DIRECTOR, MARKETING & CREATIVE SERVICES

Scripps Research•San Diego, CA

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

Scripps Research is seeking a strategic, creative, and collaborative Director of Marketing & Creative Services to lead integrated marketing, digital marketing, and creative services and shape the organization’s brand across audiences and channels. Reporting to the Associate Vice President of Marketing & Communications, the Director oversees traditional and digital marketing, constituent engagement and database management, audience development, brand and creative services, analytics, and cross-functional project management. The role translates institutional priorities into coordinated marketing plans, campaigns, audience and channel strategies, and creative execution. The Director leads integrated campaigns, audience growth and engagement strategies, marketing data and performance reporting, and brand stewardship and creative direction across institutional and philanthropic communications. As the day-to-day marketing and creative partner to the Office of Philanthropy, the Director provides strategic oversight for donor-facing materials and campaigns, ensuring compelling storytelling and alignment with institutional brand strategy. The role operates with significant autonomy, works closely with internal stakeholders and external agencies and vendors, and ensures initiatives are aligned, high quality, measurable, and delivered on schedule and within budget. This is an on-campus position based at the La Jolla campus, requiring at least four days onsite each week, with flexibility to work one day remotely. Local candidates only. Event support may occasionally require work outside standard business hours, including evenings and weekends. A cover letter is required. The expected hiring range is $160,000 to $170,000 annually, commensurate with experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, advertising, public relations, business, or a related field; an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience is considered.
Minimum of 7–10 years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, communications, advertising, creative services, or a related field, including integrated campaign leadership and complex cross-functional project management.
Experience translating organizational strategy and priorities into integrated marketing plans and campaigns across traditional and digital channels.
Experience managing creative staff and direct reports, including creative direction, prioritization, workload management, coaching, and feedback.
Experience managing budgets, agencies, vendors, and external partners.
Strong experience with email marketing and marketing automation platforms such as Klaviyo, Mailchimp, or similar platforms.
Strong experience with marketing or constituent databases, including data integrity, segmentation, audience development, list growth, and engagement strategies.
Experience developing audience journeys and using behavioral and engagement data to inform marketing strategy and optimization.
Strong understanding of digital marketing channels, including paid social, email, web, and emerging platforms, as well as traditional channels such as print and radio.
Strong understanding of marketing analytics, campaign measurement, KPIs, and performance reporting, with the ability to turn data and insights into recommendations.
Strong understanding of brand management, visual identity, creative production, and campaign concept development across print and digital environments.
Proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud, including Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign, and Canva; ability to provide informed creative direction and assess work against brand standards.
Experience with project management and workflow platforms such as Asana, Monday.com, or similar systems.
Experience working with content management systems and digital asset management platforms.
Excellent proficiency with Microsoft 365, particularly PowerPoint, Excel, Word, Outlook, and Teams.
Exceptional project management and organizational skills, including the ability to manage complex projects, competing priorities, and deadlines.
Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to turn organizational priorities into actionable marketing strategies and plans.
Strong creative and visual judgment, including the ability to develop compelling concepts and provide clear, constructive creative direction.
Ability to analyze performance data, identify insights, and translate findings into recommendations and decisions.
Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills.
Ability to build effective relationships and collaborate with senior leaders, colleagues, external partners, and diverse stakeholders in a complex organization.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and own initiatives from planning through execution.
Strong attention to detail and commitment to accuracy, quality, and brand consistency.
Local candidates only.
Cover letter required.
Ability to provide on-site event support as needed, occasionally outside standard business hours, including evenings and weekends.
Ability to work onsite at the La Jolla campus at least four days per week, with flexibility to work remotely one day per week.

Nice To Haves

Experience in higher education, research, healthcare, nonprofit, or another mission-driven organization.
Portfolio demonstrating creative judgment, visual storytelling, conceptual development, brand application, and execution across multiple formats and channels.

Responsibilities

Translate institutional marketing strategy and priorities into integrated marketing plans, campaigns, and channel strategies.
Lead marketing initiatives across traditional and digital channels, including print, radio, out-of-home, paid social, search, display, email, web, and emerging platforms.
Manage project planning for integrated marketing and communications initiatives, including timelines, milestones, resources, and budgets.
Oversee email marketing and marketing automation strategy and day-to-day campaign execution, including segmentation, subscriptions, testing, optimization, and performance.
Manage the marketing and constituent database, supporting data integrity, governance, segmentation, audience acquisition, growth, engagement, retention, and re-engagement.
Develop and optimize audience journeys across channels for institutional and philanthropic audiences.
Oversee marketing analytics, dashboards, KPIs, campaign reporting, and performance-based recommendations and optimization.
Steward the institutional brand and ensure consistent application of brand standards, messaging, and visual identity.
Lead creative concept development from brief through execution, including visual identities, campaign concepts, messaging frameworks, and creative assets.
Provide creative direction for institutional marketing and communications across print, digital, advertising, campaign branding, and institutional collateral.
Supervise creative staff, providing direction, feedback, professional development, and workload prioritization; oversee creative and production workflows and resources.
Develop visual storytelling approaches that communicate institutional priorities, programs, people, and impact.
Oversee institutional content, creative assets, content libraries, and digital asset management systems.
Serve as the primary day-to-day marketing and creative partner to the Office of Philanthropy, overseeing philanthropic communications, donor-facing materials, annual reports, campaigns, and collateral.
Coordinate with internal stakeholders and external partners on plans supporting institutional and Advancement priorities.
Manage creative contractors, marketing agencies, and vendors to ensure strategic alignment and quality, schedule, and budget expectations.
Establish workflows, standards, and processes that improve coordination, production, and delivery across Marketing & Communications.
Manage assigned marketing and creative budgets, monitor expenditures and performance, and recommend resource adjustments.
Support the Associate Vice President of Marketing & Communications on department-wide strategic, operational, and cross-functional priorities.
Provide on-site support for department and institutional events as needed.

Benefits

Employer-contributed retirement plan, subject to eligibility, with no employee contribution required.
Option to contribute to a 403(b) plan.
Three medical plan options, including an HSA-eligible option.
Dental insurance.
Vision insurance.
Life insurance.
Disability coverage.
Employee assistance program.
Flexible spending accounts for medical and dependent care expenses.
Competitive vacation and sick leave policies.
Free on-site parking.