Backed by Ford Motor Company, Michigan Central is a 30-acre innovation district in Detroit where people come together to build ideas that move the world forward. Now entering its next phase of growth, Michigan Central is seeking a Chief Brand Officer to build and scale a globally recognized brand and shape how Michigan Central shows up in the world.
The Chief Brand Officer has the opportunity to drive something new and unique at a place defining an entirely new model for innovation – and at the same time, leave a lasting mark on Detroit, a city increasingly taking the national spotlight at a pivotal moment in its evolution.
You'll be a key member of the executive team reporting to the CEO, leading the strategy, creative, and execution of communications, content, marketing, and brand experience.
Leadership +Strategy
Lead/oversee the full Brand Team and four key functions:
- Comms: narrative, storytelling, PR
- Content: how our comms and marketing come to life creatively and visually
- Marketing: social, CRM, web, and other efficient channels and tactics
- Brand experience: public programming, innovation events, onsite activation, retail
Translate enterprise priorities into an actionable brand strategy driven by core objectives/KPIs
Build a performance-driven system with clear KPIs tied to growth, engagement, and revenue impact and drive data-driven optimization
Ensure integration and alignment between the Brand team and business lines (innovation, network, district/redevelopment, nonprofit, events)
Lead Brand Team annual planning and quarterly reviews; play an integral role in senior leadership decisions and forums; provide board-level materials to key internal stakeholders
Oversee Brand team resourcing, budget planning, and prioritization (full-time team members and efficient use of external resources)
Brand
- Scale a fundamentally differentiated Michigan Central brand to key audiences. This includes internal and external launch and consistency of positioning, brand architecture, and design
- Embed growth into every aspect of the brand
- Ensure brand alignment across decisions and tactics
- Help shape the 2026 narrative into a compelling, unified story and ensure the Comms team dimensionalizes the narrative to multiple audiences, formats, lengths, and settings
- Ensure creative, robust communications and content plans, tactics, and delivery
Marketing
Develop and oversee a marketing strategy that drives growth with target audiences:
- High-growth startups
- Global corporates and industry leaders
- Investors and venture capital
- Talent and next-generation workforce
Drive launch of the new Nomad at Michigan Central hotel. Define the role of the hotel as a signature expression of Michigan Central’s brand and innovation platform; ensure brand, programming, and guest experience are fully integrated; play a key partnership and integration role with the Nomad team
Brand Experience, Programming & Retail
- Integrate public programming, innovation events, onsite activation, and retail into a high-impact visitor experience and key value and marketing driver
- Shape and launch signature moments that drive global attention (e.g. signature flagship annual thought leadership event, e.g. “Live from Michigan Central” series that utilizes Roosevelt Park as the destination, the Station as the backdrop, and the hotel and indoor events spaces as attractive VIP experiences)
- Play a leadership role in the Station ground floor activation plan
Management
- Build a high-performing, collaborative, and accountable team culture; ensure high-impact strategy, creative, and execution
- Lead OKR development, alignment, and performance management across the Brand team, with direct management of direct reports and oversight of skip level reports
- Manage ongoing prioritization for the team and guidance, review and approval of the team’s work, output, and tactics
- Establish clear operating and communication rhythms, meetings, and project management systems, including team business reviews and cross-functional forums
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelors Degree
- 15+ years of brand, communications, marketing, and events experience
Preferred Qualifications
- A proven CBO or senior leader who has built globally recognized brands or destinations
- A builder, not a maintainer. An action-oriented problem solver.
- Equally strong in strategy and execution. You can define the vision and ensure it gets delivered
- Strong executive presence and ability to influence at the highest levels: executives, partners, investors, and public stakeholders – and your own team, creating and maintaining the high-performance culture Michigan Central requires
- Have experience at mixed-use developments, or multi-faceted location-based institutions, and existing knowledge of and connection to Detroit
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