Marketing Manager for SBA & National Lending

At Stearns Bank, we’re helping people, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and local communities nationwide reach their full financial potential. Sound like something you want to be a part of? If so, we’re currently looking for a Marketing Manager for SBA & National Lending. This is a Connected Mobile Work Environment. 

Come see how we’re doing business unusual and charting our own path to reimagine a more inclusive financial services and banking ecosystem for all.

BENEFITS

Stearns Bank understands and respects that everyone is managing unique career, family, and wellness needs. That’s why we offer industry-leading benefits to employees to help them live healthy lives and bring their full selves to work every day. Benefits may vary for part-time positions. Some of those benefits include:

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan & 401k Plan 

• Healthcare (Medical, Dental, Vision, Telehealth, Life insurance)

• 12-week Paid Parental Leave and Medical Leave: With a cap of 20 weeks for eligible team members who qualify for both Medical and Parental Leave related to the birth of a child.

• $5,000 Family Care Reimbursement: Childcare, Elder Care, Student Loan Debt, Pet expenses, Down Payment Assistance

• PTO from 13 to 23 days depending on tenure. Cashout and Carryover options

• 10 Days Sick Time

• 11 Paid Holidays

• 4 Days Volunteer Time

• 2 Days Self Allowance Time

• Tuition Assistance

For this position, we anticipate a salary range between $100,000 - $115,000. Final employment offers will be dependent upon the selected candidate’s relevant qualifications and experience.

JOB SUMMARY: Stearns Bank is seeking a dynamic and strategic, results driven Marketing Manager to serve as the leading marketing force for our SBA, National Lending, and Salaam Business units. This role will own the development, build, and execution of marketing strategies that drive growth, strengthen market positioning, and generate meaningful business results. As a key partner to business leadership, the Marketing Manager will translate business objectives and customers insights into integrated campaigns, compelling, and go-to-market strategies that build awareness, generate qualified opportunities, and deepen customer relationships, all while advancing the Stearns brand. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Brand & Marketing Strategy Development: Develop and execute comprehensive brand & marketing strategies that support the business objectives of the SBA, National Lending, and Salaam division, aligning with the overall brand positioning of Stearns Bank.
• Brand Identity Management: Maintain the visual and verbal identity of the SBA, National Lending, and Salaam division, ensuring consistency across all communication channels and touchpoints.
• Campaign Management: Conceptualize, plan, create and execute integrated marketing campaigns to promote Stearns Bank's SBA, National Lending, and Salaam division, leveraging various channels including digital, social media, events, and traditional media. This includes sourcing lists, audience and message segmentation, channel distribution, budget management, etc.
• Content Creation: Collaborate with internal stakeholders and external partners to create compelling content, including blog posts, articles, case studies, and multimedia assets, to engage target audiences and reinforce brand messaging.
• Market Research and Analysis: Conduct market research and competitive analysis to identify trends, opportunities, and challenges within the SBA, National Lending, and Salaam division, leveraging insights to inform brand strategies and tactics.
• Relationship Building: Cultivate strong relationships with key stakeholders, including clients, partners, industry associations, and media outlets, to enhance brand visibility and credibility within the SBA, National Lending, and Salaam division community.
• Performance Tracking: Monitor and analyze the performance of brand, marketing, and campaign initiatives, leveraging data-driven insights to optimize strategies and drive continuous improvement. Create meaningful reports that align with business unit, department, and company goals.
• Budget Management: Manage the budget effectively, ensuring efficient allocation of resources to maximize ROI and achieve business objectives.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Sales, Product Development, and Customer Experience, to ensure alignment of brand strategies with business goals and priorities.
• Brand Compliance: Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and brand guidelines in all brand-related activities and communications.
• Events: Research, plan, promote, coordinate and support events and tradeshows, including logistics, marketing materials, sponsorship, promotional needs and pre-and post-event activities for maximum marketing impact, lead generation and brand awareness.
• Manage print production and external vendors, coordinate estimates, timelines, specifications, proofing and delivery to ensure projects are completed accurately, on time and within budget. 
• Manage budget, invoices, PO procedures, compliance practices, and budget reconciliation.
• Anticipate project needs and potential roadblocks in advance; develop contingency plans and keep stakeholders informed proactively. Be the driving force behind launching strategic initiatives, campaigns, and executing marketing tactics that achieve goals and KPIs. 
• Build and manage marketing campaigns in Salesforce & Hubspot, including campaign setup, audience segmentation, list development, deployment coordination and performance tracking. 
• Develop targeted prospect and customer lists by understanding key audience personas, business needs, behaviors and insights to support more relevant and effective marketing efforts. 
• Maintain strong database and list hygiene practices including reviewing, organizing and refining marketing data to improve audience accuracy, marketing data to improve audience accuracy, segmentation and campaign effectiveness. 
• Develop executive-level and campaign performance reports that translate marketing data and key insights into clear results, trends, and actionable recommendations to inform business and marketing decisions.
• Seek out answers and solutions autonomously, researching best practices, testing approaches, and escalating only when genuinely necessary.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects with strong organizational rigor, consistently meeting deadlines and quality standards.
• Manage workload and project management tasks in Asana, keep up to date and accurate.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Sales, Product Development, and Customer Service to ensure brand alignment across the organization.
• Embody and champion Stearns Bank's core values, integrity, innovation, collaboration, and service excellence, in all work and stakeholder interactions.
• Supports additional projects, initiatives and responsibilities as needed to advance team and organizational goals.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business Administration, or related field (Master's degree preferred).
• In-depth Hubspot experience required, including building campaigns and all related assets, reports, lists, and website updates.
• Banking or financial industry experience preferred.
• Ability to pivot quickly, prioritize competing priorities, and provide clear actionable direction that translates into execution plans. 
• Proven experience (5+ years) in brand management, marketing, digital marketing strategy execution, or related roles, preferably within the financial services or real estate industry.
• Strong understanding of brand strategy development, brand positioning, and brand identity management principles and best practices.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, execute, and analyze integrated marketing campaigns across multiple channels.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to create compelling content for diverse audiences.
• Strategic thinker with a data-driven mindset and strong analytical skills.
• Creative problem solver with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment and manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with marketing automation platforms and analytics tools (e.g., Google Analytics, HubSpot) preferred.

REQUIREMENTS

• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 lbs. 

• Literacy in English.

• Ability to sit for extended periods of time, twist, bend, sit, walk use hands to twist, handle or feel objects, tools or controls, such as computer mouse, computer keyboard, calculator, stapler, telephone, staple puller, etc., reach with hands and arms, balance, stoop, kneel, talk or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

THE COMPANY

Founded in 1912, Stearns Financial Services Inc. (SFSI) is a $3.2 billion, independently owned financial institution with locations in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, and over 35,000 small business customers nationwide. Specializing in affordable housing financing, USDA and SBA lending, and small business and equipment financing, Stearns Bank is regularly recognized as one of the country’s top-performing banks and “Best Banks to Work For” by American Banker.

As a Star Tribune Top Workplaces award recipient and an award recipient of the Minnesota Business Magazine 100 Best Places to Work in Minnesota, Stearns takes pride in their team and holds their employees in extremely high regard. We offer a competitive salary and benefit package including our Employee Stock Ownership Program-one of the best long-term incentive programs in the nation. To learn more about Stearns Bank, visit www.StearnsBank.com

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER /AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, or creed, religion, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran’s status, status with regard to public assistance, or any other class protected by Federal, State, local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.