Job description

ABOUT US Haystack News is the leading news streaming platform, connecting 40+ million viewers to local, national, and world news. We’re redefining how people consume news—personalized, free, and on-demand—across mobile, web, and connected TVs. We partner with hundreds of broadcasters and are expanding into premium experiences that combine innovation, trust, and convenience. We’re looking for a Head of Marketing to lead Haystack’s next phase of growth—building awareness, deepening engagement, growing our new subscription business, and shaping our story across platforms. ABOUT THE ROLE This is a high-impact, hands-on leadership role for a creative and analytical marketer who thrives in startup environments. You’ll define and drive Haystack’s marketing strategy across performance, brand, lifecycle, partnerships, and PR. You’ll lead a small but mighty team to develop campaigns that attract new audiences, scale our Premium subscription business, and strengthen loyalty among millions of viewers. This is a player-coach, hands-on role. You’ll own everything from paid acquisition and lifecycle marketing to messaging, creative, and comms. You’ll shape our story, measure what matters, and move fast. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Marketing Strategy & Leadership: Develop and execute a holistic data-driven marketing strategy that integrates awareness, performance, and retention channels across mobile, CTV, and web. - Brand & Consumer Marketing: Build and evolve Haystack’s brand identity as the most trusted and personalized way to watch the news. Oversee storytelling across all touchpoints, from social to product messaging. - Performance & Growth Marketing: Lead campaigns to drive installs, engagement, and subscriptions on web and mobile using paid, organic, and partnership channels. - Affiliate & Influencer Programs: Launch and scale a creator-driven affiliate program that engages journalists, podcasters, and news influencers. - Public Relations & Thought Leadership: Shape Haystack’s industry voice through earned media, events, and thought leadership around FAST, local news innovation, and AI personalization. - Data & Insights: Partner with analytics and product teams to define marketing KPIs, optimize creative performance, and measure LTV across campaigns. - Team Development: Build and mentor a small, nimble marketing team capable of executing across creative, performance, and comms. QUALIFICATIONS - 8+ years of marketing experience, including leadership in consumer growth, performance, or brand marketing (preferably in streaming, media, or DTC). - Proven experience building campaigns from 0→1 reaching millions of users with limited resources and high creativity. - Strong analytical skills with a proven track record of meeting or exceeding CAC and RoAS targets. - Strong understanding of both brand storytelling and data-driven marketing. - Experience with mobile attribution tools (MMPs) and analytics platforms. - Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with experience pitching and managing press or agencies. - Startup or small-team background highly preferred; thrives in hands-on environments. WHY JOIN HAYSTACK - Lead marketing at a top-ranked streaming app transforming how people consume news and information. - Build and scale the team and playbook from the ground up. - Work with an experienced leadership team that values experimentation, autonomy, and creativity. - Be part of a mission-driven company championing trusted journalism and smarter news consumption. WHO SHOULD NOT APPLY - Big-Company Marketers: If you need large teams, big budgets, agencies on speed dial, or six-month approval cycles to get anything done. - Brand-Only Storytellers: If you focus solely on storytelling without grounding your strategy in metrics, payback periods, and performance insights. - Hands-Off: If your default mode is delegation over doing, and you’re not excited to roll up your sleeves.

Requirements

Must-haves

This is a player-coach, hands-on role. You’ll own everything from paid acquisition and lifecycle marketing to messaging, creative, and comms. You’ll shape our story, measure what matters, and move fast.
Develop and execute a holistic data-driven marketing strategy that integrates awareness, performance, and retention channels across mobile, CTV, and web.
Build and evolve Haystack’s brand identity as the most trusted and personalized way to watch the news. Oversee storytelling across all touchpoints, from social to product messaging.
Lead campaigns to drive installs, engagement, and subscriptions on web and mobile using paid, organic, and partnership channels.
Launch and scale a creator-driven affiliate program that engages journalists, podcasters, and news influencers.
Shape Haystack’s industry voice through earned media, events, and thought leadership around FAST, local news innovation, and AI personalization.
Partner with analytics and product teams to define marketing KPIs, optimize creative performance, and measure LTV across campaigns.
Build and mentor a small, nimble marketing team capable of executing across creative, performance, and comms.
8+ years of marketing experience, including leadership in consumer growth, performance, or brand marketing (preferably in streaming, media, or DTC).
Proven experience building campaigns from 0→1 reaching millions of users with limited resources and high creativity.
Strong analytical skills with a proven track record of meeting or exceeding CAC and RoAS targets.
Strong understanding of both brand storytelling and data-driven marketing.
Experience with mobile attribution tools (MMPs) and analytics platforms.
Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with experience pitching and managing press or agencies.
Lead marketing at a top-ranked streaming app transforming how people consume news and information.
Build and scale the team and playbook from the ground up.
Work with an experienced leadership team that values experimentation, autonomy, and creativity.
Be part of a mission-driven company championing trusted journalism and smarter news consumption.
Big-Company Marketers: If you need large teams, big budgets, agencies on speed dial, or six-month approval cycles to get anything done.
Brand-Only Storytellers: If you focus solely on storytelling without grounding your strategy in metrics, payback periods, and performance insights.
Hands-Off: If your default mode is delegation over doing, and you’re not excited to roll up your sleeves.

Nice-to-haves

Startup or small-team background highly preferred; thrives in hands-on environments.

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Keywords to mirror

Platform: ashby
Effort: quick