Marketing Manager

This posting is for a new role and an open vacancy.

The Marketing Manager owns how Innovation Factory’s brands show up across every marketing channel — digital, print, social, web, and earned media. You’ll lead the day-to-day marketing function: setting plans, running campaigns, watching the numbers, and making sure our brands (iF, CITM, Synapse, and emerging brands) tell a consistent, compelling story.

You’ll lead a lean, high-performing marketing team and partner closely with the Events Manager and all teams across the organization. You’re hands-on enough to jump into a campaign or press release and strategic enough to establish clear priorities for your team. 

This role requires modern marketing and communication thinking and capabilities, including but not limited to; marketing strategy, communications, business development alignment, creative thinking, and internal consulting.

This role reports to the VP of Operations and is based in our Hamilton, Ontario office with some travel to our Burlington, Ontario location.

Core Responsibilities

Marketing Strategy & Execution

• Build and run the annual marketing plan across all iF brands, aligned to organizational goals
• Set and track marketing KPIs — client acquisition, brand awareness, conversion, digital growth, media presence — and identify opportunities for improvement 
• Lead campaigns end-to-end: content, SEO, paid and organic social, email, web, and advertising
• Keep brand and messaging consistent across every channel and every team that touches our story
• Identify the channels, partnerships, and platforms where our brands should show up

Team & Operations

• Lead, coach, and develop a lean, high-impact marketing team — including hiring, performance feedback, and growth planning
• Own the marketing budget and allocate it across channels to maximize impact
• Bring in external resources (agencies, freelancers, contractors) where operationally necessary
• Stay current on marketing tools, tactics, and trends, and bring the best of them in
• Ensure all marketing activities comply with applicable Canadian legislation and industry standards, including but not limited to: CASL, the Competition Act, AODA, PIPEDA, and the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards. 
• Ensure all marketing activities are aligned with business plan commitments organization-wide

Marketing Leadership

• Grow and champion the Innovation Factory brand as Canada’s thought leader, voice, and expert in our sectors of focus, and elevate organizational reputation on local, regional, and national levels
• Support the Innovation Factory Leadership team in developing the organization's brand, communications and growth strategies and develop executable plans to successfully deliver the planned outcomes, including planning, execution, and optimization of specific marketing campaigns

Cross-Functional & Stakeholders

• Partner with the Events Manager to make sure events are well-promoted and well-storied before, during, and after
• Work with all program teams so their work shows up in our marketing — and so marketing supports their goals
• Work closely with the Partnership team to manage marketing and communications that support securing and maintaining Innovation Factory partners
• Manage marketing-facing relationships with funders’ communications teams
• Represent Innovation Factory in the community and at events
• Other tasks as assigned

Essential Skills and Qualifications

• 3-5 years of marketing experience across multiple channels (digital, content, social, brand), including 2+ years leading people and/or projects
• Strong grasp of brand-building and integrated marketing communications 
• Comfort with data — you set KPIs, watch them, and adjust based on what they tell you
• Experience owning a budget and prioritizing trade-offs
• Experience leveraging AI in the marketing function 
• Strong writing and editing skills, and a sharp eye for brand consistency
• A leadership style that balances clarity, empathy, and accountability
• Post-secondary diploma or degree in marketing, communications, business, or a related field 
• Strong English language verbal and written communication skills
• Experience with social media marketing platforms and tools (LinkedIn, Twitter, Hootsuite, etc.), developing a content calendar and monitoring performance 
• Knowledge of digital marketing technologies, software, and trends, and motivated to keep up with best practices and changes in digital marketing used to increase awareness, generate leads and increase client base

Assets

• Experience marketing across multiple brands or in not-for-profit, B2B, or B2C environments
• English/French Bilingual
• Hands-on familiarity with graphic design, web, or social platforms
• Familiarity with the Canadian innovation or startup ecosystem

Working Conditions

• 5 days per week; 37.5 hours per week, regular daytime business hours are between 9 am EST and 5 pm EST.
• Opportunity for a hybrid work model, allowing some remote work
• Some localized travel required, including between office locations and events

Location

• B21-175 Longwood Rd S, Hamilton ON
• 5151 New St. Burlington, ON

About Innovation Factory

Innovation Factory (iF) is a not-for-profit business accelerator, providing entrepreneurs with business services, training, mentorship and strategic connections to help bring disruptive technologies to market, increase revenues, attract investment and create jobs.

Our mission is to be the primary catalyst for technology innovation in the greater Hamilton area with a vision to make Hamilton Canada’s fastest-growing innovation community and the first port of call for innovators. We will do this via direct 1-1 support for companies, creating partnerships, and building community. We will create an environment and culture that draws people outside of Hamilton as a place to invest, live, learn, work and start businesses.

The Innovation Factory is committed to a fair and inclusive work environment. We are an equal opportunity employer that hires and attracts talent regardless of age, race, creed, colour, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, sex, status as a protected veteran or any other legally protected grounds and will not discriminate on these bases. Accommodation will be provided throughout the hiring process, as required. Applicants must make their needs known in advance.

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