Vice President, Marketing and Partnerships (opens in new window)

GradBridge Vice President, Marketing and Partnerships Newark, DE·Full time Company website Apply for Vice President, Marketing and Partnerships The VP of Marketing and Partnerships will lead GradBridge’s go-to-market strategy across strategic partnerships, direct-to-consumer, brand, performance marketing, and school-facing marketing. This executive will be responsible for building awareness, driving qualified demand, developing high-impact referral and distribution relationships, and helping position GradBridge as a trusted partner across the higher education and private student lending ecosystem.
About GradBridge GradBridge is an innovative fintech redefining access to higher education financing. Backed by $20 million in Series A funding led by Acorn Investment Partners, a portfolio company of funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management, we’re building a first-of-its-kind platform that helps qualified students who fall just below traditional approval cutoffs secure the funding they need to finish their degrees. With national reach and plans to open our Delaware headquarters in 2026, we’re growing a mission-driven team to shape the future of student lending.
Description This role requires a rare combination of strategic thinking and execution. The right candidate will be equally comfortable shaping the company’s market narrative, building a scalable marketing engine, managing external relationships, and rolling up their sleeves to launch campaigns, support partnerships, and track results. The VP of Marketing and Partnerships will work cross-functionally with leadership across product, credit, compliance, operations, finance, and external partners to support growth in a highly regulated environment.
Key Responsibilities Demand Generation and Performance Marketing Design and execute campaigns that drive awareness, lead generation, and conversion across owned, earned, paid, and partner channels
Monitor funnel performance and key KPIs including traffic, inquiries, lead capture, application starts, conversion, cost per lead, cost per funded loan, and channel ROI
Own optimization of customer acquisition cost and other unit economics to support efficient, scalable growth
Manage the marketing budget with discipline, ensuring investment decisions align with performance goals and company cost targets
Test, optimize, and scale marketing programs using a data-driven approach, including audience segmentation, campaign performance analysis, and testing
Partner closely with analytics and operations teams to improve attribution, reporting, and decision-making
Partnership Development and Channel Growth Develop and manage strategic partnerships that can expand GradBridge’s reach and referral volume
Lead relationship development with referral partners, affiliates, schools, industry associations, and other ecosystem participants
Support partnership structuring, launch planning, joint go-to-market coordination, and ongoing performance management
Serve as a senior external-facing representative of GradBridge with prospective and existing partners
Develop partner enablement materials including presentations, one-pagers, FAQs, training materials, and launch communications
Marketing Strategy and Brand Leadership Develop and lead GradBridge’s integrated marketing strategy in support of company growth objectives
Refine and strengthen GradBridge’s brand positioning, messaging, and value proposition across key audiences
Build a thoughtful market presence that reinforces trust, credibility, and differentiation in the private student loan market
Oversee content strategy, website messaging, thought leadership, PR support, social media, email marketing, and marketing collateral
Help strengthen GradBridge’s visibility across emerging channels, including AI-driven search and discoverability environments
Cross-Functional Leadership Partner with Compliance and Legal to ensure marketing and partner activities align with regulatory expectations and internal standards
Collaborate with Product, Credit, and Operations to align go-to-market plans with product capabilities, underwriting strategy, and customer experience goals
Work with Finance and leadership to support growth planning, forecasting, and Board/investor reporting as needed
Help build the infrastructure and processes needed to scale the marketing and partnerships function over time
Qualifications We are seeking a strategic, highly motivated, and execution-oriented leader who thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment. The ideal candidate brings both strong commercial instincts and the discipline needed to operate effectively in a regulated business.
10+ years of experience in marketing, business development, or growth leadership roles, preferably in private student lending, fintech, consumer lending, or other regulated financial services
Proven success building and scaling go-to-market strategies, partnership channels, and demand generation programs
Experience managing a marketing budget and delivering against customer acquisition, conversion, and unit cost targets
Strong experience with partner development, relationship management, and external-facing leadership
Deep understanding of the college-aged student demographic and the ability to translate audience insights into effective acquisition and engagement strategies
Demonstrated ability to use data analytics and performance metrics to drive informed decision-making, including campaign optimization, funnel analysis, attribution, and ROI evaluation
Familiarity with CRM platforms and lead management processes, including lead capture, segmentation, and nurture strategy
Experience with AI discoverability tactics and evolving digital marketing practices
Experience working cross-functionally in a highly collaborative environment with executive leadership and multiple stakeholders
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex concepts into compelling market-facing messaging
Strong judgment, ownership mentality, and willingness to operate both strategically and tactically
Competitive compensation package.

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