THE OPPORTUNITY: We Are Conducting an Executive Search for a Cutting-Edge, Online Marketer

The opportunity: We are conducting an executive search for a cutting-edge, online marketer to be the new VP/Director of Domestic and International marketing for a media company. (Title depends upon experience.) The position will be located in India. Candidates must already live within commuting distance to Mumbai or be willing to relocate to Mumbai. Working remotely is not an option. Company is very well funded by three top tier VCs and some very prominent names in the media and music industries. Company is already working with some of the most famous artists and brands in the music and entertainment industries. Candidates must have held a marketing leadership position within the last 6 months for a company that has content offerings on multiple media platforms, with digital platforms being a significant component. Candidates MUST have some experience marketing to Asia and ideally India. Candidates must have recent and significant experience increasing website traffic and membership. You will have about a half dozen people reporting to you initially. Need a very strong leader, manager and motivator. Board is willing and able to put together the right package for the right candidate. This is a key hire.

/ Please do NOT answer with “SEE RESUME” because it will make it very difficult to get you an interview. Client will read your answers and resume before making a decision to interview. Please make sure to put your answers in the blank boxes on the right hand side of the questionnaire. Please do not make any changes to the format or questions. Thanks!

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BASIC QUESTIONS:
The company is headquartered in the US. This position will be located in India. Candidates must already live within commuting distance to Mumbai or be willing to relocate to Mumbai.Working remotely is not an option. Do you meet this requirement? Where do you currently live?
If you do not already live within commuting distance to Mumbai, then are you flexible to relocate for the right opportunity? Why? Have you ever lived and/or worked in India previously?
Prefer someone to start in the position as soon as possible. When would you be available to start?
Are you currently employed?
Why did you leave or why are you considering leaving your most recent position?
Why did you leave the position you were in before your most recent position?
This is a key hire. Board is willing and able to put together the right package for the right candidate. The compensation package will include: base salary, bonus, stock optionsand full benefits package. There will be an emphasis on incentives for outstanding performance. Board wants to hire someone who is very motivated. What are you looking for in terms of compensation? (Please break it down between base, bonus, and equity. I want to know your minimum and your ideal. What is important to you? If you are flexible, then just say that you are flexible. But, I need to know some type of a range or at least know what ballpark we are in. Thanks! Also, Client would really like to know your comp history—W2s over the last couple of years.)
POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
Candidates must have held a marketing leadership position within the last 6 months for a company that has content offerings on multiple media platforms, with digital platforms being a significant component. Do you meet this requirement?If no, then please do not complete this form. If yes, then please answer the following questions:
1)Do you currently or have you been within the last 6 months in a marketing leadership position for a company that has content offerings on multiple media platforms, with digital platforms being a significant component? (If no, then please do not complete this form.)
2)What were the media platforms?
3)Briefly describe the content and target audience.
4)How many people reported to you directly and indirectly?
5)What functions reported to you? (e.g. SEM, PR, etc.)
6)What was the name of the company? Url?
7)What was your title?
8)What were your employment dates for that position? (month/year started v. month/year left position)
9)Describe one of your best achievements in this position. / PLEASE TYPE YOUR ANSWER TO EACH QUESTION NEXT TO THE CORRESPONDING NUMBER. THANK YOU.
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Candidates MUST have some experience marketing to Asia. Need to understand their culture. Experience marketing to India would be strongly preferred, but not required. You can supplement your knowledge with the market in India by using a market research firm, but then you must have experience working with market research firms to crack into foreign markets. Do you meet these requirements? If no, then please do not complete this form. If yes, then please explain. Make sure to outline a specific example or two.
Candidates must have recent and significant experience managing SEM, brand management, market research, buzz marketing, alternative marketing and grass roots marketing--online and off line. Candidates must have knowledge of advertising audience research systems such as MRI, Simmons and syndicated consumer research. Do you meet this requirement? If no, then please do not complete this form. If yes, then please explain. Make sure to outline a specific example or two.
Candidates must have recent and significant experience increasing website traffic and membership. Experienced at generating interest and creatinga pull v. pushing people to the website.Must have someone with experience increasing conversion from trial users to loyal users. Do you meet these requirements? If no, then please do not complete this form. If yes, then please explain. Make sure to outline a specific example or two. Please give specific numbers and/or percentages if possible. This will really help me to get you an interview with my client!
You must be able to create and execute a comprehensive, cross-platform marketing strategy for TV, Online, Radio, etc for the next 18-24 months with significant ROI. Have you previously accomplished this? If no, then please do not complete this form. If yes, then please explain. Make sure to outline a specific example or two.
You will have about a half dozen people reporting to you initially. Need a very strong leader, manager and motivator. Someone who can ensure that the team has the best possible talent (A players) at each level. Structure comp & incentive plans. Coach and keep top talent and remove non-performers efficiently. Do you meet this requirement? (If yes, then please explain. Make sure to give a specific example of a team you built or rebuilt.)
This is senior manager position and an individual contributor position. From refining the Company’s positioning to “wordsmithing” each piece of collateral, you must be “hands on” and comfortable in a “do it yourself” small company environment. Need someone who can just roll up their sleeves and get the job done. Need someone who can wear many hats. Can you do the work as well as manage others doing it? Please provide examples of situations where you have done both.
You must be extraordinarily skilled in all aspects of communications. Must have experience writing/editing and disseminating news releases, background materials, sales collateral, PowerPoint presentations and all other communication to the media. Need someone who can create the marketing and PR strategies for the company. During the interview process, you may be asked to provide writing samples of documents that you helped create. MUST have someone who is fanatical about details and making certain that everything going out the door is perfect. Do you meet these requirements? If yes, then please explain. Would you be able to provide samples of your work if required? Are you very experienced using PowerPoint?
Need someone who enjoys the entrepreneurial atmosphere of a small company, but has been through the experience of scaling up an enterprise to significant organization size and revenues. Experience working in a dynamic (i.e. “startup”) environment is preferred as well as a successful track record building a product from early adoption through market share leadership. Do you meet this requirement? (If yes, then please explain. Make sure to give at least one specific example. Be as specific as possible (e.g. number of users when you started v. when you left; approximate revenues when you started v. when you left; profit margin when you started v. when you left, etc.)
PERSONAL SUMMARY:
This position reports to the COO. He will only hire someone who is a team player and does not need to be micromanaged. Basically, he prefers to agree to a set of objectives making sure that the objectives are clearly outlined and understood by the individual, then let the individual execute the plan. But, expects the individual to keep him informed of progress. Individual must be able to go the COO when in need of help. He will only hire someone that is very entrepreneurial and passionate with a burning hunger for success; someone with a vision. He wants people with new ideas and strong opinions, but able to move in a fast paced, ever-changing start up environment. Is this management style appealing to you? Why? Please describe your management style and work ethics.
Culture is very entrepreneurial,team oriented and results focused. There is open communication and exchange of new ideas. Is this environment appealing to you? Why?
Please list for me in order of importance the factors that are going to determine which position you accept next.
What work accomplishment are you most proud of?
Tell me about someone who has been in the news within the last decade that you admire. Why do you admire this person?