Vice President of Marketing

Location: San Diego, CA or Remote (U.S.)

Employment Type: Full-time

Department: Marketing

Reports to: Chief Marketing Officer

Why This Role Matters

Small businesses depend on Cardiff for fast, practical access to capital, and marketing is often the first step in that relationship. This leader will shape how more owners discover, understand, and choose Cardiff for turning customer insight and the CMO’s strategy into measurable growth.

The role matters because it connects brand, demand generation, and revenue at enterprise scale. By building a disciplined omni-channel engine, improving attribution, and raising the pace of experimentation, the Vice President of Marketing will directly influence customer acquisition, marketing efficiency, and Cardiff’s ability to grow while preserving the responsive, human experience that sets the company apart.

The Role

We need an experienced, growth-focused Vice President of Marketing to own the execution of our omni-channel roadmap and translate the CMO’s vision into production results.

You will manage performance and direct-to-business marketing across Google, paid social, broadcast, direct mail, TV/CTV, influencer, and affiliate channels. You’ll carry the budget, drive efficiency, and relentlessly test new avenues to maintain Cardiff’s edge in business lending. We’re looking for a builder who has scaled major brands through aggressive experimentation, rigorous analytics, and high-velocity campaigns.

What You'll Own

• Convert the CMO’s high-level roadmap into production campaigns that acquire and keep small business customers
• Direct and scale the omni-channel mix: Google, mail, paid social, TV/CTV, influencer, and affiliate channels
• Own the Google ecosystem, including search, YouTube, and PMax, to capture high-intent demand
• Carry the marketing budget and drive ROI, relentlessly optimizing for CAC and ROAS efficiency
• Lead high-velocity testing across formats and emerging avenues to maintain our competitive edge
• Partner with data teams to refine attribution in GA4 and deliver status the business trusts
• Run internal teams and external agencies to a predictable cadence of accountability and results

What We're Looking For

• Experience: 10+ years of progressive marketing experience, with at least 3–5 years in a senior leadership role (VP or Senior Director) managing multi-channel strategy for well-known brands. Experience in financial services, B2B, or direct-to-business marketing is a strong plus.
• Channel Expertise: Deep hands-on experience across digital and traditional media—specifically Google Search/YouTube/PMax, direct mail, paid social, linear TV/CTV, broadcast, affiliate, and influencer/creator networks.
• Google Platform Mastery: Deep familiarity with Google’s suite of growth and performance products (Google Ads, YouTube Ads, GA4, Google Tag Manager, and Google Marketing Platform).
• Proven Track Record: Demonstrated success scaling media spend efficiently while driving top-line revenue growth through rapid testing and channel expansion.
• Financial Acumen: Deep experience managing multi-million dollar budgets and a strong understanding of unit economics, CAC, LTV, and attribution modeling.
• Leadership Style: High-energy execution mindset with strong cross-functional communication and people-management skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Industry Perspective: Experience in small-business lending, fintech, financial services, or another highly regulated, performance-driven category.
• Lifecycle Marketing: Success building segmentation, CRM, lead-nurture, retention, and re-engagement programs that improve conversion and customer lifetime value.
• Brand and Creative Leadership: A strong point of view on positioning, creative strategy, and message development, with experience translating customer insights into campaigns that perform across channels.
• Marketing Technology: Familiarity with modern CRM, marketing automation, customer data, experimentation, and business intelligence platforms, including their role in a reliable measurement stack.
• Organizational Scale: Experience building high-performing teams, developing senior talent, and managing agency and vendor relationships through periods of rapid growth.

This Role May Not Be a Fit If You

• Want a strategy or advisory seat rather than accountability for delivery
• Have been out of the code long enough that you'd need someone to translate a pull request for you
• Prefer structured corporate environments with clear lanes and layers between you and the business
• Solve problems offline and come back with results, instead of communicating while you work
• Use AI tools to assist your old workflow, rather than having rebuilt your workflow around them

Compensation and Benefits

• Base salary from $180,000 +
• Performance bonus of up to 30% of base, tied to delivery and business outcomes
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) plan
• Flexible PTO and observed holidays
• Remote-first, with support for your home-office setup
• Direct access to leadership and to the problems that matter

Cardiff, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.