Communications and Marketing Manager

Acton Institute • Grand Rapids, MI

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, a nonprofit research organization, promotes a free and virtuous society characterized by individual liberty and sustained by religious principles. With an international scope, Acton manages a robust publishing and events outreach that argues for a moral foundation to the market economy. This position is for a Marketing Manager who is an entrepreneurial, mission-driven communicator that will help lead Acton's core marketing functions while driving high-impact initiatives that elevate the organization's reputation and reach. This role blends strategic planning, digital communications leadership, and initiative management into a single high-impact position. The ideal candidate is a strategist and skilled communicator who brings strong judgment, a faith-informed perspective, and the creativity and flexibility to manage both day-to-day communications and long-term initiatives with equal professionalism. This position is located in Grand Rapids, MI (In Person) and reports to the Vice President of Communications and Marketing.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, public relations, journalism, media or film production, or a related field.
• Seven or more years of experience in marketing, communications, or a related discipline, with demonstrated progression into senior responsibilities.
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills.
• Experience managing social media platforms, email marketing systems, and list management tools.
• Experience managing vendor relationships and overseeing third-party partners.
• Strong project management skills with the ability to lead complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• Demonstrated media relations experience including press outreach, pitching, and placement.
• A faith-informed perspective and familiarity with faith-based communities and their role in civic life.
• An entrepreneurial mindset and the initiative to identify, propose, and launch new programs.
• A flexible disposition and willingness to work outside standard hours for events or deadline-driven needs when needed.
• A creative mindset with a genuine passion for compelling content and effective storytelling.
• Understanding of and alignment with Acton's mission.
• A collaborative, service-oriented, positive, and partnership-driven approach to work.

Nice To Haves

• Knowledge of Adobe Creative Suite is helpful.
• Prior experience or education in podcast production, filming, and audio recording is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop strategic documents that define Acton's desired content mix, target audiences, and the communications channels used to reach them.
• Collaborate with the Vice President of Communications and Marketing to evolve Acton's brand and modernize its messaging to resonate with diverse audiences.
• Research, recommend and implement emerging best practices in email, social, and digital communications.
• Partner across the organization to ensure alignment between strategic initiatives and organizational goals.
• Guide Acton's social media presence across platforms, including content strategy and development, scheduling, and performance tracking and optimization.
• Develop and execute paid social advertising campaigns to reach target audiences and achieve defined KPIs.
• Monitor trends, engagement, and audience growth to continuously refine Acton's social strategy.
• Help maintain and update content across Acton.org and related platforms using the organization's CMS.
• Lead Acton's email communications program including newsletters, announcements, and campaign messaging.
• Oversee list segmentation, subscriber hygiene, and third-party list auditing tools to maintain a clean and effective contact database.
• Continuously research new techniques to optimize audience engagement and deliverability.
• Produce visual assets using Canva and periodically oversee the work of contracted graphic designers to ensure brand consistency and quality.
• Serve as a resource for podcast production, filming, and audio recording as needed; prior experience or education in these areas is a plus.
• Manage day-to-day relationships with third-party vendors supporting communications, marketing, and initiative delivery.
• Apply strong project management skills to keep multiple initiatives on track simultaneously.
• Identify new vendor or platform opportunities that could strengthen Acton's communications capabilities.
• Build and maintain relationships with faith-based journalists, editors, producers, and media outlets across print, broadcast, and digital platforms.
• Develop and execute proactive media pitches to secure coverage for Acton's programs, publications, scholars, and leadership.
• Coordinate interview requests and media appearances, preparing spokespeople and ensuring follow-through.
• Work in tandem with the Vice President of Communications and Marketing on media list maintenance, monitoring, and reporting.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior