About Xanadu:
Xanadu’s mission is to build quantum computers that are useful and available to people everywhere.
At Xanadu, we are learners, innovators, researchers, collaborators and problem solvers. We are creating something that has never been built before. What we are doing is extremely hard, the classic moon shot. Few people in their life will be able to be a part of something like this, where if we are successful, the technologies we develop will solve some of the world’s most challenging problems, and literally change the world. And that is something to be excited about!
Achieving this mission requires exceptional technology, talented people, and the ability to communicate clearly why our work matters. We are seeking a VP, Communications, Brand & Marketing to lead how Xanadu presents itself to the world. This role brings together external communications, public relations, corporate branding, and product marketing under one leader to build an integrated strategy connecting Xanadu’s mission, technical progress, and commercial priorities with key audiences - including customers, partners, developers, media, and investors.
Your role and responsibilities:
External Communications and Public Relations
- Develop and lead an integrated external communications strategy aligned with Xanadu’s business objectives, technical roadmap, and commercial priorities.
- Establish a clear, cohesive corporate narrative explaining Xanadu’s strategy, differentiated technology, and progress toward useful quantum computing.
- Build and cultivate strategic relationships with technology, science, business, and financial media to elevate the quality and accuracy of reporting about Xanadu.
- Lead high-impact communications for technical milestones, product launches, strategic partnerships, and corporate developments.
- Shape executive communications, including speeches, presentations, interviews, thought leadership, and participation in influential industry forums.
- Lead issues management and crisis communications, establishing proactive response protocols and providing real-time executive counsel.
- Partner with Legal and Investor Relations to ensure all external communications are compliant, accurate, consistent, and well-coordinated.
- Coordinate with Government Relations on messaging and announcements involving public funding, policy initiatives, and government stakeholders.
Corporate Brand and Reputation
- Own Xanadu’s corporate brand strategy, positioning, visual identity, and brand standards across all external touchpoints and channels.
- Build a distinctive, credible brand that reflects Xanadu’s scientific depth, ambition, and commercial momentum.
- Oversee corporate content, digital strategy, website development, social channels, and creative execution, upholding exceptional quality and editorial standards.
- Drive thought leadership initiatives that reinforce Xanadu’s leadership across quantum computing and the broader deep-tech ecosystem.
- Collaborate with the People team on employer branding and with Internal Communications to maintain tight alignment between internal and external narratives.
- Systematically monitor brand reputation, sentiment, and industry developments to inform strategic decisions.
Product Marketing and Market Positioning
- Lead product marketing across Xanadu’s hardware, software, and services portfolio, translating deep technical capabilities into distinct customer value.
- Develop differentiated positioning, value propositions, and messaging frameworks for priority platforms, products, and market segments.
- Cultivate a granular understanding of enterprise customer needs, developer communities, market dynamics, and competitive offerings.
- Partner closely with Product and Engineering leadership to communicate capabilities and roadmaps accurately, maintaining clarity between current offerings and future milestones.
- Direct go-to-market and product launch strategies in tight partnership with Product, Engineering, Commercial, and Partnerships teams.
- Equip commercial and sales teams with high-impact collateral, use cases, pitch decks, competitive battlecards, and customer-facing tools.
- Source and produce customer and partner case studies that demonstrate real-world impact and validate Xanadu’s progress.
- Deploy targeted marketing programs to accelerate awareness, developer adoption, and pipeline generation across target audiences.
- Tie marketing activities directly to commercial objectives, measuring contribution to pipeline, customer adoption, and enterprise growth.
Leadership and Functional Development
- Recruit, mentor, and lead a high-performing, cross-functional team spanning communications, brand, and marketing.
- Establish clear departmental priorities, accountability frameworks, operating budgets, and KPIs.
- Evaluate internal capabilities and manage external agency and specialist partners to ensure maximum value, accountability, and quality.
- Establish structured planning, approval, and governance workflows supporting agile, high-standard execution.
- Serve as a trusted strategic advisor to the CEO and executive leadership on market opportunities, reputational impact, and communications trade-offs.
Key Deliverables for the First Six Months:
- Functional Assessment & Operating Plan: Evaluate current team capabilities, agency engagements, budgets, and channels; deliver a prioritized 12-month operational plan with clear KPIs and establish a recurring planning cadence across technical and commercial leadership.
- Corporate Narrative & Messaging Framework: Secure executive alignment on Xanadu’s foundational narrative, positioning, and core messaging; roll out updated practical toolkits, executive overview decks, and company profiles.
- Brand & Digital Enhancement: Audit Xanadu’s brand presence and execute priority enhancements to the corporate website, social channels, and branded collateral under unified guidelines.
- External Visibility & Executive Positioning: Implement a targeted media relations and executive visibility plan featuring speaking engagements, bylines, and an integrated announcement calendar.
- Product Positioning & Commercial Toolkits: Align with Product and Commercial teams on priority offerings; develop refreshed positioning, product briefs, and sales enablement decks, while executing a standardized product launch process for an upcoming release.
- Communications Readiness & Performance Dashboards: Deploy a comprehensive crisis communications and escalation protocol; establish a reporting dashboard tracking brand reputation, tier-one media coverage, community engagement, and marketing ROI.
Basic qualifications and experience:
- Significant progressive leadership experience spanning corporate communications, brand, and marketing, with proven domain depth in at least two disciplines and demonstrated success integrating them.
- Proven leadership experience within a complex, highly technical sector (e.g., quantum computing, advanced semiconductors, enterprise deep tech, high-performance computing, or related science-driven industries).
- Demonstrated track record of translating complex scientific or technical concepts into compelling, credible narratives tailored for diverse audiences (enterprises, developers, media, and investors).
- Substantive experience architecting corporate narratives, stewarding brands, and strengthening organizational reputation through periods of rapid scale or transformation.
- Proven success in B2B product marketing, positioning, GTM launches, and commercial sales enablement.
- Experience advising CEOs and C-suite executives, navigating crisis communications, and exercising exceptional judgment under pressure.
- Demonstrated track record of building and mentoring high-performing teams, managing agency partnerships, and optimizing multi-channel budgets.
- Exceptional written, editorial, and verbal presentation skills.
Preferred qualifications and experience:
- Familiarity with the communications requirements, compliance guidelines, and operating environment of a publicly traded technology company.
- Established relationships with leading technology, deep-tech, science, and financial media outlets.
- Direct familiarity with open-source developer ecosystems and developer-led marketing models.
This is for a new position. Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and internal benchmarks. You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.
Our values are important. They are fundamental and lay the foundation for culture at Xanadu. Learn more about our values here.
We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We are committed to building an inclusive, safe, and equitable culture and fostering an environment where our employees feel included, valued, and heard. We are committed to meeting the needs of all individuals and support a barrier-free workplace. Should you require accommodations at any point during the recruitment process please contact Recruiting at recruiting@xanadu.ai.
Please be advised that we may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in the screening and assessment of applicants for this position. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.
