Experience in a marketing role within the San Francisco Bay Area, ideally in-person.
Technical fluency in AI, cloud, or data infrastructure to engage with engineers.
Ability to operate autonomously at a senior level, managing multiple projects.
Proactive and resourceful mindset, capable of overcoming obstacles.
Existing connections in the Bay Area AI, startup, VC, or open-source communities are a plus.
Responsibilities
Own and manage Aiven's Bay Area community meetup program, including sourcing speakers and co-hosts.
Collaborate with the sales team to build a local network of speakers, partners, and ecosystem contacts.
Develop and implement brand presence strategies in a competitive market, including guerrilla marketing tactics.
Cultivate relationships with the VC, accelerator, and founder communities to enhance networking opportunities.
Oversee logistics for flagship conference sponsorships and identify speaking opportunities for Aiven.
Work with PR and communications teams to amplify Aiven's presence in the region.
Track and report on the effectiveness of community programs and local engagement metrics.
Benefits
Participate in Aiven's equity plan.
Enjoy a hybrid work policy for better work-life balance.
Choose your own equipment to enhance productivity.
Access a Professional Development Plan budget for learning.
Receive support through a global Employee Assistance Program.
Inquire about comprehensive Global Time Off policies.
Benefit from country-specific perks tailored to local needs.
Full Job Description
Aiven is building a physical presence in the San Francisco Bay Area to win the companies now forming their AI infrastructure stacks. The Bay Area Marketing Lead is the on-the-ground owner of that plan: the single accountable driver of community, brand and event strategy in the territory, working alongside the Strategic Account Executive.
You'll own both the strategy and the execution across several concurrent workstreams deciding how Aiven builds relationships, shows up and stands out in a crowded Bay Area market.
What you'll do
Own and run Aiven's Bay Area community meetup program (monthly, scaling to twice monthly): decide the format and cadence, source practitioner and external speakers, and recruit non-competing co-host partners. Speakers should be majority external practitioners, not just Aiven staff.
Tag-team with the local sales team to build and maintain the Bay Area speaker, partner and ecosystem network. You're jointly responsible for who Aiven knows in the territory.
Set the strategy for how Aiven builds brand presence in the Bay Area. Decide who we need to know (influencers, partners, press/analysts, other relevant local companies), where we need to show up, and what will actually get attention in a market already saturated with competitor noise. This includes owning billboard/OOH and guerrilla marketing (e.g. murals, street activations and similar).
Build relationships with the Bay Area's VC, accelerator and founder community and feed those relationships into the meetup and partner network above.
Support flagship conference presence. Manage sponsorship logistics and identify speaking-slot opportunities for Aiven's team, partnering with PR/comms to land them.
Work with Aiven's PR and comms teams to amplify our voice in the region.
Track and report on program health: RSVP-to-attendance rate, pipeline sourced or influenced with target accounts and local press mentions/coverage.
What we're looking for
Based in and experience working in a similar marketing role in the San Francisco Bay Area. This is an in-person role by design.
Enough technical fluency in AI, cloud or data infrastructure to hold a credible conversation, vet talks and earn respect from engineers. This is someone with technical chops who can find and win over the right people in a new market.
Senior-level autonomy: you'll be the sole on-the-ground owner of multiple concurrent workstreams and expected to set direction as much as execute against it.
Dogged and resourceful: an out-of-the-box thinker who's genuinely proactive, doesn't wait to be told what to do and doesn't let blockers stop them. When the obvious path is closed they find another way forward.
Nice to have:
Existing relationships in the Bay Area AI-native/startup, VC or open-source data community.
Global Benefits:
Our global benefits are designed to help you thrive and grow, personally and professionally:
Participate in Aiven's equity plan.
Balance work and life with our hybrid work policy.
Choose the equipment you need to set yourself up for success.
Use your Professional Development Plan budget for learning opportunities.
Receive holistic wellbeing support through our global Employee Assistance Program.
Inquire about our Global Time Off Commitment (Parental and Sick Leave, as well as Personal Time)
Enjoy country-specific benefits for our global cast.
