The Director of Marketing and Communications is responsible for creating and executing strategies and tactics that cultivate the zoo’s relationships with its audience, media, and the community at-large to boost brand awareness, uphold a positive image for the zoo, and drive revenue associated with attendance, membership, and onsite activities or events. The Director of Marketing and Communications implements traditional, social, and other digital media advertising strategies to articulate the zoo’s mission, vision, values, and goals. This position also serves as a member of the Senior Leadership Team and strives to embody the zoo’s values at all times, contributes to positive guest experiences, and performs other duties as required.
Essential Functions and Responsibilities
- To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Essential Functions
- Develops, organizes, and leads a team to attain the marketing and communication goals of the organization, creating an annual plan and budget that details strategies and effectiveness for paid, earned, social, and owned media channels or opportunities.
- Develops comprehensive marketing strategies to drive audience acquisition, attendance, and membership revenue growth, collaborating with other teams who have budgetary responsibility for those items as needed.
- Creates strategies to market new and existing events, promotions, sales, and other related programs or activities, collaborating with other teams as needed to create an artistic vision, achieve goals, and ensure brand consistency.
- Conducts organizational research efforts as needed, including but not limited to, guest surveys, market research, or similar efforts.
- Oversees relationship collaborations with the zoo’s agencies of record for strategic brand management, advertising strategies, website content, and related needs that support brand awareness and affinity.
- Represents the zoo in public relations activities, serves as zoo spokesperson as needed, writes and distributes press releases and media advisories, and creates and maintains collaborative working relationships with media outlets, local destination marketing organizations, and influential professionals.
- Develops a team of subject matter experts to respond to media inquiries or stories as appropriate by providing media training, crafting talking points, and identifying speaking engagements and media opportunities for zoo team members while upholding a positive public image and furthering the zoo’s goals and objectives.
- Collaborates with the People Services team to create or refine messaging for team member communications, training materials, and related needs.
- Develops or directs the creation, distribution, and maintenance of all print and electronic communication resources and/or graphic materials including, but not limited to, magazines, newsletters, brochures, websites, and related items.
- Ensures compliance with laws and regulations governing marketing efforts (SPAM, GDPR, private consumer information).
- Works a flexible schedule to support special events and after-hours programming as needed.
- Assists with Team Member Orientations, serving as a guide or subject matter expert as appropriate.
- Participates in Senior Leadership Team meetings and discussions in order to advance the zoo’s mission and plan for the future of the organization.
- Supports the zoo’s commitment to continued growth of diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and belonging for zoo team members, volunteers, guests, and supporters. Embraces these fundamentals in leadership practices.
- Assists with special projects and helps other zoo team members as needed.
- Actively contributes to positive guest experiences.
Supervisory Responsibilities
- Participates regularly in the Director on Duty program (DOD), including evening and weekend shifts as required.
- In partnership with People Services, assists in determining staffing needs; interviews, hires, and orients department team members; prepares and administers regular evaluations; conducts coaching, disciplinary, and termination conferences.
- Provides support and supervision to team members.
Education and Experience
- To perform this job successfully, an individual must have the following education and/or experience.
- Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communication, or related field is required.
- Five years of marketing or communications experience is required.
- Three years of supervisory experience is required.
- Valid driver’s license is required.
- Direct experience with digital marketing, website creation, photography, video, and social media is preferred.
- Experience with hospitality, tourism, cultural attraction, or zoological organizations is preferred.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and/or abilities required to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Expertise in general marketing, social media, and public relations principles and practices.
- Knowledge of systemic evaluation principles for marketing and communication efforts or campaigns.
- Strong storytelling skills and a solid sense of branding and aesthetics.
- Ability to write and speak for a public audience, including radio and television.
- Ability to professionally and effectively communicate with others through written correspondence.
- Ability to troubleshoot, analyze situations, and make sound business decisions.
- Ability to make independent decisions and manage time effectively.
- Knowledge of Microsoft Office software.
- Strong organizational skills.
- Knowledge of general office procedures and practices.
- Knowledge of correct grammar and sentence structure.
- Ability to create and manage budgets.
- Strong project management skills.
- Ability to effectively and proactively train and supervise team members.
- Ability to make independent decisions and delegate responsibility and duties.
- Knowledge of management practices to effectively direct and lead team members.
- Ability to build a positive and respectful culture of teamwork, collaboration, and accountability.
- Ability to work a highly flexible schedule as required to successfully perform the requirements and functions of the position, including required weekend, evening, holiday, and irregular hours.
- Ability to handle confidential information.
- Ability to understand and follow all safety regulations.
- Ability to track and manage multiple tasks and priorities.
- Ability to arrive at work when scheduled and maintain a positive attendance record.
- Ability to serve as a goodwill ambassador, in every respect and at all times, for the Fort Wayne Zoological Society and the Fort Wayne Zoo in contacts with guests, partners, and the community.
- Ability to deal tactfully and politely with guest questions and misbehavior.
- Excellent communication skills to establish and maintain effective working relationships with team members, volunteers, partners, and the community.
Physical Demands
- The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
- Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Ability to operate office equipment, including computers, copiers, fax machines, and phones.
- Ability to professionally and appropriately interact and communicate with others, both in person and through phone, email, and written correspondence.
- Ability to read reports, receipts, and other statements.
- Ability to properly lift and carry light supplies and materials.
- Ability to stand and sit for periods of time and to move intermittently throughout the workday.
- Ability to perform focused work with close attention to detail.
- Ability to work both indoors and outdoors, with exposure to extreme temperatures and inclement weather conditions; the environment may include wet, icy, or muddy conditions.
- This position may include exposure to hazardous materials, fumes/odors, dirt, and dust.
- This position may include exposure to potentially dangerous or venomous animals.
- This position may include exposure to zoonotic diseases.
- This position may include exposure to noxious native plants.
- This position may include exposure to native biting insects and arthropods.
- This description is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for the performance of this position.
- It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities, or requirements.
