant Financial is a well-established company with a strong reputation in the small business financing industry, offering a stable and growing work environment.

📊 Role Analysis

Career Level: Senior-level role, reporting directly to the Vice President of Marketing.

Reporting Structure: This role will oversee external creative partners and collaborate with internal teams, including designers and social media managers.

Work Arrangement: Fully remote, with availability in select US states (AZ, FL, GA, ID, KS, LA, MI, MN, NC, NE, TX, UT, VA, MO).

Growth Opportunities:

• Potential career progression into a leadership role within the marketing department.
• Opportunities to expand the content team and mentor junior team members.
• Chance to make a significant impact on the company's brand and thought leadership.

ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with opportunities to shape the company's brand strategy and make a lasting impact on its success.

🌍 Location & Work Environment

Office Type: Fully remote, with no physical office location required.

Office Location(s): N/A

Geographic Context:

• The role is available in select US states, allowing for a diverse candidate pool and the opportunity to work with a geographically distributed team.
• The company is headquartered in Boise, Idaho, with a strong presence in the western United States.
• The remote work arrangement offers flexibility and the ability to work from the comfort of one's home office.

Work Schedule: Full-time, with flexible hours and the ability to work autonomously.

ASSUMPTION: The fully remote work arrangement allows for a better work-life balance and the ability to attract top talent from across the country.

💼 Interview & Application Insights

Typical Process:

• Phone or video screen with the HR department to discuss the role and assess cultural fit.
• Subsequent interviews with the hiring manager and other team members to evaluate skills and experience.
• Final interview with the Vice President of Marketing to discuss the role's fit within the company's overall strategy.

Key Assessment Areas:

• Candidates' understanding of the role and its responsibilities.
• Portfolio and writing samples that demonstrate strong content creation and branding skills.
• Ability to think strategically and align content strategy with overall business goals.
• Cultural fit and alignment with the company's values and mission.

Application Tips:

• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role.
• Include a portfolio or examples of your work that demonstrate your content creation and branding abilities.
• Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your problem-solving skills, creativity, and adaptability.
• Research the company and its mission to demonstrate your enthusiasm and understanding of the role.

ATS Keywords: AI-driven content strategy, brand strategy, content management, SEO, video editing, social media, analytics, collaboration, independent work, marketing innovation, thought leadership.

ASSUMPTION: Guidant Financial uses an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to manage and organize job applications, so including relevant keywords in your resume can help your application stand out.

🛠️ Tools & Technologies

• Content Management Systems: WordPress, similar platforms
• Design Tools: Adobe Creative Cloud, similar platforms
• Video Editing Software: Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, similar software
• SEO Tools: Google Analytics, SEMrush, Ahrefs, similar tools
• Project Management Tools: Asana, Trello, similar tools

ASSUMPTION: Familiarity with these tools and technologies is not required but would be beneficial for success in this role.

👔 Cultural Fit Considerations

Company Values:

• Adaptability: Change isn’t scary. You embrace opportunities to adapt and bring others along.
• Connection: Connection is important. You lift others up because when they grow you grow.
• Excellence: You thrive outside of your comfort zone. You jump at the chance to make things better and have insatiable curiosity.

Work Style:

• Independent: This role requires a high degree of autonomy and self-motivation.
• Collaborative: Strong communication and teamwork skills are essential for working with various teams and external partners.
• Data-driven: A focus on leveraging data-driven insights to inform content strategy and improve business impact.

Self-Assessment Questions:

• How do you stay up-to-date with the latest developments in AI, social media, and fintech, and how do you apply this knowledge to improve content strategies?
• Can you provide an example of a time when you had to adapt your content strategy to align with a significant change in your company's brand or overall strategy?
• How do you ensure that your content maintains a cohesive narrative and reflects your company's brand evolution while also appealing to diverse target audiences?

ASSUMPTION: Guidant Financial values candidates who align with their company values and work style, and who can demonstrate a strong cultural fit with the organization.

⚠️ Potential Challenges

• Managing external creative partners and ensuring deliverables align with brand guidelines and AI-driven content strategy.
• Keeping pace with the latest technologies and trends in AI, social media, and fintech, and continuously refining content strategies based on insights from brand studies and thought leadership campaigns.
• Balancing the need for high-quality, thought leadership content with the demands of a fast-paced, growing organization.
• Working remotely and maintaining strong communication and collaboration with a geographically distributed team.

ASSUMPTION: These challenges can be overcome with strong project management skills, effective communication, and a commitment to continuous learning and improvement.

📈 Similar Roles Comparison

• Compared to other senior content strategy roles, this position places a greater emphasis on AI-driven content and thought leadership, requiring a strong background in both data-driven insights and innovative storytelling.
• In the financial services industry, this role is unique in its focus on small business financing and entrepreneurship, offering a unique opportunity to make a significant impact on a growing market.
• Career progression in this role may differ from similar roles in larger organizations, with opportunities for greater autonomy and growth potential in a mid-sized company like Guidant Financial.

ASSUMPTION: This role offers a unique blend of strategic thinking, creative storytelling, and data-driven insights, making it an attractive opportunity for the right candidate.

📝 Sample Projects

• Developing and implementing an AI-driven content strategy for a major brand re-launch, resulting in a 30% increase in engagement and a 20% increase in lead generation.
• Creating a comprehensive thought leadership campaign focused on the benefits of 401(k) business financing, positioning the company as an industry expert and driving a 15% increase in relevant web traffic.
• Managing a team of external creative partners to produce a series of high-quality video testimonials from satisfied small business owners, resulting in a 25% increase in conversions from the company's website.

ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the candidate's ability to develop and execute strategic content campaigns that drive business impact and align with the company's brand and overall goals.

❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview

• Can you describe the company's long-term vision for its brand and thought leadership, and how this role fits into that strategy?
• How does the company support the professional development and growth of its marketing team members?
• Can you provide an example of a time when the company's brand evolved, and how the marketing team adapted its content strategy to reflect that change?
• What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) used to measure the success of the content strategy, and how are they tracked and reported?
• How does the company foster a culture of inclusivity and diversity, and what initiatives are in place to support these values?

ASSUMPTION: Asking these questions can help the candidate better understand the role's expectations, the company's culture, and the opportunities for growth and development.

📌 Next Steps for Applicants

To apply for this position:

• Submit your application through this link
• Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role.
• Prepare a portfolio or examples of your work that demonstrate your content creation and branding abilities.
• Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your problem-solving skills, creativity, and adaptability.
• Research the company and its mission to demonstrate your enthusiasm and understanding of the role.
• Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to express your continued interest in the position.

⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.