Position Title: Chief Marketing Officer

Locations: Chicago_IL

Time Type: Full time

Req ID: JR1355-Chicago_IL

At Midland, we’re proud to be a little different. You can see it in our bright orange signs-but there’s more to it than that. With our heartfelt and personalized approach, we’re focused on meeting every customer’s needs with the brightest solutions.

For more than 140 years, we’ve learned by serving customers skillfully with dedication and follow-through, we can brighten every interaction to drive our collective success. And this goes beyond traditional banking.

We foster programs that empower our communities, continuously invest in our employees, and actively pursue brighter futures for all.

Our humble ambition keeps us growing, giving back, and looking ahead. We’re innovating and optimizing our services to ensure we stay unique - providing strength you can count on with heart you can feel.

You might say we’re unlike any other bank.

And you’d be right."

At Midland States Bank, base salary is one component of our Total Rewards program. Exact compensation is determined by factors such as (but not limited to) education, skills, internal equity, and experience. This position offers additional compensation in the form of short-term incentives (i.e. bonus and/or commission) and may include long-term incentives (i.e. stock awards). Benefits for this role include comprehensive healthcare, well-being benefits, paid family leave as well as generous paid time off. Total Rewards also include banking perks, an Employee Stock Purchase Plan, 401K plan with company match and may include the opportunity to participate in our Non-Qualified Deferred Compensation plan. Incentives and benefits are subject to eligibility requirements.

Salary Range: $155,000-$240,000

Position Summary

The Director - Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) is the Bank’s senior marketing executive and responsible for defining and leading the Bank’s enterprise marketing strategy in support of sustainable growth, profitability, and long term brand value. The CMO directs the Bank’s overall marketing, brand, communications, and customer engagement strategies using deep insight into the financial services industry, customer behavior, competitive dynamics, and emerging digital and technology trends.

The CMO will oversee brand strategy, demand generation, customer experience, communications, and marketing analytics, serving as a strategic partner to the executive and senior leadership team. This role requires a proven, data-driven leader who blends brand stewardship with strong business judgment, integrates marketing tightly with sales and product strategy, and consistently demonstrates marketing’s impact on growth, customer acquisition, retention, and lifetime value.

Primary Accountabilities

People

• Manages a team of professionals in a customer-centric culture to excel in a fast-paced environment.
• Coaches, develops, and conducts performance management activities with direct and indirect reports.
• Identifies high-potential employees for advanced training and development opportunities.
• Effectively manages poor performers.

Job Specific

• Establishes and leads the enterprise marketing vision and strategy aligned to growth, profitability, and customer experience objectives
• Designs and executes the annual enterprise marketing plan including priorities, investment strategy, forecasts, budgets, and performance measurement
• Differentiates Midland States Bank from competitors and creates strong market preference across target customer segments and geographies
• Serves as custodian of the Bank’s brand ensuring consistency, differentiation, and relevance across all customer, employee, and community touchpoints
• Aligns marketing strategy with enterprise growth priorities across all lines of business, ensuring close partnership with sales, product, and distribution teams
• Partners closely with executive and senior leadership, line of business and department leaders to ensure enterprise alignment and leverage across initiatives
• Leads initiatives supporting customer acquisition, engagement, loyalty, retention, and cross sell across consumer and business banking relationships
• Oversees corporate and external communications including public relations, media relations, and executive level messaging
• Strengthens the Bank’s industry and community presence by developing effective ways to engage customers, prospects, and key stakeholders
• Directs the Bank’s digital and performance marketing strategy including website governance, digital channels, CRM enablement, and marketing technology
• Champions a data driven marketing operating model, making decisions based on customer insights, financial performance, and analytics
• Develops program forecasts, manages marketing budgets, and ensures disciplined execution and prioritization to maximize return on investment
• Establishes and oversees enterprise marketing metrics and reporting, ensuring transparent measurement of effectiveness and return on investment
• Manages external vendors, agencies, and consultants, ensuring accountability, efficiency, and strategic alignment
• Educates internal stakeholders on brand strategy, ensuring clear understanding and consistent adoption across the organization
• Unites employees around a shared brand purpose, platform, and identity
• Leads creative development, managing internal teams and external partners to deliver high quality, differentiated work
• Ensures creative output reflects best in class standards within the financial services industry, staying current with emerging trends, technology, and design
• Brings the Bank’s visual and verbal brand guidelines to life and educates internal and external partners on effective application
• Maintains strong governance of brand standards through training, review, and ongoing critique to preserve integrity and consistency

Other

• The role requires occasional travel for training, team meetings, and due diligence events.
• May require work in a Midland office to ensure collaboration and support of internal and external customers.
• Maintain compliance with all applicable regulations including, but not limited to, the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA).
• Other duties as assigned.

Position Qualifications

Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• 12+ years of progressive marketing leadership experience, including senior or executive‑level responsibility.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise‑wide marketing functions within financial services or similarly regulated industries preferred.
• Proven experience integrating brand, digital marketing, performance marketing, and analytics to drive measurable growth.
• Experience partnering with executive leadership teams and presenting to senior management or Boards.
• Experience supporting enterprise transformation, market expansion, or acquisition integration preferred.
• Excellent oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills with the ability to instruct others, interpret documents, and write reports and correspondence.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to deal with complex problems involving multiple facets and variables in non-standardized situations.

Competencies:

• Business insight
• Cultivates innovation
• Drives results
• Makes sound decisions
• Being a brand champion
• Collaborates
• Communicates effectively
• Customer focus
• Being Authentic
• Emotional Intelligence
• Self development
• Being flexible and adaptable

At Midland States Bank, we believe that when we can bring our whole selves to work each day, we become happier, more comfortable, more confident and more excited to do great things for our customers, each other and our company. We’re proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. At Midland, we recruit, employ, train, compensate and promote without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. If you are looking for a place to grow, we encourage you to apply at Midland States Bank, because you belong here.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please direct your inquiries to Midland States Bank Human Resources at HR@midlandsb.com.

Midland States Bank may use automated tools and artificial intelligence (“AI”) to assist with recruiting, screening, and hiring decisions. In accordance with the Illinois Human Rights Act (effective January 1, 2026), these tools are designed and monitored to be neutral and job-related, and must not be used in a way that discriminates against applicants or employees based on any protected characteristic.

THIS JOB DESCRIPTION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A CONTRACT FOR EMPLOYMENT