Director of Marketing in Durham

The Director of Marketing is a strategic, data-driven leader who owns all client/patient acquisition and urgent care awareness marketing for Truss Vet. You'll build and execute a comprehensive marketing strategy grounded in measurable KPIs such as patient volume growth, care partner volume, reach, brand awareness, and cost per acquisition. You'll manage a small but growing team, oversee the HQ marketing budget, provide guidance on clinic-level marketing spend, and own the full spectrum of digital marketing execution: paid search, social media advertising, analytics, and reporting. This is a first-time role, which means you will have the opportunity to build out the Marketing function for Truss Vet! This is a hybrid role (3 days in person) based at our Durham, NC headquarters, designed for someone who thrives at the intersection of strategic thinking and hands-on execution. The individual filling this role should be equally comfortable presenting data-backed strategy to leadership and diving into campaign optimization.

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Location: Durham, NC (Hybrid - 3 days in office)

Direct Reports: Care Partner Relationship Manager, Marketing Coordinator

Key Responsibilities

• Marketing Strategy & Growth (40%)
  • Develop and execute a data-driven annual marketing strategy aligned with company growth targets and clinic expansion plans.
  • Define clear, measurable KPIs for patient acquisition, awareness, reach, and cost per acquisition; establish benchmarks and track performance across all channels.
  • Analyze market penetration, competitive positioning, and growth opportunities within current and expansion markets (NC, SC, TN scaling to 10 markets).
  • Identify the channels (organic social, paid social, search, local activation, partnerships) that drive the highest ROI for patient acquisition in different markets.
  • Translate strategy into quarterly plans and campaign roadmaps; adjust based on performance data and market feedback.
  • Partner with clinical operations and the Care Partner Relationship Manager to align marketing efforts with clinical capacity and care partner development.
  • Build and own a repeatable new-clinic launch marketing playbook, covering pre-opening awareness, grand-opening activation, and a 90-day ramp plan to target patient volume, for each new market entry.
• Digital Marketing Execution & Management (35%)
  • Own all Ad strategy, setup, optimization, and reporting (Google, Meta, etc.).
  • Manage paid search and social campaigns across all clinic locations and markets to drive qualified patient visits.
  • Conduct ongoing A/B testing, audience segmentation, and bid optimization to improve campaign efficiency and reduce cost per acquisition.
  • Devise, optimize, and maintain reporting on campaign performance, channel mix, and budget allocation across HQ and clinic-level spend.
  • Ensure accurate tracking and attribution across all digital channels.
  • Stay current on platform changes (Google, Meta, search algorithm updates) and adapt strategy accordingly.
• Team Leadership & Operations (15%)
  • Mentor and develop the Marketing Coordinator to build internal capabilities and support for marketing activities.
  • Manage the Care Partner Relationship Manager's alignment with overall marketing strategy and messaging.
  • Establish marketing processes, templates, and systems that scale as the company grows.
  • Oversee HQ marketing budget and provide recommendations for clinic-level marketing spend allocation.
  • Generate monthly overviews for clinic leadership on marketing performance and budget accountability.
• Content & Brand Execution (10%)
  • Develop and execute the content calendar for organic social media posts (and/or direct the Marketing Coordinator with oversight).
  • Ensure consistent messaging around urgent care value proposition, brand voice, and company values across all marketing materials.
  • Work cross-functionally with clinical leadership to identify compelling stories and use cases for patient awareness campaigns.
  • Brief creative partners or designers on campaign needs and brand guidelines.

You're a Great Fit If:

• You're strategically minded but operationally hands-on. You can build a marketing strategy and also jump in to optimize a campaign.
• You're obsessed with data and ROI. You make decisions based on metrics, not intuition.
• You've scaled marketing from scrappy to sophisticated. You've worked in a growth-stage company where you built systems, processes, and reporting infrastructure.
• You understand healthcare or veterinary marketing. You have direct experience marketing healthcare services, B2B healthcare partnerships, or veterinary services.
• You're organized, detail-oriented, and systems-driven. You track campaign performance, manage multiple campaigns simultaneously, and maintain reporting discipline.
• You have a growth mindset. You're constantly learning new platforms, tactics, and marketing tools.
• You are tied to Truss Vet’s mission. You believe in Truss Vet's mission to transform veterinary urgent care and want to be instrumental in our growth.

Qualified Candidates May Include:

• Marketing leaders or senior marketers from healthcare, SaaS, or veterinary/pet health companies with 10+ years of marketing experience.
• Professionals with direct experience managing paid search and social advertising campaigns at scale.
• People who've built marketing functions from the ground up in growth-stage companies.
• Experienced marketing operators comfortable with both strategy and hands-on execution.

Key Skills:

• Expert proficiency with Google Ads, Meta Ads, Google Analytics, and marketing dashboards.
• Strong Excel/data analysis skills (no advanced analytics degree required; pragmatic data mindset or interest in learning more about analytics required).
• Experience with marketing automation, CRM, or clinic management software (preferred).
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities in a fast-moving environment.
• Written and verbal communication skills.

Compensation & Benefits:

• Competitive salary (commensurate with experience).
• Health, vision, and dental insurance.
• Short- and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, accident insurance, and critical illness insurance.
• Paid time off (PTO).
• Mental wellness subscription.
• Parental leave.
• 401K + match.
• Pet care discounts.

If you’ve made it this far (you’ve passed your first test), and we can’t wait to meet you! For more information, visit www.trussvet.com.