Director of Marketing & Communication

SLIPSTREAM GROUP INC•Madison, WI

2d•Remote

About The Position

You can make a difference for climate and equity. The Director of Marketing provides strategic leadership, oversight, and vision for Slipstream’s brand, communications, and program marketing efforts. As a senior leader in a mission driven nonprofit‑driven nonprofit, this role ensures that all marketing initiatives reflect organizational values, amplify program impact, and support stakeholder engagement, this role ensures that all marketing initiatives reflect organizational values, amplify program impact, and support stakeholder engagement and fundraising activities. The Director guides staff, shapes organizational storytelling, and strengthens the organization’s visibility with funders, partners, policymakers, and the clients and communities served. The Director oversees a team of marketing and communications staff located in Madison, WI, and Chicago, IL. The Director of Marketing reports directly to the Principal Director of Advancement. Slipstream is a nonprofit organization with staff working together to accelerate climate solutions for everyone. The organization is headquartered in Madison, WI with an office in Chicago, IL and staff working remotely in 22 states. The Director of Marketing collaborates closely with teams across the organization, including Research & Innovation (which pilots and evaluates emerging climate and energy strategies), Workforce Development (which delivers training in clean energy occupations), Financing (which designs and deploys financial tools that enable clean energy adoption), Utility Program Administration (which delivers large scale energy efficiency and electrification programs, while also managing utility marketing programs), Policy (which advances equitable climate and energy policy solutions), Proposals (which leads competitive proposal development to secure funding), and Partnership Development (which cultivates and maintains strategic partnerships in pursuit of funding). By working in partnership with these teams, the Director ensures that marketing and communications elevate Slipstream’s mission, reinforce program success, and translate complex technical work into compelling, accessible narratives for diverse audiences.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in marketing/communications, with at least 5 years in leadership roles within a nonprofit, mission-driven organization, or similarly complex environment.
Demonstrated success leading strategic marketing initiatives that support program outcomes, fundraising, and organizational visibility.
Strong background in storytelling, brand stewardship, external communications, and equity-centered communications.
Minimum of 5 years’ experience with a background in sustainability/energy/ decarbonization.
Minimum of 5 years’ experience supervising a team, vendors, budgets, and multichannel marketing strategies.
Familiarity with digital marketing tactics and tools, including CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce), CMS platforms (e.g., Drupal, Wagtail), email marketing tools (e.g., Pardot, Active Campaign), and web analytics and SEO/SEM/GEO tools (e.g., Google Analytics, Moz).
Skilled at communicating with leadership, board members, and external stakeholders.
Experience guiding teams on responsible use of AI-generated content.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with accessibility standards (WCAG) and inclusive content practices.
Experience supporting communications during periods of organizational change.
Experience creating reports and communications as part of building relationships with foundations.
Experience creating reports and communications as part of individual giving and major gifts campaigns.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Mission Alignment Provide strategic oversight for all marketing and communications activities that advance the organization’s mission, programs, and fundraising efforts.
Develop and guide the execution of annual and multiyear marketing plans aligned with organizational priorities.
Partner with executives and program leads to anticipate needs and guide communications strategy during key initiatives.
Operate effectively at strategic and tactical levels, balancing long-term planning with day-to-day execution.
Build strong relationships across the organization and externally with key stakeholders, including the media.
Brand, Storytelling & Communications Steward the organization’s brand identity, messaging framework, visual guidelines, and tone of voice.
Ensure all communications (digital, media, external and internal) are cohesive and accessible, and aligned with the organization’s strategic plan.
Direct staff producing high quality mission driven content, including reports, stories, digital content, media materials, and program marketing assets.
Program Marketing & Campaign Oversight Guide staff and program teams in planning and implementing specific marketing strategies that drive engagement and measurable outcomes for clients.
Oversee multichannel campaigns supporting fundraising, program participation, events, and visibility.
External & Internal Communications Develop and execute an integrated external communications strategy that elevates the organization’s brand, visibility, and reputation across priority audiences.
Oversee the creation of high‑quality external content, including press releases, op‑eds, blogs, newsletters, impact stories, case studies, and campaign materials.
Manage media relations, including cultivating journalist relationships, pitching stories, and preparing spokespeople for interviews.
Ensure brand consistency across all external communications, digital channels, and public-facing materials.
Guide crisis and issues communications to protect organizational trust and credibility.
Support executive visibility by securing speaking engagements, thought‑leadership placements, and strategic partnerships.
Represent Slipstream by presenting program outcomes and insights at state, regional, and national forums, strengthening the organization’s reputation as a leader in energy efficiency and community impact.
Partner with executive leadership to design internal communication structures that support alignment, transparency, and culture building.
Lead the development and publication of the organization’s annual impact report and impact reports for funders.
Provide guidance on the CEO Communications plan.
Digital Strategy & Data Informed Decision Making Oversee digital platforms, tools, and analytics practices to ensure accessibility, ethical use of data, and community-centered engagement.
Support staff using analytics to refine strategies and measure impact.
Team Leadership Lead, mentor, and develop the marketing and communications team, supporting professional development, instituting process improvements, and revising workflows when needed.
Advance the current annual communications plan and lead the development of future annual communications plans.
Lead the annual review process, set clear performance expectations and foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, inclusion, and mission-aligned, high performance.
Provide coaching and mentorship to build leadership capability within the team.
Resource Management & Ethical AI Use Lead a collaborative budgeting process with the team, while coordinating with the Principal Director of Advancement and the Accounting Department to ensure alignment and accuracy.
Manage vendor relationships and ensure responsible stewardship of nonprofit resources.
Establish and maintain guidelines for ethical AI-assisted content and communications workflows.
These responsibilities are not all inclusive and other duties may be assigned from time-to-time.