Strategic Marketing Manager

About Us: EquiTrust Life Insurance Company is a national carrier of competitive, client-friendly annuity products sold through a variety of distribution channels, including more than 20,000 independent agents and independent marketing organizations (IMOs). Since 2003, we have provided exceptional customer service to our clients by operating with integrity and passion. Our efforts are supported by a dedicated workforce who execute their responsibilities through teamwork and an entrepreneurial spirit. EquiTrust sells products nationwide and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, with operations in West Des Moines, Iowa.

Position Summary: The Strategic Marketing Manager is responsible for management, development, control and oversight of a team of Sales and Marketing professionals. This position works closely with members of the Sales and Marketing team and performs both a leadership and management function. The Strategic Marketing Manager is expected to carry out their duties and responsibilities in a manner that is consistent with EquiTrust's Company Values of Integrity, Leadership, Accountability, Teamwork and Passion.

The Strategic Marketing Manager leads and oversees a team of marketing strategists responsible for driving high-impact initiatives across the organization. This role is accountable for leading marketing campaigns and strategic initiatives across all distribution channels. Working collaboratively with Sales and Marketing leadership, the Strategic Marketing Manager develops innovative, data-driven campaigns and compelling sales concepts that support and grow our retirement insurance product lines. This position bridges the gap between strategy and execution-partnering closely with content writers, designers, digital marketers, and sales leadership to transform ideas into market-ready initiatives that drive measurable business growth.

What You'll Do:

Strategic campaign development:

Develops and leads integrated multi-channel marketing campaigns targeting our distribution pipelines.
Identifies market trends, insights, and emerging sales opportunities to shape go-to-market strategies.
Creates comprehensive campaign briefs, positioning frameworks, and sales narratives to guide execution across digital, print, and event channels.
Partners with digital marketing teams to optimize website content, landing pages, and campaign assets for SEO performance, including keyword strategy, on-page optimization, and search visibility improvements.
Establishes clear campaign KPIs and provides strategic oversight of performance measurement and optimization.

Sales concept creation:

Partners with Marketing and Sales leadership to ensure alignment with business goals and objectives.
Translates product features and benefits, competitive differentiators, and value propositions into compelling sales concepts.
Develops pitch frameworks, sales enablement materials, messaging architecture, and concept mockups to support marketing execution.
Equips sales teams with tools and messaging that enhance engagement and conversion.

Cross-functional collaboration:

Manages employees, including but not limited to the following activities: makes recommendations for hiring, termination, promotions and transfers, assessing and completing performance appraisals, responsibility allocations and task completion, problem identification and resolution and other day-to-day people management and leadership responsibilities.
Works closely with content writers, graphic designers, and digital marketers to execute marketing strategies.
Works cross-functionally with sales, product management, compliance and legal to ensure messaging accuracy and regulatory alignment.
Provides strategic direction for campaign rollout, stakeholder communication, and performance tracking.
Serves as a central point of contact across departments for strategic campaign initiatives.

Market research and competitor analysis:

Conducts ongoing market analysis to monitor industry trends, competitive positioning, and evolving financial professional and buyer behaviors.
Gathers and incorporates feedback from EquiTrust Sales teams to continuously improve campaign effectiveness and positioning.
Synthesizes insights into actionable recommendations that refine messaging and sales enablement strategies.

Additional responsibilities:

Supports the Sales and Marketing team and/or other departments on an as-needed basis.
Willingly takes on additional responsibilities as requested to accomplish department and Company objectives.
Actively participates and contributes to the goals and objectives of the Company by working collaboratively and fostering a positive and inclusive work environment.

What You'll Bring:

Education:

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or related field required.
Experience:

Minimum 5 years of progressive experience in strategic marketing, campaign management, or sales enablement role-preferably in financial services or insurance required.
Strong understanding of life insurance, annuities, and distribution channels required.
Minimum 1 year experience in a manager or supervisor role required.
Experience developing integrated campaigns in a regulated or B2B environment preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Proven ability to architect integrated campaign strategies aligned to business objectives.
Deep knowledge of industry-specific products and concepts and distribution channels in which we offer our products.
Demonstrated ability to translate complex products into compelling sales narratives.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Proven cross-functional leadership and project management capabilities.
Proficiency in marketing analytics, campaign reporting, and performance optimization.
Ability to manage multiple initiatives in a deadline-driven environment.
Where You'll Work:

West Des Moines, IA
Expected Travel: Infrequent travel (less than 10% of the time).
Total Rewards:
In addition to base pay, eligible employees may receive an annual discretionary incentive bonus and access to a competitive benefits package including:

Medical, Dental & Vision coverage:
401(k) with Company Match
Paid time off: Vacation, Sick, Holiday, and more
Paid Parental Leave for both Mothers and Fathers
Hybrid/Remote Work Options
Early Friday Closure

EquiTrust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in the U.S. Federal E-Verify program. Applicants have rights under federal and state employment laws. To learn more, visit EquiTrust Careers.

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