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Salary: USD 220,000 - 250,000 / annual
Blackbird Labs is a loyalty and payments platform connecting restaurants with their customers through a customizable loyalty program and consumer app. Founded in 2022 by Ben Leventhal (co-founder of Eater and Resy), Blackbird is backed by Union Square Ventures, a16z, Amex Ventures, and Variant Fund.
As Director of Marketing, you will set the strategic vision for Blackbird's brand and own its execution across all marketing disciplines: brand, communications, and consumer growth. You'll define how Blackbird presents itself to the world—from press mentions to events—ensuring consistency across every touchpoint with diners and restaurant partners. This is a builder role where brand foundations are established, and you'll chart the direction forward while ensuring all teams and channels align.
You'll operate at both strategic and tactical levels: setting the marketing vision while staying close enough to execution to ensure it ships.
**Key Responsibilities:**
Brand: Own the Blackbird brand voice and identity across consumer channels. Develop culturally credible campaigns (copy, visual, experiential). Build Blackbird's presence in key cities and dining communities. Partner with the Restaurants team to ensure brand work serves both sides of the network.
PR & Communications: Own Blackbird's external narrative—press, media relationships, and executive visibility for Ben and leadership. Build and run a proactive PR strategy keeping Blackbird in dining, tech, and culture press conversations. Manage relationships with PR agencies, freelance writers, and media contacts. Prepare messaging and talking points for press moments, partnership announcements, and crisis response. Partner with Partnerships and Restaurants teams on co-branded announcements.
Consumer Growth: Drive diner acquisition across paid, owned, and earned channels. Set and hit growth targets for app downloads, new user activation, and retention. Build performance marketing capability without sacrificing brand. Work closely with product on onboarding, in-app messaging, and lifecycle.
Team & Operations: Lead and develop a small in-house team. Manage agency and contractor relationships. Own the marketing budget and report on performance. Generate reporting and make data-driven strategic decisions.
**Requirements:**
- 8+ years of marketing experience with meaningful time in consumer-facing roles
- 5+ years of leadership experience with a builder's mindset
- Proven ability to build brands people care about (affinity, not just awareness)
- Strong storytelling and communications instincts, including experience building or running PR/earned-media strategy
- Strong performance marketing skills; ability to drive acquisition at scale
- Experience at a high-growth startup; ability to operate with limited resources and high expectations
- Writer's sensibility; ability to identify and improve copy
- Passion for restaurants, food culture, and hospitality
**Nice to Haves:**
- Experience in a two-sided marketplace
- Background in loyalty, rewards, or payments
- Existing media relationships and press experience in food, hospitality, or consumer tech
- NYC market experience and existing relationships in the dining space
