SVP, Influencer Strategy & Marketing

Salesforce•San Francisco, CA

About The Position

Salesforce is seeking a strategic, relationship-driven executive to build and lead our influencer strategy — identifying and activating the voices that shape how the world sees enterprise software and AI. Our CEO is the most visible and credible leader in this space; the SVP of Influencer Strategy & Marketing will be a builder, creating an ecosystem of trusted voices and a new capability that amplifies the CEO's and Salesforce's narrative, challenges traditional approaches, and drives trust, relevance, and advocacy at global scale. The SVP will report to the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) and partner closely with leaders across our Product, Marketing, Communications, and Sales teams.

Requirements

15+ years in communications, marketing, influencer strategy, or media relations, with senior leadership experience focusing on technology.
Ability to create a new capability, challenging traditional approaches, and defining how Salesforce can use influential voices to build trust, relevance, and advocacy at global scale.
Demonstrated experience identifying, recruiting, and managing relationships with high-profile media, analysts, creators, or industry voices.
Deep understanding of the enterprise software, cloud, and artificial intelligence markets, and the global creator and influencer ecosystem.
Experience advising and influencing C-suite executives on public narrative and visibility strategy.
Strong cross-functional collaborator with the ability to align teams around a shared narrative in a highly matrixed global organization.
Track record of building measurable, scalable influencer/creator programs (not just one-off activations) that connect investments to business outcomes.
Excellent judgment on reputational risk and brand protection.
Experience leading a high-performing team of direct reports and agency partners.

Responsibilities

Identify and Prioritize Influence: Build and maintain a list of the top 25 most influential voices in technology relevant to Salesforce's story — spanning media, analysts, podcasters, creators, customers, partners, employees, and executives. Develop a differentiated approach spanning business and technology thought leaders, creators, practitioners, developers, entrepreneurs, industry voices, and other influential communities. Identify emerging shifts in how audiences discover information, form opinions, and make technology and business decisions, translating those shifts into opportunities for Salesforce.
Build and Manage Ongoing Relationships: Develop personalized engagement programs (briefings, access, exclusives, events) that turn one-off interactions into durable, mutually valuable relationships with each priority voice. Develop always-on influencer programs — advisory councils, ambassador programs, content collaborations, embargoed briefings — that keep top voices engaged consistently, not just around launches. Build sustained relationships and advocacy beyond transactional, campaign-based influencer engagements. Establish Salesforce as a trusted and compelling partner for leading and emerging voices across technology, business, AI, entrepreneurship, and culture.
Partner Cross-Functionally on Narrative: Work closely with Product, Marketing, Communications teams to shape narratives, proof points, and customer stories that can be seeded through influencer channels. Partner with Product Marketing and Communications to translate complex Salesforce innovations — including AI, CRM, data, and emerging technologies — into opportunities for authentic, audience-first storytelling. Integrate influential voices into major Salesforce product launches, campaigns, thought leadership initiatives, and cultural moments, including tentpole experiences like Dreamforce.
Protect and Amplify Executive Visibility: Serve as a key partner to the CEO's communications team, ensuring influencer engagement reinforces and defends the CEO's and the company's position in the enterprise software and AI space. Develop programs that connect influencers with Salesforce executives, product leaders, customers, Trailblazers, and subject-matter experts. Represent Salesforce externally with creators, platforms, agencies, industry leaders, and strategic partners.
Measure Impact: Define metrics and reporting for influencer reach, sentiment, and business impact; report progress to senior leadership. Establish a measurement framework connecting influencer investment to brand, audience, and business outcomes — including reach, engagement, share of voice, brand consideration, and demand. Use audience intelligence, social data, cultural insights, and performance analytics to continuously refine strategy and investment.
Manage Risk: Monitor the influencer landscape for emerging voices, shifting sentiment, and reputational risk, and develop response strategies. Establish clear standards for influencer selection, brand alignment, compensation, disclosure, content rights, brand safety, and risk management.
Build and Lead a Team: Hire and manage a small team and agency partners to scale relationship management and content programs. Build the organizational capabilities, talent, technology, agency ecosystem, and operating model required to deliver on the influencer strategy globally. Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing team with expertise spanning influencer strategy, creator partnerships, content, audience intelligence, operations, and measurement.