Freelance Automotive Engineer Jobs in Indiana (NOW HIRING)

Business Title:                  Director of Marketing                             

Reports to:                       Vice President of Sales & Marketing                               

Leadership Scope:            People Leader                       

Company Info:               With a heritage of 125 years, we aren’t just a company; we are a brand of trust.  But more than anything, we are a collection of individuals who, together, give Grote Industries a decisive competitive advantage. At Grote, our shared vision is clear – to meet the needs of the customers we serve. We accomplish that mission every day by following a set of core values that makes us who we are.

                                    Innovation has been the hallmark of Grote Industries from the start. From durable, easy to see stop lights to the latest in LED lighting technology, Grote has been leading the way in advanced vehicle system solutions from early in the last century right up to today. With these innovations, Grote has helped millions of people throughout North America and the world benefit from the innovation and design excellence of Grote products.

Position Summary:        The Director of Marketing serves as the strategic lead and operational lead of our Marketing Department. Reporting directly to the VP of Marketing and Sales, this role is responsible for translating business objectives into actionable marketing strategies that drive brand awareness, lead generation, and results within the heavy-duty vehicle OEM and Aftermarket.  Further they will provide the voice of and content for Grote Industries to the industry and communities in which we operate.  They will lead an in-house team, including a Graphic Artist, Copywriter/Social Media Specialist, and Project/Events Manager, while orchestrating a network of external agencies and freelancer contractors to ensure our output remains high quality, on time, and on budget.

Position Duties:             - Lead and develop the marketing, creative, and project management teams, fostering a collaborative, high-performing culture that consistently delivers quality results.

                                        -  Develop and execute the company's annual marketing strategy, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives, growth initiatives, and business priorities.

                                     - Manage the Grote global brand, maintaining brand standards, messaging, and governance across all business units and regions.

                                     - Oversee digital marketing initiatives, including website management, SEO/SEM, marketing automation, email marketing, social media, and overall digital presence.

                                    -  Drive marketing performance by analyzing campaign effectiveness, ROI, customer insights, and Net Promoter Score (NPS) data to optimize marketing strategies.

                                    - Partner cross-functionally with Sales, Engineering, Product Management, and other departments to develop technically accurate marketing materials, sales tools, and product launch strategies.

                                    - Lead new product introductions, including launch planning, advertising, packaging, public relations, sales enablement, and customer communications.

                                    - Manage the marketing budget and external agencies, vendors, and freelancers to maximize resources while maintaining quality and efficiency.

                                     - Direct corporate communications and public relations, including press releases, case studies, white papers, media relations, and thought leadership initiatives.

                                    - Provide strategic leadership by monitoring market trends, identifying growth opportunities, adopting innovative marketing technologies, and regularly reporting results and recommendations to executive leadership.

Requirements:               Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Communications, or a related field is required. An MBA or other relevant master's degree is preferred. Candidates should possess a minimum of 10 years of progressive marketing experience, including strategic planning, brand management, digital marketing, product marketing, and campaign execution, with at least five years of experience leading and developing high-performing teams. Experience managing cross-functional initiatives, agency and vendor relationships, and marketing budgets is expected. Experience within the automotive, commercial vehicle, manufacturing, or industrial products industry is preferred, while experience with merchandising and new product launches is considered a plus. Professional certifications such as Project Management Professional (PMP), Google Ads Search or Display Certification, Google Analytics, HubSpot, or other digital marketing certifications are desirable but not required.

                                    Demonstrated proficiency with modern marketing technologies, including marketing automation platforms, email marketing systems (such as Mailchimp or similar), social media management and analytics tools (such as Hootsuite or similar), and Google Ads. Strong knowledge of digital marketing best practices, including SEO/SEM, keyword research, conversion tracking, and campaign analytics. Advanced proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, particularly Teams, Excel, and PowerPoint, is required, while experience with Adobe Creative Suite and website content management or HTML-based systems is preferred. Candidates should possess strong project management skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple concurrent initiatives in a fast-paced environment. An understanding of B2B marketing, complex sales cycles, and manufacturing or industrial markets is preferred. The successful candidate will demonstrate exceptional analytical abilities, using data and performance metrics to identify trends, measure return on investment, and drive strategic marketing decisions.