Irena Kin

I’ve grown talented product marketing teams and led Grammarly's evolution from writing assistance to productivity-focused AI innovation, opening new markets along the way. I thrive on solving complex puzzles—whether it’s market positioning, competitive strategy, or bringing the voice of the customer into sharp focus.

Beyond bullet points and strategies, what truly energizes me is collaborating with smart, creative people to solve complex puzzles. Whether it's analyzing competitive landscapes, untangling pricing challenges, or creating compelling analyst narratives, I thrive in roles where curiosity meets rigor and intuition meets data.

Grammarly, Product Marketing, Head of Strategic Marketing (Director)

February 2022 - Present

• Built and lead a suite of functions that inform and validate marketing and product efforts (functions reporting to me include: Customer Marketing, Analyst Relations, Competitive Intelligence, Pricing & Packaging, Community, PMM Program Management).
• Established foundational prioritization strategy now guiding company decisions for agentic AI functionality across professional, student, and enterprise buyers, based on human insights research, own TAM analysis and competitive landscape work, and route to market considerations.Influence executive team on product and marketing strategy to move from “writing assistance” to “productivity” as part of push to gain enterprise traction and expand mindshare across knowledge workers.
• Lead strategy for first ever Release Marketing effort across B2B and B2C, aligning both marketing teams and enabling sales.
• Spearhead creation of new Gartner and Forrester categories for AI tools, leading to Grammarly’s inclusion and leadership in Gartner’s inaugural Emerging Market Quadrant for GenAI Apps, alongside established brands like Microsoft, IBM, and Google.
• Developed first-ever holistic International GTM strategy, including pricing shifts, for B2C growth.
• Developed first-ever “Voice of the Customer” program combining community advocacy and customer marketing efforts to improve product validation and strengthen GTM.
• Grew the Product Marketing team by interviewing, hiring, and helping to onboard 12 product marketers of various levels. 

Salesforce, Marketing, Senior Manager

December 2017 - February 2022 (promoted in February 2020)

• Set and drove a strategic agenda for marketing content focused on IT persona, emerging products, and SMB segment. 
• Streamlined stakeholder management and improved collaboration with first executive dashboards across several products.
• Designed and trained team on a tiered strategy for customer marketing legal agreements to mitigate risk.
• Designed and implemented competency-based framework, career ladder, and manager toolkit to increase promotion fairness and transparency across a 50+ person team.
• Navigated relationships with internal executive stakeholders for marquee events like Dreamforce and TrailheaDX; daily communication with Platform GM and SVP of PMM during COVID.
• Develop lasting relationships with hundreds of customer contacts ranging from C-suite through developer titles at small-to-enterprise companies to fuel omni-channel marketing, Analyst, and PR efforts, resulting in over 500 customer activations.

Hire an Esquire, Marketing Director

January 2016 - December 2017

• Created brand’s first buyer personas and integrated omni channel campaigns, increasing lead generation by 45%.
• Developed first-call decks, case studies, brochures, infographics, and sales materials.
• Redesigned website and optimized content to lower bounce rate from 78% to 36%.
• Planned the first major company event and trained booth staff to generate 2,000+ leads. 

Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood, Associate Attorney

May 2014 - January 2016

• Argued in court to vindicate client’s claims. 
• Drafted persuasive documents for court filings and letters to opposing counsel; negotiated with opposing counsel to resolve disputes; elicited favorable testimony from adverse witnesses. 

Juris Doctorate: My legal training refined my skills in rigorous analysis, persuasive communication, and structured decision-making, which are key strengths for crafting compelling, differentiated product positioning and messaging. I break down complex concepts into clear narratives to drive clarity in market strategies and internal and external narratives.

Global Perspective & Cultural Fluency (International Studies & Mandarin):

With a degree in International Studies, I've cultivated a deep awareness of and appreciation for diverse markets, global trends, and nuanced consumer behavior. My Mandarin, Spanish, and Russian proficiency further empowers me to navigate and leverage rapidly evolving international markets, especially within China’s dynamic tech and consumer landscape.