Director or VP, Marketing

Location: Chicago, IL or Austin, TX |Reports To: Chief Operating Officer| Employment Type: Full-Time About Kairos Living Kairos Living is a technology-enabled, value-add residential real estate investment fund founded in 2019. We manage a growing portfolio of over 5,300 single-family rental homes across 17 states, and we are now developing and delivering our own purpose-built rental communities. We are revolutionizing the fragmented SFR industry through proprietary technology, data-driven decision-making, and an entrepreneurial, execution-focused culture. This is a newly created role and Kairos's first dedicated marketing hire. As we lease up new communities alongside our managed portfolio, marketing has never been more central to the business, and this leader will have an immediate, measurable impact on growth. Role Overview Kairos Living is seeking an experienced, hands-on marketing leader to serve as Director or VP of Marketing, reporting directly to the COO. The role owns all marketing for Kairos's national SFR portfolio and new development communities, from performance marketing and digital advertising to brand, content, resident communications, and website management. This person owns marketing strategy, manages agency relationships, and builds the infrastructure to scale marketing as the portfolio and community pipeline grow. This is a senior operating leadership role, not a brand-only position. The ideal candidate is a builder who is equally comfortable optimizing a Google Ads campaign, auditing SEO health, writing sharp copy, and presenting ROI to senior leadership. Success is measured by qualified demand generated, vacancy reduced, lease-up performance, and a marketing function that scales with the business. First 12 Months In the first 12 months, the Director or VP of Marketing will build the foundation for a scalable, data-driven marketing strategy by: Auditing current marketing channels, agency relationships, ILS performance, website and SEO health, paid media, and reputation management processes. Building the marketing performance dashboard and attribution framework (see KPI table below), tied to signed leases, not just lead volume. Developing a repeatable lease-up marketing playbook for new BTR communities, covering pre-leasing timelines, positioning, paid media, local SEO, and reporting. Improving listing quality and consistency across ILS platforms and resetting agency accountability around measurable outcomes and clear KPIs. Establishing a regular marketing operating cadence and partnering closely with Leasing and Operations to close lead-flow, conversion, and market-readiness gaps. Key Responsibilities Performance Marketing & Demand Generation Own all paid digital advertising (Google Ads, paid social, retargeting) and ILS syndication across platforms such as Zillow, Apartments.com, and Zumper, keeping listings accurate and current. Develop market-specific demand generation strategies to minimize vacancy days, and provide critical agency oversight, pushing back when results miss expectations. Build seasonal and lifecycle campaign plans aligned to turnover timing and development delivery schedules. New Community Lease-Up Marketing Develop pre-leasing and lease-up marketing plans for each new community beginning 90 to 120 days before delivery, including positioning and collateral. Build a scalable lease-up playbook so each new community launch does not require reinvention. Partner with Leasing, Development, and Asset Management to align lead flow with leasing capacity, rent targets, and delivery schedules. SEO, GEO & Digital Presence Own organic search strategy, including technical SEO, on-page optimization, and Google Business Profile management across all communities. Develop and execute a Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) strategy so Kairos properties surface well in AI-powered search and assistant queries. Ensure ILS listings are optimized for each platform's search algorithm and translate search behavior changes into practical improvements. Website Management & Digital Experience Serve as internal owner of the Kairos Living website, responsible for content accuracy, SEO health, and user experience. Lead a future website redesign initiative and manage landing page strategy for paid campaigns and community launches. HTML proficiency is a strong plus for minor front-end edits and clear collaboration with developers. Brand, Copy & Creative Direction Define and protect the Kairos Living brand voice, visual identity, and messaging framework across all channels. Write or direct on-brand copy for listings, campaigns, and resident materials, and evaluate agency and freelancer creative against brand standards. Develop distinct messaging frameworks for new development community brands. Own resident communication strategy, including onboarding, renewals, and community updates, and maintain professional, mobile-optimized HTML templates. Build automated communication workflows with Technology to reduce manual effort and improve resident experience at scale. Monitor reviews and ratings across major platforms and operationalize a proactive review generation program. Establish a timely response process for all reviews, and surface sentiment trends to Operations and Asset Management as an operating feedback loop. Build and maintain the marketing performance dashboard (see KPI table) and present monthly and quarterly reporting to senior leadership with clear recommendations. Establish UTM tagging and attribution standards, and use data to guide budget allocation and surface underperforming markets. Own all agency, ILS, and martech vendor relationships, defining SLAs and holding vendors accountable to measurable outcomes, not activity reports. Evaluate agency performance regularly and make recommendations on renewals, scope changes, or vendor transitions. Serve as the business voice for marketing's technology needs, partnering with Technology to improve lead tracking, attribution, CRM integration, and automation. Evaluate emerging martech and PropTech tools and bring well-reasoned recommendations to leadership. Qualifications & Experience Required 7+ years of progressive marketing experience, with meaningful time in residential real estate, multifamily, or single-family rental. Hands-on expertise in Google Ads (Search, Display, Performance Max), able to audit accounts and interpret performance independently. Deep knowledge of ILS platforms (Zillow, Apartments.com, Zumper, or equivalent), including syndication management and listing optimization. Strong SEO fundamentals, plus working knowledge of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). Proven ability to write clear, conversion-focused copy, and experience managing agencies with real performance accountability. Proficiency with marketing analytics tools (GA4, Looker/Data Studio, or equivalent) and the ability to build performance reports independently. Strong project management and executive communication skills, with an entrepreneurial, self-directed working style. Ability to translate marketing activity into operating outcomes: leasing velocity, occupancy, cost per lease, and NOI impact. Preferred HTML/CSS proficiency sufficient to edit email templates and review web page markup. Experience with Yardi's RentCafe marketing platform or comparable property management marketing tools. Background in community or multifamily development lease-up marketing. Familiarity with CRM and marketing automation platforms (HubSpot, Salesforce, ActiveCampaign, or similar). Experience in private-equity-backed, institutionally owned, or technology-enabled operating companies. Why Kairos Living Build a marketing function from the ground up, with real resources and executive commitment behind you. Direct access to senior leadership (COO, CEO) and the ability to influence business decisions with data. Visible, measurable impact on leasing velocity, resident experience, and the success of communities built from the ground up. Entrepreneurial, technology-forward culture that rewards ownership, curiosity, and initiative. Competitive base salary plus performance bonus eligibility. #J-18808-Ljbffr Kairos Living