Marketing Innovations Associate

PAYLOCITY CORPORATION•Schaumburg, IL

8d•$49,100 - $57,900•Hybrid

About The Position

Paylocity is an award-winning provider of cloud-based HR and payroll software solutions, offering the most complete platform for the modern workforce. The company has become one of the fastest-growing HCM software providers worldwide by offering an intuitive, easy-to-use product suite that helps businesses automate and streamline HR and payroll processes, attract and retain talent, and build a strong workplace culture. While traditional HR and payroll providers automate basic HR processes such as payroll and benefits administration, Paylocity goes further by developing tools that HR and businesses need to compete for talent and deliver against the expectations of the modern workforce. As part of the Sales & Marketing team, you’ll help us solve challenges and succeed as you grow and understand the unique needs of our clients and tailor easy-to-use solutions to deliver the performance they need. With a position in Sales & Marketing, you’ll strengthen our relationships with clients, anticipate their needs, and think outside the box to unlock new possibilities. This role follows a hybrid schedule, requiring two - three days in the office at our Schaumburg, IL location and the remaining days remote each week. The in-office days are subject to business needs. Candidates must be able to commute to the office as required. The work arrangement for this role is subject to change based on business needs and individual performance. This may include adjustments to on-site requirements or schedule expectations, as necessary. Position Overview Marketing is evolving rapidly, with new technologies, platforms, and audience expectations shaping how companies engage with the market. To stay ahead, Paylocity is investing in a dedicated team focused on innovation, experimentation, and new ways of working. The Marketing Innovation Associate is part of a newly established “Marketing Innovation Lab” team within Paylocity’s Brand & Marketing organization. This team operates as an internal think tank and execution group, focused on driving innovation, experimenting with new ideas, and rethinking how marketing shows up in the market. This is a hands-on role for someone who enjoys both thinking and doing. The Marketing Innovation Associate will generate ideas, build and test concepts, and help bring new approaches to life across content, campaigns, social, and emerging channels while leveraging AI. A core focus of this role is leveraging AI to accelerate marketing, including using, building, and shaping AI-driven workflows and agents that improve how work gets done. The goal of this role is to accelerate innovation within marketing by quickly moving from idea to prototype to real output and supporting the broader organization in scaling what works.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or a related field
0–2 years of experience (internships, academic work, or early career experience acceptable)
Strong interest in marketing, content creation, AI, and emerging digital trends
Demonstrated curiosity and willingness to learn across multiple disciplines
Ability to take initiative and operate effectively in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment
Strong communication skills, both written and verbal

Nice To Haves

Builder mindset – enjoys creating, testing, and iterating, not just ideating
Curiosity & creativity – constantly exploring new ideas, tools, and approaches
Adaptability – comfortable working across a variety of tasks and projects
Bias for action – moves quickly from idea to execution
Collaborative – works effectively across teams and functions
Confidence & presence – comfortable sharing ideas and perspectives with leadership

Responsibilities

Contribute to a team that functions as a marketing think tank, generating new ideas across content, campaigns, and brand experiences
Identify emerging trends, platforms, and technologies and translate them into actionable marketing concepts
Challenge traditional approaches and introduce new ways of thinking about how we engage our audience
Rapidly prototype ideas using AI tools, content platforms, and emerging technologies
Turn concepts into tangible outputs such as social content, campaign ideas, videos, and marketing experiments
Test new formats, channels, and approaches with a focus on learning and iteration
Take ownership of bringing ideas to life, from initial concept through execution
Partner with internal teams (Creative, Campaigns, Product Marketing, Events) to activate and scale successful ideas
Contribute to quick-turn initiatives tied to market moments, launches, or trends
Work closely with Brand & Marketing leadership to align innovation efforts with business priorities
Collaborate across teams to ensure ideas are integrated into broader marketing programs where appropriate
Present ideas, concepts, and outputs clearly and confidently to stakeholders