About Protocol Labs

Protocol Labs is an innovation network of more than 750 teams, projects, and movements, advancing breakthroughs in computing to push humanity forward.  Network members have created foundational technologies that power the decentralized web—including IPFS, Filecoin, IPLD, and libp2p—and continue to explore a wide range of frontier technologies spanning cryptography, AI, neurotech, virtual reality, and more.  Across the network, decentralization isn’t a slogan—it’s an operating principle. Protocol Labs teams work independently but are purpose-aligned around long-term impact, open systems, and durable infrastructure. For more information on Protocol Labs and our focus areas, please watch Juan Benet’s talk from PL Summit 2023 and the 2024 PL Summit Video (Remote Update).

About Polaris

Polaris is one of the core teams, known as PL Infra, that support the ongoing development and growth of the PL Network. Polaris builds the connective tissue of the Protocol Labs network. We design and operate the programs, systems, tools, and infrastructure that helps the network collaborate, grow, and thrive. Our work focuses on advancing digital human rights, upgrading economies and governance systems, safe AI, and neurotech—areas where durable coordination and long-term alignment matter most. We manage network membership and track network-wide participation and contribution data to continuously gauge the growth and maturity of the Protocol Labs ecosystem across several critical pillars. We also steward the Protocol Labs brand and strategic marketing initiatives, ensuring the network’s work is communicated clearly and consistently. At the core of everything Polaris does is the Protocol Labs mission—and a commitment to building the infrastructure, incentives, and coordination models that allow innovation to progress responsibly at scale.

About the Role

We are looking for a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to architect and scale the growth systems, ecosystem flywheels, and brand network effects that shapes the Protocol Labs network.

This role goes beyond traditional marketing. The CMO will help design how the Protocol Labs network grows, how ideas spread across ecosystems, and how founders, researchers, developers, and partners become active participants in the network itself.

The ideal candidate understands that the network is the product. They have experience building durable distribution channels, creating community and ecosystem momentum, and turning brands into movements. They know how to create systems that compound over time — where partnerships, communities, products, events, and content reinforce one another to drive ongoing engagement and network expansion.

We are looking for a builder-operator who has scaled ecosystem-driven or product-led growth engines in emerging technology, developer, consumer platform, or innovation ecosystems. This person should be equally comfortable designing high-level growth strategies and operating hands-on across community, product marketing, partnerships, content, and network development.

Success in this role means Protocol Labs becomes:

• the default coordination layer for frontier innovation communities

• the first-choice ecosystem for founders and researchers

• a globally recognized innovation network with strong cultural and industry influence

• a self-reinforcing ecosystem where participation drives further participation

Key Responsibilities

Ecosystem Growth & Network Effects

• Design and scale ecosystem growth loops that increase participation, collaboration, and visibility across the Protocol Labs network

• Build durable distribution systems that leverage community participation, partnerships, products, events, and ecosystem relationships as compounding growth channels

• Develop strategies that turn Protocol Labs initiatives into ongoing movements rather than one-time campaigns

• Create network effects between founders, researchers, developers, funders, and ecosystem partners that increase long-term engagement and coordination

• Identify and operationalize growth flywheels across the network, including ambassador programs, ecosystem incentives, community-led initiatives, and strategic partnerships

• Partner closely with product, ecosystem, and network teams to create product-led and community-led growth mechanisms

• Design scalable systems that position Protocol Labs as the default coordination hub for frontier innovation communities

Marketing Strategy & Execution

• Build a world-class ecosystem growth and marketing function that positions Protocol Labs as the leading innovation network for frontier technologies

• Develop and execute a holistic marketing strategy that enhances Protocol Labs’ reach, influence, and ecosystem participation across our core focus areas

• Create scalable acquisition and engagement systems, not just campaigns

• Develop repeatable distribution mechanisms that compound network reach and participation over time

• Establish and optimize marketing KPIs, analytics, and ecosystem performance tracking aligned with network-level growth goals

• Collaborate with ecosystem projects and partners to co-create initiatives that amplify the visibility and impact of the broader Protocol Labs network

Brand & Narrative Development

• Craft a compelling brand identity and messaging strategy that reflects Protocol Labs as both an innovation network and ecosystem coordination layer

• Position Protocol Labs as a thought leader across digital human rights, decentralized systems, AI, neurotech, and frontier computing

• Develop narratives, campaigns, and cultural moments that strengthen ecosystem identity and participation

• Strategize memetic campaigns that normalize terminology and concepts core to Protocol Labs and the broader innovation ecosystem

• Oversee brand assets, storytelling systems, and ecosystem communications to maintain a cohesive and differentiated brand experience

Product-Led & Community-Led Growth

• Partner with product and ecosystem teams to turn network participation into shareable, community-driven growth moments

• Design campaigns and experiences that leverage product usage, collaboration, and community participation as marketing channels

• Build systems that encourage ecosystem members to become advocates, collaborators, and contributors

• Develop community growth programs that deepen engagement across founders, developers, researchers, and strategic partners

• Understand how platform behaviors, incentives, and social dynamics contribute to ecosystem growth and retention

Content, Media & Ecosystem Communications

• Develop and manage an integrated content strategy across thought leadership, ecosystem storytelling, research, reports, social media, and owned channels

• Oversee Protocol Labs’ owned media ecosystem, including protocol.ai, PL Network communications, social channels, newsletters, and ecosystem campaigns

• Build high-leverage storytelling systems that elevate ecosystem successes, founder stories, and technical breakthroughs

• Drive media, partnership, and ecosystem communications strategies that reinforce Protocol Labs’ role as a category-defining innovation network

Events, Partnerships & Ecosystem Activation

• Support and scale key industry events, ecosystem summits, hackathons, and community activations

• Develop co-marketing opportunities with ecosystem projects, research institutions, investors, developer communities, and innovation hubs

• Create experiences and partnerships that deepen ecosystem participation and strengthen long-term network connectivity

• Build strategic relationships that expand Protocol Labs’ reach, influence, and positioning within frontier technology ecosystems

Marketing Operations & Systems

• Build scalable marketing operations, analytics, and ecosystem reporting systems

• Manage and optimize marketing technology tools, including CRM, automation, analytics, and ecosystem engagement platforms

• Develop systems that measure ecosystem health, participation, engagement, and growth

• Implement data-driven reporting frameworks to optimize distribution, growth, communications, and community performance

• Oversee website strategy, ecosystem touchpoints, and digital experience optimization

Skills

Must-Have Skills

• 10+ years of experience building and scaling ecosystem, community, growth, or marketing functions within technology, platform, network-driven, or innovation-focused organizations

• Proven track record designing scalable distribution systems, ecosystem growth loops, or network effects that drove sustained engagement and expansion

• Experience building movements, communities, or category-defining brands that generated long-term momentum beyond traditional campaigns

• Strong understanding of product-led growth (PLG), community-led growth, ecosystem development, and partnership-driven distribution strategies

• Demonstrated ability to create compounding growth mechanisms across products, communities, events, partnerships, and content ecosystems

• Experience operating in highly networked environments such as developer ecosystems, open-source communities, creator platforms, marketplaces, protocol networks, or emerging technology ecosystems

• Ability to think systemically about growth — understanding how incentives, participation, coordination, and community dynamics reinforce one another

• Strong strategic and operational capabilities with the ability to move fluidly between ecosystem strategy and hands-on execution

• Exceptional storytelling and narrative development skills with the ability to translate complex technical ecosystems into compelling movements and cultural narratives

Bonus Skills

• Familiarity with developer relations, technical storytelling, and community-driven marketing.

• Expertise in growth marketing tactics, including performance marketing, paid acquisition, and conversion optimization.

• Experience managing agency relationships, vendor partnerships, and budget allocation.

Why Join Us?

This is a rare opportunity to shape the entire marketing and communications function of an innovation network driving the next wave of breakthroughs in decentralization, AI, and computing. If you are a creative strategist, storyteller, and brand builder looking to lead end-to-end marketing efforts in a high-impact organization, we’d love to hear from you.