At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead marketing strategies for multiple AI and SaaS startups, shaping brand narratives and growth engines.
- Company: AINAD, a UK-based venture studio focused on scaling AI-native companies.
- Benefits: Flexible work structure, competitive pay, and significant autonomy in your role.
- Other info: Opportunity to define marketing DNA for multiple startups and avoid common pitfalls.
- Why this job: Make a real impact across various innovative ventures while collaborating with ambitious founders.
- Qualifications: Senior marketing experience in startups, especially in B2B SaaS or AI products.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 100000 £ per year.
AINAD is looking for a Chief Marketing Officer-in-Residence to build our marketing capability and help our portfolio companies design and execute world-class go-to-market strategies.
About AINAD: AINAD is a UK-based venture studio that builds and scales AI-native, tech-enabled companies across sectors like health, education, fintech and sustainability. We act as a hands-on co‑founder to our ventures, providing product, engineering, growth, capital and operating support so they can move from concept to scale faster and with more structure.
The Role: As CMO-in-Residence, you will be the senior marketing leader across the studio. You will shape AINAD’s own brand and narrative while working directly with selected portfolio ventures to define positioning, build GTM strategies and create repeatable growth engines. This is not a narrow “one brand” CMO role; it’s a strategist–operator position for someone who enjoys switching contexts and building from first principles across multiple startups. It’s ideal for a senior marketing leader (CMO/VP Marketing/Head of Growth) who wants to apply their experience across several AI and SaaS ventures rather than a single company.
What You’ll Do:
- Define and refine AINAD’s brand positioning, narrative and messaging across website, decks, socials and ecosystem presence.
- Act as a senior marketing partner to founders in the studio, especially for ventures in zero-to-one and one-to-early-scale stages.
- Help portfolio companies define ICPs, segmentation, positioning, messaging and launch strategies.
- Design and oversee early demand-generation systems (content, lifecycle, performance channels, partnerships, community), appropriate to stage and model.
- Build GTM playbooks and frameworks (channel testing, CAC/payback discipline, funnel analysis, experimentation) that can be reused across ventures.
- Translate complex, technical products into clear, compelling narratives for customers, investors and partners.
- Support hiring and structuring of initial marketing teams for high-potential ventures (including advising on agencies vs in-house vs fractional talent).
- Coach founders and early marketing hires on strategy, metrics, execution quality and operating cadence.
- Increase AINAD’s visibility in founder, investor and ecosystem communities via content, events, partnerships and thought leadership.
- Define marketing KPIs, reporting and insight loops at both studio and venture level to inform strategic decisions.
What We’re Looking For:
- Significant senior marketing experience (CMO, VP Marketing, Head of Marketing/Growth) in startups or scale-ups, ideally in B2B SaaS and/or AI-led products.
- Track record of building GTM strategies and marketing systems for early-stage or scaling companies (positioning, launch, demand gen, funnel optimisation).
- Experience working across multiple products/business units or in a fractional/consulting capacity, comfortable context-switching while maintaining depth.
- Strong strengths in positioning, messaging and storytelling – able to create clear narratives from complex technology.
- Hands-on familiarity with modern demand-gen tools and motions (content-led growth, performance, lifecycle, outbound-adjacent, partner-led, PLG hybrids).
- Commercially minded and data literate – comfortable with CAC, payback, funnel metrics, channel trade-offs and stage-appropriate targets.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder skills; able to build trust quickly with founders, investors, and specialist partners.
- Low ego, high ownership; comfortable oscillating between strategic advisory and rolling up sleeves to ship assets, campaigns or playbooks.
What We Offer:
- A “CMO with leverage” role: apply your experience across multiple AI and SaaS ventures rather than a single company.
- Significant autonomy to design how marketing operates at both studio and portfolio level.
- Close collaboration with founders, builders and investors working on ambitious, AI-native products.
- Flexible structure (full-time or high-commitment fractional, to be agreed) with competitive compensation and upside aligned to impact.
- A chance to define the GTM DNA of a venture studio and help multiple startups avoid common marketing and growth pitfalls.
Location: Hybrid / flexible, with a preference for candidates who can spend meaningful time in the UK (especially London) and occasionally join in-person sessions with founders and the studio team. If you’re a senior marketer who loves building category stories, GTM systems and growth engines – and you want to do that across several early-stage ventures, we’d love to hear from you. Please apply with your CV/LinkedIn and a short note on why this CMO-in-Residence role at AINAD appeals to you.
CMO-in-Residence in London employer: AINAD
AINAD is an exceptional employer for those seeking to make a significant impact in the AI and tech sectors. With a unique opportunity to work across multiple startups, employees enjoy a collaborative culture that fosters innovation and creativity, alongside flexible working arrangements and competitive compensation. The company prioritises personal growth, offering autonomy in shaping marketing strategies while providing support from experienced founders and investors, making it an ideal environment for ambitious marketing leaders.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land CMO-in-Residence in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential contacts on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on your dream job!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your expertise! Create content that showcases your knowledge in marketing, especially around GTM strategies and AI. Whether it’s a blog post, a video, or even a podcast, sharing your insights can attract attention from companies like AINAD looking for someone just like you.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive! Don’t just wait for job postings to appear. Research companies you admire, like AINAD, and reach out directly. Express your interest in their work and how you could contribute as a CMO-in-Residence. A little initiative can go a long way!
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare for interviews by practising your storytelling skills. You’ll need to convey complex ideas simply and compellingly, especially when discussing your experience with GTM strategies. Use examples from your past roles to illustrate your points and show how you can add value.
We think you need these skills to ace CMO-in-Residence in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for the CMO-in-Residence role shine through. We want to see why this position excites you and how your experience aligns with our mission at AINAD.
Tailor Your CV:Make sure your CV is tailored to highlight your relevant experience in building GTM strategies and marketing systems. We’re looking for specific examples that demonstrate your ability to switch contexts and work across multiple ventures.
Craft a Compelling Note:Alongside your CV, include a short note explaining why you’re the perfect fit for this role. Be clear and concise, and don’t forget to mention how you can contribute to AINAD’s brand and portfolio companies.
Apply Through Our Website:We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity to shape the future of multiple startups.
How to prepare for a job interview at AINAD
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into AINAD's portfolio and understand their ventures. Familiarise yourself with their brand positioning and go-to-market strategies. This will not only show your genuine interest but also help you discuss how your experience aligns with their needs.
✨Showcase Your Versatility
As a CMO-in-Residence, you'll be switching contexts often. Prepare examples from your past roles where you've successfully adapted your marketing strategies across different products or sectors. Highlight your ability to build from first principles and how that can benefit AINAD's diverse ventures.
✨Bring Data to the Table
Be ready to discuss key metrics like CAC, payback periods, and funnel optimisation. AINAD is looking for someone who is commercially minded and data literate, so come prepared with examples of how you've used data to drive marketing decisions and improve performance in previous roles.
✨Craft Your Narrative
You’ll need to translate complex tech into compelling stories. Prepare a few narratives that showcase your storytelling skills, especially around AI and SaaS products. This will demonstrate your ability to create clear messaging that resonates with customers, investors, and partners alike.
