📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Senior Director, Customer Marketing
🔹 Company: F5
🔹 Location: San Jose, California, United States
🔹 Job Type: Full-Time, Hybrid
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: May 5, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site/Hybrid
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Leading the global Customer Marketing team to engage customers across the lifecycle
- Developing and executing global event strategies, including F5’s flagship customer event (AppWorld)
- Driving growth of Advocacy and Retention efforts, such as customer testimonials, executive engagement programs, and customer advisory boards
- Collaborating cross-functionally with field marketing, product and corporate marketing, sales, and customer success teams
- Building strong relationships with executive customers to develop long-standing, mutually beneficial relationships
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic mindset balanced with tactical execution, as well as strong leadership and communication skills to unite internal partners and drive business outcomes.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Lead the global Customer Marketing team, defining success metrics, programs, and strategies to engage customers globally with consistent but locally relevant experiences
✅ Shape and lead the global experiential marketing strategy, including F5’s flagship customer event (AppWorld), regional hosted events, sponsored events, customer forums, and other high-impact customer experiences
✅ Coach, energize, and empower your team, fostering a culture of growth and high performance through empathy, active listening, and powerful questioning
✅ Drive strategic decision-making for where and how F5 shows up, ensuring efforts align with brand objectives and business outcomes such as demand generation and customer loyalty
✅ Develop and nurture strong working relationships with executive customers, demonstrating what it takes to develop long-standing, mutually beneficial relationships with key customers
✅ Align with Customer Success leadership to execute customer-centric strategies that increase net retention, net promoter scores, and customer lifetime value
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a high degree of cross-functional collaboration and requires strong influencing skills to drive results across multiple teams and stakeholders.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field
Experience: 15+ years of experience in Marketing, with at least 5 years in a Customer Marketing role and 5 years of management experience
Required Skills:
- Proven ability to lead a customer marketing team, balancing strategy with tactical execution
- Extensive experience in global experiential marketing, including developing and executing large-scale sponsored and hosted events
- Strong leadership skills and executive presence, with a proven ability to act as a role model across functions and engage with senior executives
- Strong communication, writing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to distill complex information into clear, concise messaging
- Data-driven and results-oriented approach to dramatically grow business results
- Strong project management and organizational skills, with the ability to create, execute, and adjust plans as needed
- Innovative mindset, enjoying generating new ideas to push the bounds of marketing
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in Enterprise application security and SaaS or related industries
ASSUMPTION: Candidates with experience in the tech industry and a strong understanding of enterprise application security and SaaS will be well-suited for this role.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $253,339.00 - $380,009.00 per year
Benefits:
Working Hours: Full-time, hybrid work arrangement with an average of 40 hours per week
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is as of the time of the job posting and is subject to change. The benefits package is comprehensive and includes various health, financial, and work-life balance offerings.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: F5 operates in the IT Services and IT Consulting industry, focusing on application delivery, security, and cloud computing
Company Size: F5 is a mid-sized company with 5,001-10,000 employees, providing ample opportunities for career growth and collaboration
Founded: F5 was founded in 1996 and has since grown into a global leader in application delivery and security
Company Description:
- F5, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV) is the global leader that delivers and secures every app
- Backed by three decades of expertise, F5 has built the industry’s premier platform—F5 Application Delivery and Security Platform (ADSP)—to deliver and secure every app, every API, anywhere
- F5 is committed to innovating and partnering with the world’s largest and most advanced organizations to deliver fast, available, and secure digital experiences
Company Specialties:
- Application Delivery
- Web Acceleration
- Security
- Load-balancing
- WAN Optimization
- High Availability
- SSL VPN
- Network Traffic Management
- Network Hardware
- Cybersecurity
- DDoS Protection
- Cloud Computing
- Application Availability
- WAF
- Application Security
- Identity & Access Management
Company Website: http://www.f5.com
ASSUMPTION: F5’s extensive experience and expertise in application delivery and security make it an attractive employer for professionals seeking to grow their careers in the tech industry.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior Director roles typically report directly to the SVP or VP level and have significant influence over strategic decision-making and team leadership
Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the SVP, Worldwide Marketing, and is responsible for leading the global Customer Marketing team
Work Arrangement: This is a hybrid role, with an average of 30 days working on-site per year
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to advance to a VP or C-level role within the marketing organization
- Chance to expand the Customer Marketing team and take on more strategic responsibilities
- Opportunity to gain experience working with a global team and driving international marketing initiatives
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with opportunities to expand their leadership and strategic skills within the marketing organization.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: F5 has multiple offices worldwide, with this role based at the San Jose, California office
Office Location(s): 90 Rio Robles, San Jose, CA 95134, US
Geographic Context:
- San Jose is located in the heart of Silicon Valley, providing ample opportunities for networking and professional growth
- The area offers a diverse range of cultural attractions, outdoor activities, and culinary experiences
- San Jose has a Mediterranean climate, with mild winters and warm, dry summers
Work Schedule: Full-time, with a flexible work arrangement that allows for remote work as needed
ASSUMPTION: The San Jose office provides a dynamic and collaborative work environment, with ample opportunities for professional growth and development within the tech industry.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Phone or video screen with the hiring manager or a member of the HR team
- In-depth behavioral and situational interview with the hiring manager and potential team members
- Final interview with the SVP, Worldwide Marketing
Key Assessment Areas:
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
- Leadership and team management abilities
- Communication and presentation skills
- Customer-centric mindset and ability to build strong relationships
- Experience with global event planning and execution
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in global experiential marketing and customer marketing
- Prepare examples of successful customer engagement strategies and event planning initiatives you’ve led in the past
- Be ready to discuss your approach to building strong relationships with executive customers and driving customer advocacy
ATS Keywords: Customer Marketing, Experiential Marketing, Event Strategy, Global Marketing, Customer Engagement, Customer Advocacy, Team Leadership, Strategic Thinking, Cross-Functional Collaboration
ASSUMPTION: F5’s hiring process is designed to assess candidates’ strategic thinking, leadership, and customer-centric skills, with a focus on finding the best fit for both the candidate and the organization.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Marketo
- Salesforce
- Event management platforms (e.g., Cvent, Bizzabo)
- Customer relationship management (CRM) tools
- Project management software (e.g., Asana, JIRA)
ASSUMPTION: Familiarity with marketing automation tools, CRM platforms, and event management software is essential for success in this role.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Customer Obsessed
- Innovate Always
- One F5
- Act with Integrity
- Win Together
Work Style:
- Collaborative and team-oriented
- Data-driven and results-focused
- Adaptable and responsive to change
- Customer-centric and customer-focused
- Strategic and forward-thinking
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and enjoy working with a diverse, global team?
- Are you comfortable leading cross-functional teams and driving results through influence and collaboration?
- Do you have a proven track record of developing and executing successful customer engagement strategies and global event plans?
ASSUMPTION: F5 values candidates who are customer-obsessed, innovative, collaborative, and results-driven, with a strong commitment to integrity and teamwork.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing a global team with remote and on-site members, requiring strong virtual leadership and communication skills
- Balancing strategic thinking with tactical execution, often under tight deadlines
- Navigating a complex, matrixed organization with multiple stakeholders and competing priorities
- Adapting to a fast-paced, ever-changing tech industry and staying current with emerging trends and best practices
ASSUMPTION: These challenges require a high degree of adaptability, strong communication skills, and a customer-centric mindset to overcome.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Compared to other senior customer marketing roles, this position places a greater emphasis on global event strategy and execution, as well as cross-functional collaboration
- F5’s focus on application delivery and security sets it apart from other tech companies, offering unique opportunities for professionals in these areas
- Career paths in customer marketing can vary, but this role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with opportunities to advance to VP or C-level positions
ASSUMPTION: This role offers a unique blend of global event strategy, cross-functional collaboration, and customer engagement, making it an attractive opportunity for experienced customer marketing professionals.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and executing a global event strategy for F5’s flagship customer event (AppWorld), resulting in increased customer attendance, engagement, and advocacy
- Building and managing a customer advisory board, providing valuable insights and feedback to inform F5’s product roadmap and marketing strategy
- Creating and implementing a customer retention program, leveraging data analytics and customer insights to improve net retention rates and customer lifetime value
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the strategic, customer-centric, and data-driven approach required for success in this role.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the top priorities for this role in the first 90 days?
- How does the Customer Marketing team collaborate with other marketing functions, such as field marketing and product marketing?
- What are the most significant challenges facing the Customer Marketing team, and how can this role help address them?
- How does F5 support the professional development and growth of its marketing team members?
- What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for this role, and how will success be measured?
ASSUMPTION: Asking these questions will help you better understand the role’s priorities, challenges, and opportunities for growth, as well as F5’s approach to supporting its marketing team members.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your experience in global experiential marketing and customer marketing, with a focus on strategic thinking, leadership, and customer engagement
- Prepare examples of successful customer engagement strategies and event planning initiatives you’ve led in the past, ready to discuss during your interviews
- Follow up with the hiring manager or HR representative within one week of submitting your application to express your interest and reiterate your qualifications
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
