Strategic Marketing Director

Strategic Marketing Director

Position Information

Position Title: Strategic Marketing Director
Department: 45Drives Marketing (USA)
Company: 45Drives Ltd.
Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
Work Arrangement: Full-Time, In-Office
Employment Type: Permanent, Full-Time
Shift: Day Shift
Level: Senior Manager / Supervisor

About Us

45Drives is changing the way organizations store data.

Instead of locking customers into proprietary software, we build enterprise storage solutions using open-source software and commodity hardware—giving customers flexibility, transparency, and long-term value without vendor lock-in.

45Drives is part of Protocase Inc., an innovative manufacturing and technology company with more than 400 employees serving over 16,000 customers worldwide, including organizations such as NASA, Boeing, Google, Apple, Microsoft, MIT, and many more.

Learn more:

• 🌐 https://www.45drives.com

About the Role

Help Shape the Future

This is not a traditional marketing leadership role.

This role extends far beyond campaign approvals, budget oversight, and task delegation. You will play a key role in defining marketing strategy, influencing business growth, and building initiatives that create lasting impact.

Instead, you'll spend your time discovering opportunities.

You'll meet with customers.

You'll ask thoughtful questions.

You'll identify patterns others miss.

You'll work alongside Engineering, Product Development, Sales, Executive Leadership, and Marketing to transform customer insights into business strategy.

Some of your best ideas may become entirely new products.

Others may redefine how we position ourselves in the marketplace.

Either way, your influence will extend far beyond marketing.

As Strategic Marketing Director, you'll help shape the future direction of both 45Drives and Protocase, ensuring our voice, products, and strategy remain closely aligned with the needs of our customers and the markets we serve.

What You'll Do

• Develop marketing strategies that support long-term business growth across Protocase and 45Drives.
• Build a deep understanding of our customers by actively engaging in customer conversations and uncovering unmet needs.
• Transform customer insights into product positioning, messaging, campaigns, and future opportunities.
• Identify emerging technologies, industries, competitive landscapes, and market trends that influence company strategy.
• Collaborate closely with Executive Leadership, Engineering, Sales, Product Development, and customer-facing teams.
• Challenge conventional thinking and encourage innovation throughout the organization.
• Guide strategic marketing initiatives while empowering your team to execute exceptional work.
• Strengthen our brand presence and shape how customers experience both companies.
• Evaluate new ideas with equal parts creativity and business discipline.
• Foster a culture built on curiosity, continuous learning, experimentation, and measurable results.
• Translate complex technical concepts into compelling customer stories that resonate with decision-makers.
• Help influence product strategy by bringing the customer's voice directly into the business.

What You Need (Required Qualifications)

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Engineering, Computer Science, Communications, or a related field is preferred.
• Equivalent professional experience will absolutely be considered.

Experience

• Significant strategic B2B marketing experience within technology, manufacturing, engineering, enterprise software, infrastructure, or another complex industry.
• Experience developing market positioning, product messaging, go-to-market strategies, and growth initiatives.
• Experience collaborating across multiple business functions to influence organizational strategy.
• Experience leading marketing initiatives that produced measurable business outcomes.

Technical Skills

• Strong business acumen with the ability to connect customer needs to business opportunities.
• Outstanding communication, storytelling, and presentation skills.
• Ability to simplify complex technical concepts into compelling customer value.
• Exceptional strategic thinking and analytical problem-solving abilities.
• Experience influencing without relying solely on organizational authority.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire high-performing teams.
• Comfortable interpreting market research, customer feedback, and business data to guide decision-making.

Certifications / Licences

• None required.

Other Requirements

• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States.
• Ability to work full-time on-site in Wilmington, North Carolina.

What Would Be Considered an Asset (Nice-to-Have Qualifications)

• Experience within enterprise storage, cloud infrastructure, data management, cybersecurity, AI, or open-source technology markets.
• Experience working closely with engineering or product development teams.
• Experience launching technical products into global B2B markets.
• Familiarity with manufacturing or industrial technology environments.
• Experience conducting customer interviews, market research, or Voice of Customer (VoC) initiatives.
• Experience building brands within high-growth technology organizations.
• MBA or advanced education in Marketing, Business, or Strategy.

Who You Are

You're someone who naturally asks:

• "What if?"
• "Why?"
• "What are we missing?"

You enjoy solving difficult problems and don't wait for someone else to hand you the answers.

You love talking with customers—not because you're selling, but because you're learning.

You thrive when you have the freedom to think strategically while remaining connected to the day-to-day realities of the business.

You're confident enough to challenge ideas and humble enough to seek feedback.

Most importantly, you enjoy helping others bring great ideas to life.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role isn't measured by the number of campaigns you launch.

It's measured by the impact you have on the business.

Within your first year, you'll be successful when:

• Customers influence our strategy because you took the time to truly listen.
• Marketing helps shape future products—not just promote existing ones.
• New ideas become meaningful business opportunities.
• Teams across the organization actively seek your perspective because of your strategic thinking.
• Your work strengthens collaboration between Marketing, Sales, Engineering, Product Development, and Leadership.
• You help Protocase and 45Drives continue growing into globally recognized technology leaders.

Why Us?

At 45Drives, we believe in recognizing and rewarding people who think differently, challenge assumptions, and help move our business forward.

Our starting annual total compensation package—including base salary and performance incentives—ranges from $180,000 to $205,000 USD, depending on experience.

In addition, you can look forward to:

🏆 Training & Growth: Leadership development, executive coaching, and opportunities to influence the strategic direction of two rapidly growing technology companies.

👩‍⚕️ Comprehensive Health Care: Medical, Dental, Life Insurance, and Group Insurance available after two months of full-time employment.

🏖️ Vacation: Start with two weeks of paid vacation, increasing to three weeks after three years and four weeks after five years.

🏡 Community Discounts: Access exclusive deals at local businesses.

🏋️ Wellness Support: Participate in wellness initiatives and enjoy access to a gym membership.

🎉 Social Events: Join a growing team that values collaboration, celebrates success, and enjoys regular team lunches and company events.

🌊 Wilmington Lifestyle: Embrace coastal living with stunning beaches, a vibrant downtown, rich culture, and a thriving innovation community.

If you're energized by curiosity, inspired by innovation, and passionate about helping shape the future—not just marketing it—we'd love to hear from you.