Senior Brand Manager

This is a consumer fintech startup, and you will be working with serial entrepreneurs who have built strong consumer brands and innovative products. We value extreme ownership, clear communication, a strong sense of craftsmanship, and the desire to create lasting work and work relationships. Yes, you can build an exciting business AND have real-life real-customer impact.

Kikoff is looking for a Senior Brand Manager to help build a clear, distinctive, and trusted brand. Reporting to the Senior Director of Brand & Creative, you’ll translate brand direction and consumer insights into positioning, messaging, and programs that support business growth.

You’ll help connect our growing portfolio of products under a cohesive brand, strengthen how we communicate our value, and drive initiatives that build consumer confidence. You’ll also own day-to-day PR and reputation programs, support executive communications, and manage our organic social manager and contract content creator.

You’re a structured thinker, excellent writer, and hands-on leader with strong messaging and communications judgment. You can critically evaluate opportunities, make thoughtful recommendations about what’s right for the brand, and guide both internal teams and agency partners through execution.

• Partner with the Senior Director of Brand & Creative to develop brand strategy and recommendations grounded in consumer research, competitive insights, and business priorities.
• Help shape and implement our brand portfolio strategy, clarifying each product’s role, connecting products through a shared brand promise, and making the portfolio easier for consumers to understand.
• Develop positioning and messaging frameworks that communicate clear consumer benefits, compelling stories, and credible proof points across the portfolio.
• Translate survey findings and customer research into compelling, substantiated marketing claims, partnering with research, Legal, and Compliance teams to validate how they’re used.
• Partner with the Creative Director and cross-functional teams to implement brand identity and tone-of-voice updates consistently across consumer touchpoints.
• Partner with Growth and research partners on brand tracking, turning findings into recommendations to strengthen awareness, understanding, and trust.
• Support positioning and messaging for new products, partnerships, and markets, with opportunities to lead integrated brand initiatives as the function grows.

• Own day-to-day PR planning and agency management, setting priorities with the Senior Director of Brand & Creative and evaluating opportunities based on audience relevance, strategic value, and brand fit.
• Develop stories around Kikoff’s products, customer impact, and business milestones, and write or refine press materials and external messaging.
• Partner directly with executives to develop talking points, interview preparation, thought leadership, and other communications for their review, reflecting their perspectives and voice.
• Lead trust-building programs across customer reviews, stories, and third-party recognition, including overseeing Trustpilot, partnering with Lifecycle to source reviews, and managing award submissions.
• Monitor coverage and customer feedback to identify reputation opportunities and concerns, partnering with leadership, Legal, Compliance, and other teams on appropriate responses.

• Manage and develop the organic social manager and contract content creator, setting clear priorities, expectations, and goals.
• Guide organic social strategy and content planning, ensuring our channels communicate our value and maintain a useful, credible, and consistent brand presence.
• Use audience insights and channel results to focus the team’s effort and resources where they add the most value.

• 6+ years of experience in brand marketing, brand strategy, or related consumer marketing roles.
• Experience developing positioning and messaging and translating brand strategy into execution.
• Meaningful experience developing and implementing brand architecture or a brand refresh.
• Hands-on experience managing PR agencies and communications programs.
• Excellent writing and editing skills, including direct experience developing executive communications in partnership with senior leaders.
• Strong messaging and communications judgment, with the ability to evaluate opportunities, anticipate how messages will be received, and recommend what’s right for the brand.
• Ability to turn research and consumer insights into clear recommendations, messages, and substantiated proof points.
• Experience using research and measurement to assess brand impact.
• People management experience, including setting priorities, providing feedback, and developing talent.
• Strong project ownership and the ability to deliver across multiple workstreams and cross-functional partners.

• Background in fintech, financial services, or another regulated consumer category.
• Experience connecting multiple products under a shared consumer brand.
• Familiarity with developing research-backed marketing claims.
• Experience managing reputation or customer review programs.
• Oversight of organic social or educational content, including YouTube.
• Success developing and executing integrated brand campaigns.