AQUARIUM OF NIAGARA · New York · posted 22 days ago
Reporting to the President/CEO, this position has immediate charge and control of communications and marketing at the Aquarium of Niagara, with final authority in such matters remaining with the President/CEO. The Director of Communications & Marketing leads and develops departmental staff, establishes priorities and performance goals, and ensures departmental initiatives support the Aquarium’s mission, strategic objectives, attendance, revenue generation, and community visibility. The Director works collaboratively across the organization to ensure consistent messaging, effective promotion, strong audience engagement, and alignment of departmental activities with institutional priorities. The Director of Communications & Marketing must model mutual support, excellent communication, and joint problem-solving skills among Directors, Supervisors, Staff, Trustees, Volunteers, and Vendors. The Director of Communications & Marketing must also cultivate and maintain a culture of inclusion and engagement (positive morale) at the Aquarium. The Director of Communications & Marketing leads the Aquarium’s Communications team, and plans, directs, and evaluates external communications and marketing programs, including the development of strategies and themes to achieve the institution’s strategic objectives. Coordinates responses to the media and other publics. Provides creative direction and final approval for promotional materials and publications developed by the team. Develops marketing strategy and participates in the identification of revenue producing opportunities. Oversees market research, advertising, and sponsorship programs, with the Communications & Marketing Manager leading day-to-day development of partner, sponsor, and co-branded campaigns. Essential Responsibilities As a Director • Keep the President/CEO informed on internal conditions and important external developments relevant to the Aquarium of Niagara • Inform the President/CEO of activities, issues, and other factors to enable responsible decision making • Further the consistent achievement of the mission and financial objectives of the Aquarium • Cultivate and nurture relationships in the community that will strengthen and grow the organization • The Director of Communications & Marketing bears the responsibility for overseeing the functions of marketing, communications, public relations, and creative services • Supervise, coach, and evaluate the performance of the Communications & Marketing Manager and Graphic Designer, including providing input on professional development for the team • Ensure appropriate delegation of day-to-day responsibilities while maintaining oversight of departmental quality, performance, priorities, and outcomes • Facilitate effective communication and collaboration among Communications team members and ensure alignment across marketing, design, and communications activities • Evaluate departmental staffing, resources, systems, and processes, and make recommendations to improve effectiveness and efficiency • Collaborate with other Aquarium departments to ensure Communications & Marketing initiatives support institutional programs, guest experience, revenue generation, fundraising, education, animal care, and community engagement • Maintain overall responsibility for the quality, accuracy, consistency, and strategic alignment of public-facing communications and materials produced by the department Marketing • Development and implementation of marketing/communications campaigns that help to achieve organizational goals and build awareness • Develop and implement targeted marketing campaigns and deliverables for the Aquarium’s programs, services, and other revenue-generating initiatives. • Set strategic direction for the Aquarium of Niagara’s online presence and social media channels, overseeing growth in channel awareness, content quality, audience engagement, and strategic placement • Set overarching content marketing strategy and priorities across the Aquarium’s owned channels, including the website, social media, and email, with the Communications & Marketing Manager owning social media strategy, content calendar, and day-to-day publishing within that direction; stay current on platform changes and trends to keep strategy effective • Ensure cross-departmental collaboration on content production (written stories, photos, and video assets) for email, website, traditional, and social media campaigns, with the Communications & Marketing Manager and Graphic Designer leading day-to-day production • Oversee the Aquarium’s website strategy, ensuring navigation, user experience, search engine optimization, and program/service content stay current and effective, with day-to-day updates handled by the team • Explore, recommend, use, and optimize new communication methods, vehicles and technologies to engage with various audiences, particularly as part of fully-integrated demand generation campaigns • Execute media buys and manage paid advertising placements across print, digital, and broadcast channels • Evaluate campaigns for effectiveness in meeting business objectives. Analyze results of marketing campaigns and develop recommendations based upon campaign results • Oversee a wide variety of print and digital projects, promotions, partnerships, advertising campaigns, and events, assigning work across the team and ensuring deadlines and quality standards are met • Coordinates and oversees the project management of a variety of print projects, including visitor guides, brochures, flyers, building signage, and other collateral. • Review and approve graphic design work produced by the Graphic Designer, including signage, digital screens, event posters, program guides, and other promotional materials, ensuring brand and quality standards are met • Review and approve copy for collateral, program and sales materials, campaigns, and recruitment and retention tools; write or edit copy directly for high-visibility or executive-level pieces • Represent the Aquarium at external events, conferences, and community functions as needed • Develop and manage marketing campaign budgets • Responsible for directing, storyboarding, and message development for various online and print ads, signage and marketing materials, including internal communication videos and digital media projects Communications • Support the development of talking points, remarks, and other materials for the President/CEO, helping ensure alignment with brand tone and voice, with final content, edits, and delivery remaining at the President/CEO’s discretion • Own media relations strategy and serve as the Aquarium’s primary spokesperson, directing public relations efforts and setting priorities for press releases, media advisories, talking points, and story pitching, with the Communications & Marketing Manager supporting drafting and pitching and serving as backup spokesperson in the Director’s absence • Provide media training and coaching to staff and organizational leadership to support consistent, confident public communication • Develop and maintain relationships with media partners to support ongoing coverage and visibility for the Aquarium • Lead the development of strategic direction, messaging, and implementation of Aquarium-wide communications • Support development and fundraising initiatives through messaging, donor-facing materials, and campaign communications Brand Management • Enforce correct branding with current standards, adhere to communications best practices, policies, and procedures Budget/Finances • Through collaboration with the Finance team, develop an annual budget for the Communications department for review and approval by the President/CEO • Monitor departmental revenue and expenses against the annual budget on a continual basis, addressing significant variances as appropriate • Evaluate the financial performance and return on investment of major marketing campaigns, promotions, partnerships, and other departmental initiatives • Strive to attain the most cost-effective methods and materials required to fulfill the duties, responsibilities, and requirements of the department without compromising quality, brand standards, or guest experience • Provide reliable fiscal management of the department’s resources, including personnel, vendors, contracted services, and marketing expenditures
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