Marketing Lead (Founding Marketing Hire)

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Marketing Lead (Founding Marketing Hire) based in Netherlands.

This is a high-ownership opportunity to build a marketing function from the ground up within a fast-growing deep-tech <environment.You> will own the strategy and execution required to create a scalable inbound engine and generate qualified pipeline.Working closely with sales and leadership, you will connect marketing activity directly to revenue and commercial outcomes.The role is highly hands-on, giving you the opportunity to execute campaigns yourself rather than manage agencies or a large <team.You> will establish foundational processes, define the marketing budget, and determine which channels and strategies can drive sustainable growth.With access to modern AI-enabled marketing technology and direct exposure to leadership, your work will have immediate visibility and <impact.As> the organization expands, you will have the opportunity to shape and eventually lead the broader marketing function.

Accountabilities

• Build and manage an inbound lead-generation engine from the ground up across SEO, Google Ads, email marketing, industry events, and trade shows.
• Develop and execute marketing strategies designed to generate qualified leads and measurable sales pipeline.
• Personally execute campaigns and tactical marketing activities, maintaining a hands-on approach rather than relying primarily on external agencies.
• Work closely with sales to improve lead quality, establish effective lead handoff processes, and align marketing activity with pipeline objectives.
• Develop and present the organization's first marketing budget, including strategic priorities, channel investments, and expected commercial outcomes.
• Establish foundational marketing processes, systems, reporting, and best practices that can scale as the business grows.
• Evaluate campaign performance using metrics such as MQLs, SQLs, conversion rates, pipeline contribution, and revenue impact.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the go-to-market motion, including potential shifts toward account-based marketing and other targeted approaches.
• Build marketing programs that effectively communicate complex technical products to industrial and technical audiences.
• Collaborate directly with leadership to shape marketing strategy and determine priorities in a high-growth environment.
• Leverage AI-enabled marketing tools and modern technology to improve campaign execution, efficiency, personalization, and performance.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience building a marketing function from scratch within a startup or scale-up environment.
• Previous experience as a first or early marketing hire, with a track record of personally executing marketing initiatives rather than primarily managing large teams.
• Hands-on expertise across SEO, paid media including Google Ads, email marketing, and industry events or trade shows.
• Strong understanding of demand generation and inbound marketing, with a clear focus on qualified pipeline rather than awareness alone.
• Experience operating effectively with limited resources, evolving priorities, and a high degree of ambiguity.
• Strong commercial mindset and ability to connect marketing activities to measurable business outcomes.
• Experience working closely with sales teams and creating effective marketing-to-sales processes.
• Proven ability to define, track, and communicate personally owned performance metrics such as pipeline growth, MQLs, SQLs, and conversion rates.
• Excellent strategic thinking combined with strong execution skills and a willingness to remain hands-on.
• Experience in deep-tech, hardware, robotics, industrial B2B, or similarly technical markets is highly valued.
• Previous sales experience is a strong advantage, particularly for candidates who naturally approach marketing through a pipeline and revenue lens.
• Experience transforming a go-to-market motion, such as implementing or transitioning toward an ABM strategy, is beneficial.
• German language skills and/or experience working in the DACH or Swiss market are advantageous.

Benefits

• Fully remote working arrangement across the US, Canada, or Europe.
• CET time-zone overlap is advantageous for collaboration.
• Performance-based variable compensation tied to pipeline and ARR.
• Equity participation.
• Direct access to leadership and significant ownership over marketing strategy.
• Opportunity to build a complete marketing function from the ground up.
• Modern AI-enabled marketing technology and a well-developed GTM technology stack.
• Clear growth path toward leading the broader marketing function as the business expands.
• High visibility and direct impact within a lean, fast-growing organization.
• Opportunity to shape marketing processes, strategy, budget, and team structure from an early stage.