Chief Marketing Officer (Equity Role)

Open Cellar are on the search for an outstanding marketing lead to join us as we launch a bold, ambitious new business set to shake up the wine industry. This isn’t your average start‑up, and this certainly isn’t your average marketing role. At Open Cellar, we’re on a mission to reinvent how people discover, enjoy, and connect with wine. We’re just about ready to launch (think product in development, big ideas in place, strong momentum building) but now we need someone who can help take Open Cellar from exciting concept to category‑defining brand.

We’d love someone with strong marketing instincts, creative flair, and a clear understanding of how modern brands grow. Someone who knows how to build attention, community, and genuine excitement around a product people actually care about.

Who Are We Looking For?

Someone who is a rare blend of strategic thinker and hands‑on doer - the kind of person who can talk positioning and brand strategy in the morning, then jump into paid social, partnerships, or campaign ideas in the afternoon.

You ideally…

• Have marketing leadership experience within a start‑up or high‑growth environment i.e. you know what it takes to build momentum from scratch (and keep things moving when start‑up life inevitably gets a little chaotic).
• Know how to build and launch a brand, including positioning, storytelling, audience growth, community‑building, and go‑to‑market strategy.
• Have experience supporting fundraising, investment processes, or early‑stage growth plans whether that’s helping shape pitch decks, refining the brand story, or making a business investor‑ready.
• Feel confident across digital, social, PR, partnerships, influencer/creator marketing, and growth channels.

Location

The role is UK‑based. Open Cellar is proudly being built in Scotland, so ideally you’re within a commutable distance of Edinburgh for the occasional co‑working day, coffee, strategy session, or wine‑fuelled brainstorm (although this isn’t a deal‑breaker for the right person). We’re big believers that the best ideas often come from being in the room together every now and then.

What’s On the Table?

• Founding‑level role with meaningful equity – you’ll be in this from the beginning, with a real stake in what we’re building.
• Huge creative freedom – we’re not interested in tired corporate marketing playbooks.
• A chance to help shape a brand that feels genuinely fresh, culturally relevant, and exciting within an industry that’s long overdue for a reset.
• Huge scope for growth as the business scales.
• Unlimited holiday.

As we continue hitting key milestones and progressing toward funding goals, this role is expected to evolve into a salaried position with a broader leadership remit, competitive salary, and full benefits package aligned with your impact and contribution.

Joining Open Cellar at this stage means having genuine influence over the direction, voice, growth, and future of the brand. You won’t just be “doing marketing” – you’ll be helping shape the company itself.

If you’re excited by the idea of building something ambitious from the ground up, making serious noise in an industry overdue for disruption, and creating a brand people genuinely connect with, we’d love to hear from you.

Please send over your CV, LinkedIn, and a short note about yourself, your experience, and why you think you’d be a great fit for Open Cellar. No overly formal cover letters needed but if you think they will help/make a difference, we are happy to read them!