Strategic Marketing Head to Co-Founder with Investment

Job Description

Join 1stepGrow as a True Partner, Not Just an Employee

This opportunity of Strategic CMO to Co-founder pathway (Equity + Investment Path) requires genuine partnership from day one:

Initial Investment: 2-5 lacs for immediate equity stake

Sweat Equity: Additional 1.5-2.5% through performance

Growth Path: Scale to 10-25% total equity with additional investment

Real Partnership: Financial skin in the game from the start

This isn't about testing youit's about building together as committed partners who both have something to lose and everything to gain.

1stepGrow Academy is a pan-India and global EdTech pioneer delivering hands-on Data Science, AI, cloud-lab, and next-gen tech training to 10,000+ learners. Trusted by industry leaders (Microsoft, IBM, Meta), we empower career transitions with live online classes, project-driven curricula, and 76% average placement hikes. Now, we're scaling to market leadershipand we need a growth partner.

What You'll Do (Phase 1: Fractional CMO)

- Lead marketing strategy part-time (2025 hrs/week), owning brand positioning, demand generation, and digital campaigns
- Build and execute a 12-month growth plan to expand learner base to 25K+
- Identify and prioritize three high-impact marketing channels (SEO, paid performance, partnerships)
- Develop go-to-market plans for corporate tie-ups, B2B enterprise training, and referral programs
- Mentor and oversee a lean marketing team (35 members)

Career Path & Equity

Phase 1 (Months 16):

Initial investment of 25 lacs for immediate 1.52% equity

Additional 23% sweat equity vesting over 4 years (1-year cliff)

Phase 2 (Months 612):

Earn up to 12% extra equity based on KPI milestones (CAC reduction, MRR growth, campaign ROI)

Phase 3 (Year 2+):

Option A: Invest an additionally to reach 1025% total equity and transition full-time with salary

Option B: Maintain 57% equity, transition full-time without extra investment, prioritized salary

Who You Are

- 5+ years of B2C and B2B growth marketing experience, preferably in EdTech or high-growth SaaS
- Proven track record of scaling learner acquisition at similar platforms (e.g., Simplilearn, Great Learning)
- Deep expertise in digital channels (performance, SEO, content), corporate partnerships, and brand building
- Deep expertise in paid advertising(Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, programmatic) with trackable ROI improvements
- Data-driven mindsetcomfortable owning CAC, LTV, conversion metrics, A/B Testing and dashboard reporting
- Strong leadership and communication skills; ability to work in fast-paced, collaborative startup environment
- Willingness to commit part-time initially (2025 hrs/week), then transition full-time as co-founder

What will be a Plus

- Track record marketingAI/ML, Data Science, or other technology coursesexperience promoting technical education offerings is a strong plus
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering(BTech/BE) required; Master's degree is optional
- Alumni of Top/Tier-1/Tier-2 institutions
- Strategic mindset with strong business acumen and partnership-building skills for corporate tie-ups

Why Join Us

- Be an early equity partner in India's next EdTech unicorn
- Combine executive autonomy with co-founder influence and decision-making
- Transform careers for thousands and shape the future of tech education
- Work alongside a passionate founding team

Compensation

- Months 112:Equity-only; no cash salary or a nominal stipend (as agreed)
- Post-12 months:Transition to market-competitive salary once funding/financial stability allows, in addition to your vested equity

We are looking for ONE passionate partner