VP of Marketing

Nuclearn•Phoenix, AZ

75d•$173,000 - $240,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Nuclearn is seeking its first VP of Marketing, a leadership role focused on building the marketing function rather than managing campaigns. This position is ideal for someone interested in the intersection of AI, a serious industry, and a founding team. The VP will be responsible for positioning, demand generation, conference strategy, lifecycle marketing, and the systems connecting these to revenue. Reporting to the CRO, this role will collaborate with founders and Sales to establish marketing as a key pipeline generator and contributor to ARR growth. The VP will inherit one marketing contractor and will be responsible for building the marketing team from the ground up. This role is unique because Nuclearn sells AI products into the nuclear operations industry, a slow-moving, high-stakes, regulated sector where buyer experience and reputation are paramount. Standard horizontal SaaS marketing strategies will not be effective here. The company does not rely on high-volume outbound, as buyers are technical, deals are long, and excessive noise can damage credibility. Marketing must reinforce the company's credibility, which stems from its founders' nuclear expertise and product efficacy, rather than relying on hype. Conferences and field marketing are crucial due to the relationship-driven nature of the nuclear industry, with events like ANS and Nuclear Energy Assembly being key starting points for deals. This role is not suitable for individuals whose careers have been based on volume-led playbooks. Instead, it is for those who have experience building marketing for technical, complex, long-cycle B2B environments and are excited by impactful industries.

Requirements

10+ years in B2B marketing, with significant experience in enterprise or regulated industries.
Experience building marketing for long sales cycles and complex buying committees.
Ability to integrate field marketing, lifecycle marketing, and product marketing into a cohesive strategy.
Focus on pipeline and revenue generation, rather than impressions and MQLs.
Comfort working without an SDR engine.
Ability to communicate effectively with technical founders and buyers in their language.
Balance of strategic thinking and hands-on execution, including writing copy, participating in pipeline reviews, and building dashboards.
Comfort with candor and direct feedback, both giving and receiving.

Nice To Haves

Experience marketing into energy, utilities, nuclear, aerospace, or other safety-critical industries.
Track record of transitioning marketing from founder-led to system-led.
Familiarity with compliance-sensitive environments (e.g., SOC 2, ISO 27001 adjacent).

Responsibilities

Own positioning and messaging to ensure prospects quickly understand the value proposition and Sales spends less time on fundamental explanations. Develop website content, use-case materials, and proof assets that resonate with technical nuclear buyers, focusing on value and outcomes.
Develop conferences and field marketing into a measurable pipeline engine by defining event selection criteria, building pre-event playbooks (meeting booking, executive outreach, partner coordination), managing on-site engagement, and owning post-event follow-up. Implement a multi-touch attribution model that reflects how nuclear deals are closed.
Design persona-specific lifecycle and nurture programs for sales cycles measured in months, maintaining presence and credibility without being intrusive. Execute selective, targeted outbound campaigns strategically (e.g., event-triggered sequences, executive notes) rather than as a default approach.
Build a high-signal thought leadership and brand strategy grounded in operator perspectives, technical insights, and customer outcomes. Increase founder and executive visibility through speaking engagements, panels, and industry channels, ensuring all content reinforces earned trust.
Lead marketing operations and measurement, including HubSpot adoption, campaign structure definition, attribution modeling, and building leadership-trusted dashboards. Ensure marketing is viewed as a leverage point for Sales, not merely decorative.