Director, Marketing Communications - Lincoln

Ford • Detroit, MI

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director of Marketing Communications sets Lincoln’s communications strategy and owns paid marketing communications across the brand. The portfolio includes media, retail and dealer assets, sales events, Certified Pre-Owned (CPO), social and ambassador programs, experiential marketing, and brand partnerships. The role translates brand, customer, product, and business priorities into integrated marketing programs and leads agency and internal partners from strategy and briefing through creative development, production, deployment, optimization, and measurement. It works across Lincoln leadership and teams in consumer marketing, product, digital, sales, customer experience, insights, and global marketing to strengthen brand relevance, support vehicle and business objectives, and deliver measurable results.

The position owns communications strategy, integrated campaigns and go-to-market planning, paid communications portfolio direction, cross-functional and agency leadership, investment and measurement, and team development. It leads two Senior Manager direct reports and a large supporting team, including agency and cross-functional resources. The role is hybrid and based in Detroit, Michigan. It is designated leadership level 4.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Advertising, Communications, Business, or a closely related field.
• 12 or more years of progressive professional experience in marketing communications, brand marketing, advertising, or a related field; alternatively, 10 or more years with a Master’s degree or MBA.
• Legally authorized to work in the United States; employment eligibility verification is required at hire.

Nice To Haves

• Experience leading automotive marketing across paid media, brand and nameplate communications, retail and dealer assets, sales events, CPO, social and ambassador programs, experiential marketing, brand partnerships, and launches.
• Experience developing communications for a premium or luxury brand and translating brand positioning into distinctive customer-facing work.
• Experience leading senior managers and large supporting teams, influencing executive stakeholders, and managing complex agency, dealer, and cross-functional relationships.
• Experience managing significant paid media, marketing communications, production, experiential, brand partnership, and operating budgets and prioritizing investment against business objectives.
• Strong understanding of paid media strategy and investment, integrated channels, retail and dealer communications, sales events, CPO, social and ambassador programs, experiential marketing, brand partnerships, creative development and production, consumer insights, brand-health measurement, and campaign analytics.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through ambiguity, resolve competing priorities, exercise sound judgment, and communicate recommendations clearly.
• Master’s degree or MBA in Marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Set Lincoln’s marketing communications strategy, translating customer, business, and vehicle priorities into audience, positioning, channel, and measurement direction.
• Lead brand and nameplate positioning using customer, cultural, market, competitive, and brand-health insights.
• Establish strategic briefs and decision frameworks that align stakeholders and connect investment to measurable outcomes.
• Own integrated campaigns and go-to-market planning for the brand, vehicle launches, nameplates, and priority business initiatives, from annual planning through optimization and learning.
• Set paid media and communications direction across audiences, channels, messaging, content, investment, and performance expectations.
• Coordinate product, sales, customer experience, agency, and other stakeholders around launch and campaign decisions; resolve trade-offs and support disciplined execution.
• Own paid communications across media, retail, dealer assets, sales events, CPO, social, ambassador programs, experiential marketing, and brand partnerships.
• Set portfolio strategies, annual plans, briefs, calendars, content requirements, and measurement frameworks.
• Lead retail, dealer content, sales event, and CPO communications with sales, field, dealer, and retail teams, ensuring customer-facing assets are timely, brand-consistent, and effective across markets.
• Direct social and ambassador strategy, including partner selection, content development, governance, activation, and performance measurement.
• Develop experiential and brand partnership strategies that extend Lincoln’s modern luxury positioning and create distinctive customer experiences.
• Integrate plans with Lincoln leadership and teams across consumer marketing, product, digital, customer insights, field and dealer operations, sales, customer experience, and global marketing.
• Lead agency and external partner relationships, including strategic direction, scopes of work, resource planning, and continuous improvement.
• Build stakeholder alignment, communicate recommendations, risks, and trade-offs, and drive timely decisions.
• Represent Lincoln Marketing Communications in planning forums and senior-level reviews, connecting communications plans to business and brand objectives.
• Develop and manage paid marketing communications, media, production, partnership, experiential, and operating budgets; allocate resources and communicate trade-offs and expected outcomes.
• Establish objectives and measurement plans with research, analytics, and agency partners; evaluate results and turn learning into actionable improvements.
• Lead, coach, and develop two Senior Manager direct reports and a large supporting team; establish accountabilities and operating rhythms, strengthen capabilities, support career growth and succession planning, and foster an inclusive culture.
• Navigate ambiguity and changing priorities while maintaining focus on customer impact, brand integrity, and business results.

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, and subsidized back-up childcare
• Family-building benefits, including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement and fertility treatments
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• Paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time

What This Job Offers

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