The Communications and Marketing Director reports to the Chief Executive Officer and serves as a strategic leader responsible for aligning the Bank's marketing, communications, and brand strategy with enterprise business objectives, revenue growth goals, and market expansion priorities.

As a key member of the strategic leadership team, the Communications and Marketing Director partners closely with the CEO, Market Presidents, and business line leaders to develop and execute integrated strategies that drive revenue growth through performance-based product marketing, expand customer relationships through banker enablement and sales support, and strengthen the Border Bank brand and reputation across all markets and customer segments.

This leader will build a scalable, data-driven marketing and communications function that supports the Bank's continued growth toward and beyond $1 billion in assets. The position is responsible for maintaining brand consistency, improving campaign effectiveness, supporting customer and employee engagement, and demonstrating measurable business impact.

Accountabilities

Strategic Leadership & Business Alignment

• Develop and lead a comprehensive, enterprise-wide marketing and communications strategy aligned with the bank's strategic plan and growth objectives.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to executive leadership and Market Presidents on market growth opportunities, competitive positioning, and customer engagement strategies.
• Translate business goals into actionable marketing plans with clear KPIs tied to revenue, customer acquisition, retention, and brand equity.
• Lead annual and multi-year marketing planning, budgeting, and performance tracking.
• Ensure all marketing and communications strategies align with enterprise risk management, regulatory expectations, and governance frameworks applicable to the banking industry.
• Partner with Compliance, Legal, and Risk functions to proactively identify and mitigate marketing, advertising, and reputational risks.
• Promote a culture of integrity, transparency, and accountability through communication and leadership actions.

Revenue & Performance Marketing

• Drive performance-based marketing strategies across all product lines (consumer, commercial, treasury, etc.) with a focus on measurable ROI.
• Partner with business line leaders to develop targeted campaigns that generate leads, increase product penetration, and grow wallet share.
• Implement data-driven decision-making, leveraging analytics, segmentation, and marketing technology to optimize performance.
• Ensure all product marketing, campaigns, and disclosures comply with applicable banking regulations and internal compliance policies.

Market Partnership & Banker Enablement

• Collaborate with Market Presidents and frontline teams to develop localized marketing strategies that reflect unique market opportunities and competitive dynamics.
• Equip bankers with tools, insights, and campaigns to support relationship growth, cross-sell, and customer engagement.
• Partner with Market Presidents and the Customer Experience leader to optimize the customer journey and identify opportunities to enhance engagement, loyalty, and growth.
• Ensure alignment between corporate marketing initiatives and market-level execution.
• Monitor adherence to approved messaging, disclosures, and campaign usage across all markets to ensure consistency and regulatory compliance.

Brand, Communications & Reputation Management

• Oversee all external communications, public relations, community engagement, and reputation management efforts, ensuring alignment with regulatory expectations and reputational risk standards.
• Lead brand strategy and communication planning and execution to strengthen awareness, differentiation, and trust across all markets.
• Align marketing and internal communications strategies with the bank's culture, values, and "Cultivate Experience Playbook," reinforcing desired employee behaviors and customer experience standards.
• Enhance internal communications through structured, transparent, and consistent messaging that reinforces the bank's priorities, regulatory awareness, and organizational alignment.
• Lead enterprise internal communication strategies that drive employee engagement, cultural alignment, and understanding of strategic priorities.
• Ensure all communications - internal and external, reflect the bank's values, maintain brand consistency and meet compliance obligations while promoting ethical conduct and positive customer experiences.

Budget & Resource Management

• Develop and manage the enterprise marketing and communications budget, including advertising, sponsorships, events, and community investments.
• Allocate resources strategically to maximize ROI and support priority growth initiatives.

Team Leadership & Organizational Development

• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing marketing and communications team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, compliance awareness, and disciplined execution.
• Ensure team members understand and adhere to governance processes, approval protocols, and regulatory expectations.
• Manage internal resources and external partners/agencies to deliver high-quality, cost-effective outcomes.

Strategic & Community Leadership

• Serve as an active member of the strategic leadership team, contributing to overall bank strategy and decision-making.
• Represent the bank in the community and industry, supporting relationship development and brand visibility.
• Lead or support special strategic initiatives as assigned by the CEO.

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, business, or a related field.
• Ten or more years of progressive marketing or communications experience, including significant leadership responsibility.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing marketing strategies that produce measurable business results, including revenue growth, customer acquisition, retention, engagement, or relationship expansion.
• Experience partnering closely with executive leadership, market leaders, and cross-functional teams.
• Experience leading strategic planning and hands-on execution across multiple markets, business lines, or customer segments.
• Demonstrated ability to build and lead a high-performing marketing and communications team.
• Experience managing enterprise budgets, agencies, vendors, marketing technology, and integrated campaigns.
• Strong written, verbal, presentation, and executive communication skills.
• Experience using marketing analytics, customer segmentation, digital platforms, and performance reporting to guide decisions and demonstrate results.
• Experience in banking or financial services is preferred.