Chief Marketing Officer

Job Description

Job Description

Position Description: Company Overview:
Summit Professional Education is a national leader in professional education, dedicated to empowering healthcare professionalsincluding physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, mental health providers, and morethrough continuing education, certification programs, and exam preparation. At Summit, we believe in education as a healthcare professionals superpower, driving confidence, competence, and real-world patient impact.
Our approach transforms traditional continuing education into engaging, vibrant learning experiences across in-person, livestream, and on-demand formats. With a focus on personal connection, continuous improvement, curiosity, adaptability, inclusivity, and genuine human interaction, Summit educates over 64,000 clinicians annually, ultimately enhancing patient care for millions each year.
Backed by Avathon Capital, we are actively reshaping the fragmented and transactional CE market through strategic acquisitions, product innovation, and a commitment to excellencebuilding the foundation for transformational growth and expanded impact across the healthcare community.
Position Summary:
The Chief Marketing Officer will lead Summits marketing transformation at a critical inflection point, elevating our brand presence, optimizing customer acquisition, and driving significant revenue growth. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will own marketing strategy and execution across all channels, demonstrating both bold strategic vision and disciplined operational execution. This role demands a visionary leader who can simultaneously drive short-term, measurable wins and execute a compelling, long-term strategic growth plan, utilizing advanced AI-driven strategies to enhance marketing effectiveness and efficiency.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Marketing Leadership:
\tLead the development and disciplined execution of Summits annual and quarterly marketing plans, aligning clearly defined budgets and KPIs with strategic goals.
\tEstablish a rigorous, data-driven culture to justify spend, optimize ROI, and drive measurable results across all channels and initiatives.
Brand Elevation and Differentiation:
\tTransition Summits brand from a promotion-driven, commoditized approach to one anchored in compelling value, product differentiation, and strategic urgency.
\tBring the "For Those Who Care" creative platform vividly to life through cohesive storytelling and premium creative across all customer touchpoints.
Channel Optimization and Performance Marketing:
\tReduce reliance on expensive, less measurable channels (such as direct mail), diversifying into more scalable, efficient, and measurable channels, including SEM, paid social, and innovative digital strategies.
\tImplement advanced multi-touch attribution modeling, robust CRO practices, and UX improvements to significantly enhance traffic-to-subscriber conversion.
AI Integration and Innovation:
\tLeverage cutting-edge AI tools to optimize marketing channels, enhance segmentation and personalization, and automate and scale content production, analytics, and lead generation.
\tStay at the forefront of AI advancements, incorporating best practices to continually improve marketing effectiveness and customer engagement.
Full-Funnel Marketing Excellence:
\tIntegrate comprehensive top-of-funnel strategies (brand awareness, demand generation, thought leadership) with existing bottom-funnel performance marketing.
\tElevate Summits content marketing and thought leadership, positioning Summit as a respected, authoritative voice through educational, inspiring, and community-driven content.
Cross-Functional Leadership and Collaboration:
\tPartner closely with Sales leadership to enforce creative consistency, message discipline, and high standards of excellence, effectively balancing creative and performance-driven approaches.
\tCollaborate on strategic M&A initiatives, ensuring seamless brand integration, clear market positioning, and consistent customer experience across acquired companies.
Team Leadership and Organizational Development:
\tMentor, focus, and elevate a talented but currently tactically oriented marketing team, ensuring clear alignment, strategic prioritization, and robust execution.
\tOversee all external agency and vendor relationships, leveraging a deep network to drive performance improvements and innovation.
Board-Level Communication:
\tServe as a persuasive, dynamic representative of marketing strategy and performance to the Board and future investors, clearly articulating strategic initiatives, measurable results, and growth projections.
\tDemonstrate tangible success through double-digit growth, significantly contributing to Summits valuation.
Required Competencies:
\tStrategic Vision and Execution
\tAnalytical Rigor and Data-Driven Decision-Making
\tAI and Technology Integration
\tBrand Storytelling and Creative Excellence
\tMulti-Channel Marketing Mastery
\tCross-Functional Leadership and Influence
\tStrong Financial Acumen and ROI Discipline
\tExceptional Communication and Presentation Skills
Ideal Candidate Profile:
\tDemonstrated executive experience in scaling marketing functions within performance-oriented, high-growth businesses ($25-50M+).
\tProven ability to elevate brands beyond price-driven tactics, using product, timing, segmentation, and innovative messaging.
\tDeep expertise in SEM, multi-touch attribution, direct response, CRO, UX, segmentation, pricing, content/thought leadership, and demand generation.
\tHighly analytical, data-driven, yet creatively bold with a strong strategic perspective.
\tExceptional communicator capable of earning trust, driving alignment, and confidently presenting strategies and outcomes at the Board and investor levels.
\tBuilder and hands-on leader who excels equally in high-level strategic thinking and practical execution, thriving in environments requiring both immediate results and sustained, strategic growth.
**Read This Before You Apply**This role is not for everyone. Were intentionally raising the barand well be blunt about what wont work:
\tIf youve only led brand or content, and dont know your way around CAC, LTV, ROAS, and CRO, this isnt your role.
\tIf youre used to big budgets, bloated teams, or name-brand resources, this will feel uncomfortably lean.
\tIf your superpower is strategy but you avoid execution, this role will eat you alive.
\tIf youre chasing a fancy CMO title but arent ready to build, stretch, and grind at the next level, keep scrolling.
Now, heres what we do want:
\tYouve built full-funnel marketing machines from scratch (or close to it), especially in B2C.
\tYou can move from concept to copy to campaignwithout 12 meetings and 3 layers of support.
\tYou know how to reach the right audience, trigger emotion, and convert interest to action.
\tYouve done more with less and still delivered measurable growthfast.
\tYou see the power of AI and are already using it to move faster and smarter.
This is not a cushy CMO role in a name-brand org. This is a career-catalyst role in a fast-moving, PE-backed company with massive potential and meaningful impact. If youre hungry, resourceful, and ready to lead from the frontthis is your seat.
Summit Professional Education offers the right leader an extraordinary opportunity to transform an ambitious company poised for accelerated growth. This role is critical in shaping Summits future success, brand prominence, and market position.