Chief Marketing Officer

Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)

Industry: Maritime
• Marine Technology
• SaaS

Location: Remote / Hybrid

Commitment: Fractional to Full-Time (to be agreed)

Compensation: Equity Only (Vesting Based)

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About the Role

We are an early-stage maritime SaaS company building a modern, scalable digital platform for vessel operators, fleet managers, and maritime organizations. Our product focuses on operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, safety management, and data-driven decision-making in a traditionally under-digitized industry.

We are looking for a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to join at a foundational stage and take ownership of go-to-market strategy, market positioning, and growth across the global maritime ecosystem.

This is an equity-only leadership role, intended for a senior marketing professional who believes in the vision, understands complex B2B industries, and wants meaningful long-term ownership rather than short-term cash compensation.

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Compensation & Structure

• Compensation: Equity only (no salary at this stage)

• Equity: Meaningful ownership aligned with responsibility and time commitment

• Vesting: 4-year vesting with a 1-year cliff

• Future Compensation: Salary and performance incentives introduced post-funding or revenue milestones

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Key Responsibilities

Go-To-Market & Strategy

• Define and own the GTM strategy for a B2B maritime SaaS product

• Establish clear positioning against legacy maritime software and manual processes

• Identify and segment ideal customer profiles (ICPs): vessel owners, operators, fleet managers, compliance teams, and regulators

• Develop pricing, packaging, and value narratives aligned with industry buying behavior

Maritime-Focused Growth

• Design acquisition strategies suited to the maritime market (long sales cycles, trust-based buying)

• Build funnels for demos, pilots, and enterprise onboarding

• Support sales enablement with clear messaging, case studies, and ROI narratives

• Track and optimize KPIs such as pipeline velocity, CAC, and expansion potential

Brand, Credibility & Thought Leadership

• Build a credible, professional brand in the conservative maritime industry

• Lead content and messaging around:

• Safety & compliance

• Operational efficiency

• Digital transformation in maritime

• Support conference presence, partnerships, and industry engagement

• Shape the company's external narrative for customers, partners, and investors

Leadership & Scale (Future-Focused)

• Define the future marketing org structure (demand gen, content, partnerships)

• Lay foundations for repeatable, scalable marketing processes

• Transition into leading a growing marketing team post-funding

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What We're Looking For

Required

• Senior marketing experience in B2B SaaS, industrial tech, or regulated industries

• Strong understanding of long-cycle enterprise or asset-heavy customers

• Ability to translate complex technical products into clear business value

• Strategic thinker with hands-on execution capability

• Founder-level mindset: ownership, accountability, and long-term commitment

Strongly Preferred

• Experience in maritime, shipping, ports, offshore, logistics, or industrial SaaS

• Prior involvement in early-stage startups or scale-ups

• Exposure to fundraising support (pitch decks, metrics, storytelling)

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Who This Role Is Ideal For

• A senior B2B SaaS marketer stepping into a founding leadership role

• A maritime or industrial-tech professional moving into an executive position

• A fractional CMO seeking deep ownership in one high-conviction venture

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Who This Role Is Not Ideal For

• Candidates seeking immediate salary or guaranteed income

• Pure execution marketers without strategic ownership experience

• Those unfamiliar with complex B2B or regulated industries

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Why Join

• Meaningful equity ownership in a high-potential maritime SaaS platform

• Direct influence on product direction, market entry, and growth

• Opportunity to shape digital transformation in a conservative industry

• Clear path to a fully compensated executive role as the company scales

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Application Process

Interested candidates should share:

• Relevant SaaS or maritime experience

• Examples of GTM or early-stage growth work

• Preferred time commitment and equity expectations