We’re determined to make a difference and are proud to be an insurance company that goes well beyond coverages and policies. Working here means having every opportunity to achieve your goals – and to help others accomplish theirs, too. Join our team as we help shape the future.
Reporting to the Head of Personal Insurance Direct Sales, The Hartford seeks an innovative Chief Marketing Officer, Personal Insurance (PI) to drive profitable growth in a direct-to-consumer Personal Insurance business. This is a key leadership role accountable for all marketing strategy, deployment of a 9-figure marketing budget with a primary focus on direct response marketing to accelerate new customer acquisition and retention. The CMO will oversee a high-performing, 35-member organization responsible for omnichannel marketing, digital and analytics-driven initiatives, and brand strategy to deliver strong business results. The ideal candidate is a data-driven and customer-centric leader with deep experience in performance marketing, digital innovation, and cross-functional collaboration, capable of leveraging advanced marketing technology and AI to help shape the future of Personal Insurance at The Hartford. This role is based in our Hartford, CT, Home Office.
Key Responsibilities:
Direct Response Marketing & New Business Growth: Lead the marketing team in developing and executing high-impact direct response marketing strategies that drive customer acquisition and profitable growth for The Hartford’s Personal Insurance business. Own the Direct Personal Insurance new business engine: set ambitious acquisition and conversion targets, optimize multi-channel marketing campaigns (digital, social, direct mail, etc.), and ensure marketing programs consistently deliver on new policy count and premium growth objectives. Use rigorous testing and analytics to continually improve campaign performance and marketing ROI, focusing on attracting and retaining high-value Personal Insurance customers.
Digital Marketing & AI-Driven Innovation: Champion a digital-first marketing approach, expanding The Hartford’s presence across key digital channels (search, display, social, email, mobile) and ensuring we deploy best-in-class practices in each. Leverage AI and machine learning capabilities, including generative AI for content personalization and predictive analytics for targeting and media optimization, to increase efficiency and engagement. Stay ahead of evolving search trends including guiding emerging Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) efforts to ensure The Hartford’s content is optimized for AI-powered answer engines and voice assistants (the next frontier beyond traditional SEO). Foster a culture of innovation within the team by encouraging experimentation with new platforms, tools, and techniques that can drive incremental growth and enhance customer experience.
Marketing Technology & Data Strategy: Shape and execute a robust marketing technology (MarTech) and data analytics strategy in partnership with our Technology and Data & Analytics organizations. Align the marketing team’s needs with enterprise customer data capabilities to enable advanced audience segmentation, real-time personalization, and end-to-end campaign tracking. Guide the effective use of key marketing systems (e.g., CRM, marketing automation, analytics dashboards, attribution models) to support decision-making and optimize marketing performance. Partner with IT / Data owners to ensure strong data governance and collaboration so that marketing leverages customer insights and first-party data responsibly and to full advantage.
Integrated Omnichannel Campaigns: Oversee and empower the marketing team to develop and implement integrated omnichannel campaigns that provide a seamless customer journey across all touchpoints from online search and social media to call center interactions and traditional media. Ensure messaging and creative execution are consistent with The Hartford’s brand and tailored to Personal Insurance Direct audiences. Coordinate closely with Phone Sales and Digital Product teams so that marketing activities align with sales processes and digital user experiences, maximizing conversion rates and policy sales. Guide the team to use agile, test-and-learn approaches - quickly iterating on campaigns based on performance insights and market changes.
Customer Insights & Experience Advocacy: Champion a customer-centric marketing philosophy. Oversee robust voice-of-customer (VOC) and market research initiatives to understand customer needs, preferences, and pain points. Ensure the marketing team translates insights into actionable program development, personalization strategies, and influence customer experience (CX) improvements in partnership with CX, Digital, and Service teams. Advocate for the customer in strategic discussions, using data and insights to highlight opportunities to enhance satisfaction, loyalty, and lifetime value. Drive marketing’s contribution to enterprise customer experience efforts (e.g., journey mapping and improving key touchpoints) to help differentiate The Hartford in the Personal Insurance market. With the Head of Direct, represent PI on the Enterprise CMO’s Customer Council to broadly influence a “customer first” approach across the organization.
Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration: Serve as a key member of the Personal Insurance leadership team, collaborating across functions to achieve business objectives. Partner with Product Management, Underwriting, and Pricing to ensure marketing strategies support product and pricing initiatives. Lead monthly report outs on marketing strategies, tactics, & results to the PI Senior Leadership team. Work with Distribution and External Partnerships (e.g., affinity programs) to amplify lead generation and cross-sell opportunities. Liaise with Enterprise Marketing and Communications to maintain a cohesive brand voice and share best practices, while tailoring campaigns to the unique dynamics of Personal Insurance Direct customers. Leverage influence and strong communication skills to align diverse stakeholders (including IT, Analytics, Finance, Claims, & Affinity Partners) with marketing initiatives, ensuring collective focus on growth and customer outcomes.
Team Leadership & Talent Development: Inspire and manage a high-performing Personal Insurance Direct marketing team. Set clear goals, metrics, and accountability for each function (Digital Marketing, Traditional Media, Analytics, etc.), and foster a culture of innovation, agility, and continuous improvement. Empower team leaders to take ownership of their domains while maintaining alignment with overall strategy. Invest in talent development: coach and mentor team members, encourage skill-building in areas like digital analytics, AI-driven marketing, and creative storytelling. Promote an inclusive and collaborative team environment where diverse perspectives are valued and contribute to better marketing outcomes. Lead by example in embodying The Hartford’s values - integrity, customer focus, and excellence - and cultivate these values within the marketing organization.
Qualifications & Experience:
Marketing Leadership: 15+ years of progressive marketing experience (with at least 8–10 years in direct-to-consumer or direct response marketing). Demonstrated success driving customer acquisition and revenue growth in a consumer-facing business; experience with personal insurance (auto/home) or financial services is strongly preferred. Experience presenting to & successfully influencing C-suite level leadership. Known for blending strategic thinking with hands-on execution to deliver business results.
Digital & Data-Driven Expertise: Deep knowledge of digital marketing channels (including SEM, SEO, social, programmatic, email, and mobile marketing) and a proven track record of utilizing advanced analytics and A/B testing to optimize campaign performance. Experience with Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) or strategies for AI-driven search visibility is a plus. Adept at using data and analytics to drive decision-making; familiar with key performance metrics such as conversion rates, cost per acquisition (CPA), customer lifetime value (LTV), and marketing ROI.
MarTech & AI Fluency: Fluency in modern marketing technology and how to leverage it for personalization and scale. Experience with CRM platforms, marketing automation, personalization tools, and customer data platforms. Exposure to AI and machine learning applications in marketing (e.g., predictive modeling, personalization algorithms, or generative AI content tools) and an ability to guide teams in evaluating and adopting new technologies. Comfortable partnering with IT, data teams, & platform partners to implement solutions and ensure marketing’s tech stack aligns with broader enterprise systems and data governance requirements.
Strategic & Commercial Acumen: Strategic mindset with the ability to translate high-level business goals into effective marketing strategies. Strong business acumen, with understanding of P&L drivers and how marketing activities impact overall profitability and growth. Capable of balancing short-term wins with long-term brand equity building. Experience in budgeting and managing substantial marketing spend with a focus on maximizing return on investment.
Cross-Functional Influence: Excellent collaborator and communicator who can influence at all levels of the organization. Proven experience working in a matrix environment. Able to align marketing initiatives with product development, sales/distribution, analytics, and customer service. Able to present complex marketing concepts and results in clear, compelling terms to senior executives and frontline teams. Skilled at building consensus and driving cross-departmental projects that require coordination between technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Leadership & Team Development: Demonstrated ability to lead and develop large teams of marketing professionals. A track record of attracting top talent and fostering an inclusive, high-performance culture. Effective coach who provides feedback, encourages innovative thinking, and recognizes team achievements. Experience structuring teams and processes for agility and efficiency (e.g., introducing agile marketing workflows or in-house agency models) is a plus. High emotional intelligence and a commitment to The Hartford’s culture goals in both team management and marketing strategy.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, or related field preferred; MBA or other advanced degree preferred. Ongoing professional development or certifications in digital marketing, data analytics, or related areas are a plus, demonstrating a commitment to staying current with industry innovations.
Candidates based outside of Hartford, CT, will need to be willing and able to travel 35-50% of the time.
Compensation
The listed annualized base pay range is primarily based on analysis of similar positions in the external market. Actual base pay could vary and may be above or below the listed range based on factors including but not limited to performance, proficiency and demonstration of competencies required for the role. The base pay is just one component of The Hartford’s total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include short-term or annual bonuses, long-term incentives, and on-the-spot recognition. The annualized base pay range for this role is:
$210,000 - $315,000Equal Opportunity Employer/Sex/Race/Color/Veterans/Disability/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity or Expression/Religion/Age
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