Interim Director of Marketing

Caraway Home•New York, NY

About The Position

Caraway Home is hiring an experienced Brand Marketing leader to step into an interim role covering a team leave from November 1, 2026 through April 30, 2027. This is a hands-on leadership position overseeing the day-to-day operations of our Brand Marketing team, with direct accountability to the CMO for team performance, external agency relationships, wholesale/retail marketing programs, and cross-functional execution. This role is ideal for a seasoned marketing executive who can step into an existing team structure quickly, provide steady strategic oversight without disrupting momentum, and ensure a smooth transition and handoff when the returning leader resumes the role.

Requirements

8+ years of progressive Brand Marketing experience, including people management, ideally with time spent managing managers.
Demonstrated experience leading a brand marketing function end-to-end, including budget ownership, GTM execution, and cross-functional orchestration.
Experience managing external PR/communications agencies and contributing to press strategy and materials.
Experience with wholesale/retail marketing programs, ideally with major retail partners (e.g., big-box or specialty retail).
Strong judgment on when to escalate vs. decide, with a track record of partnering effectively with senior leadership (CMO or equivalent).
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience delivering concise, structured status updates to executive stakeholders.
Comfortable stepping into an existing team and operating rhythm quickly, with minimal ramp-up time.
Experience with performance management and providing coaching/feedback to direct reports.

Responsibilities

Manage day-to-day operations of the Brand Marketing team across all three direct reports and their extended teams.
Provide strategic oversight and decision-making support to direct reports on budget, timelines, people management, prioritization, GTM execution, and cross-functional decisions, escalating anything outside existing parameters to the CMO.
Manage the relationship with external PR and communications agency and contractor(s), ensuring continuity across messaging, press opportunities, and deliverables.
Provide strategic input on press materials, including press releases, talking points, pitches, messaging, and other external communications, ensuring alignment with brand positioning and priorities.
Support the partnership funnel, including high-level vetting of inbound opportunities, routing and prioritizing requests, and providing marketing guidance on partnership initiatives as needed.
Provide retail marketing guidance and support to the Wholesale team, including Crate & Barrel, Target, and Walmart marketing program oversight, and additional needs as they arise.
Support the flow of information and plans across teams so cross-functional leads have what they need, and so the Brand Marketing team's deadlines and commitments are honored in return.
Ensure ongoing work stays aligned with existing brand guidelines and voice.
Partner with the CMO on any performance management needs that arise, keep detailed notes after 1:1s, and share flags early.
Provide regular updates to the CMO on team status, key wins, risks, and any decisions needing input, maintaining a consistent pulse check throughout the engagement.