GO TO MARKET STRATEGY INTERN

CMO Edge LLC · Pittsburgh, PA · May – August 2026

Fully Remote · 10 Hours/Week · Graduate Students Welcome

CMO Edge is a Pittsburgh-based marketing capability consultancy founded in February 2026 by Pete Dornsife — a 35-year industry veteran who led global brands at GSK and Viatris and directed a marketing leadership program spanning 20 countries from GSK's world headquarters in London.

This is not a task-list internship. This is not busy work. This is not shadowing.

The Go To Market Strategy Intern will work alongside Pete as a thinking partner at a pivotal moment — the transition from a proven pilot program to a full market launch. The work is real. The decisions are real. The outcomes will be visible. And the access is the kind that simply does not exist inside a large corporation.

CMO Edge is early-stage by design — lean, fast, and built on a foundation of serious industry credibility. That combination is rare. This role exists at the intersection of both.

WHY THIS ROLE IS DIFFERENT

“You don't get this access anywhere else.”

This is not shadowing. You will be a thinking partner — present for real decisions, real trade-offs, and real outcomes. You will learn to think like a seasoned business leader who has navigated corporate environments across the US and globally. This is a rare opportunity for someone who is ready to execute at the highest level and compound their growth alongside a proven leader.

Work Directly With a Proven People Developer

Pete Dornsife has recruited and developed marketing talent at leading business schools through his years at both GSK and Viatris. He knows what high-potential looks like — and more importantly, he knows how to develop it. At GSK, he built and led a global capability program that touched hundreds of marketers across 20+ markets. The frameworks he taught are still in active use inside organizations he has not worked with in years.

Four Reasons This Internship Stands Apart

▸ Rare access: Daily touchpoints and a weekly strategy session with an elite practitioner — not a manager three layers removed from the real work.

▸ Career acceleration: Ten weeks inside an early-stage consultancy will develop more commercially relevant instincts than a summer in a corporate rotation program.

▸ Real impact from day one: The website is going live. The LinkedIn channel is launching. Direct mail will be going out. You will see your fingerprints on every piece of it.

▸ A founder worth learning from: Pete brings decades of brand-building, P&L ownership, and capability development to every conversation. His work is founded on a genuine belief that great marketers are built, not just hired.

ABOUT CMO EDGE

CMO Edge helps small and mid-sized organizations that lack formalized training infrastructure for their brand management teams. The offering spans a continuum: from a single virtual masterclass to a full curriculum series to the embedding of a fractional head of marketing capability. Programs are tailored to each client's gaps, brands, and competitive context. Virtual and in-person delivery is available.

The current curriculum spans 11 masterclasses across four disciplines: Core Brand Mastery, Intelligence & Insight, Creative Excellence & Agency Partnership, and Leadership & Team Dynamics. Every session is built around the client's specific brands and gaps.

The pilot program is producing dramatic results. Pre- and post-course diagnostics demonstrate significant learning gains and undisputed client validation. The business is ready to scale in the US and eventually globally.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

1. Launch Execution · Primary Focus

The CMO Edge website is in development and needs to go live. LinkedIn is the primary communication channel — pre-launch teaser content through to full launch. Direct mail will reach senior marketing leaders as a launch component. You will own or co-own the execution.

▸ Refinement and coordination of website go-live — content sequencing, QA, and launch timing

▸ Build and execute the LinkedIn content calendar — pre-launch teaser campaign through launch announcement and beyond

▸ Draft and produce direct mail campaign targeting senior marketing leaders

▸ Ensure visual and voice consistency across all materials, presentations, and client-facing content

2. Scaling Strategy & Business Model Analysis · High Priority

CMO Edge is actively evaluating growth models. How does a practitioner-led consultancy scale without diluting quality? What does a US expansion look like? What about global? You will contribute real thinking to the strategic questions under review.

▸ Research and analyze scalable service models for consultancy start-ups

▸ Identify and evaluate potential partnership structures, licensing models, and geographic expansion options

▸ Support financial modeling and scenario planning as the business expands

▸ Contribute to the international growth roadmap

3. Content Creation & Brand Consistency

CMO Edge's brand voice is precise, confident, and practitioner-led. Everything published must reflect that standard — no generic phrasing, no filler content, no off-brand moments.

▸ Draft LinkedIn posts, articles, and thought leadership content in Pete's voice

▸ Support the development of client-facing materials including proposals, recaps, and session tools

▸ Maintain brand consistency across all touchpoints

▸ Assist in refining existing content as the business evolves

▸ Develop brand standards manual

4. Business Development & Client Prospecting

Prospecting is part of the work. Identifying the right organizations that fit the CMO Edge model and have the leadership appetite to invest will require research, judgment, and precision communication.

▸ Build and maintain a prospect list of target organizations and senior marketing leaders

▸ Research potential clients and tailor outreach messaging accordingly

▸ Support follow-up communication and relationship tracking

WHO YOU ARE

This role is not for everyone. The right candidate is a polished communicator who easily navigates across responsibilities, iterates without hesitation, and brings genuine curiosity about both brand management and the mechanics of building a business.

You Are a Strong Fit If You:

▸ Are a current undergraduate or graduate student with a strong interest in marketing, strategy, or business building

▸ Write with precision — every word earns its place, nothing is vague

▸ Are exceptional in AI and social media. Proficient across modern marketing and productivity tools

▸ Have a demonstrable interest in brand management, marketing strategy, or consumer-facing businesses

▸ Bring a bias for action — you start before you have all the answers

▸ Are comfortable with ambiguity and energized by building structure and process where none exists

▸ Have an ownership mentality — you treat the work as if your name is on it

▸ Are not afraid to get your hands dirty and know that the best learning comes from doing

▸ Have prior brand management, marketing, or entrepreneurial experience — helpful but not required

What CMO Edge Is Not Looking For:

▸ Someone who needs a fully defined playbook before starting

▸ Someone who equates busyness with progress

▸ Someone who is here to observe — this role requires participation

THE DETAILS

Structure & Commitment

▸ 10 hours per week · May through August 2026

▸ Fully remote — work from anywhere

▸ Daily brief touchpoints with Pete plus a structured weekly strategy session

▸ This is a high-trust, high-autonomy environment — output and accountability matter more than hours logged

What You Will Walk Away With

▸ A front-row seat to the pre-launch, launch and early scaling of a credible, practitioner-led consultancy

▸ Demonstrated experience across launch execution, content strategy, and business development

▸ A thinking framework shaped by 35 years of brand-building and capability development

▸ A professional relationship with a proven leader who takes talent development seriously — and has a track record of doing it well

▸ A body of work with your name on it — visible, real, and portfolio-worthy

HOW TO APPLY

The cover letter matters here. Use it to tell us why this specific opportunity — not just an internship, but this one — is the right next step for you. We are looking for precision, genuine interest in brand management and early-stage business building, and evidence that you have done your homework.

Before applying: review Pete's LinkedIn profile. It will give you context that a job description may not accurately convey.

Application Deadline: May 15

Selection process completed by May 22.

Proposed start date: Week of May 26.

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Laird+Partners