Senior Director, Marketing & Communications

The Marine Mammal Center•Sausalito, CA

4d•$133,120 - $145,590•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director, Marketing and Communications leads The Marine Mammal Center’s integrated marketing, communications, growth marketing, and retail functions. The role translates the Center’s rescue, research, and conservation work into stories, campaigns, and experiences that increase awareness, deepen engagement, and generate measurable support for its mission. The Senior Director sets MarCom strategy, leads a multidisciplinary team across brand, public relations, content, digital, growth marketing, and retail, and is accountable for the full marketing funnel, including audience growth, conversion, the donor and member pipeline, earned revenue, and conservation action. The position also provides strategic oversight of a Monterey pilot retail space planned to launch in spring 2027. The Senior Director owns annual and multi-year integrated marketing and communications plans; performance targets and measurement; brand, storytelling, digital, growth marketing, advertising, media relations, and executive communications; and retail strategy and performance. The role leads planning and launch of the Monterey pilot, works closely with Development and conservation program teams, and partners with senior staff and the Board as assigned. Responsibilities also include managing department workflows and staff, owning MarCom and retail budgets, and supporting the Center’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging objectives. This is a full-time hybrid position, with two to three days onsite and two to three days at home. Office requirements depend on the internal meeting schedule and donor meetings. Days and hours may vary with organizational needs; evening, weekend, and holiday work may be required. Travel within California, the Hawaiian Islands, and elsewhere nationally may be expected. The work environment includes professional office, laboratory, and hospital settings, indoors and outdoors, with occasional exposure to allergens, zoonotic diseases, and animal-related smells.

Requirements

Deep commitment to the mission and strategic priorities of The Marine Mammal Center.
Track record of building and executing integrated, multichannel marketing and communications strategies for a large, complex, mission-driven or consumer-facing organization.
Experience leading growth or performance marketing and measuring impact, including setting KPIs, building dashboards, interpreting analytics, and connecting marketing to audience growth, pipeline, and revenue.
Experience working in a culture of philanthropy and partnering closely with fundraising teams; familiarity with donor and member journeys, acquisition, and stewardship.
Fluency with marketing technology, including social media management and listening, content and digital asset management, web analytics, email and marketing automation, and CRM and fundraising databases.
Working knowledge and responsible use of generative AI tools.
Strong media relations, issues management, and crisis communications experience, including building executive thought leadership programs.
Strong writing and communication skills, including the ability to explain complex science and conservation topics to diverse audiences and build relationships with staff, volunteers, partners, media, and the public.
Knowledge of conservation, ocean, and environmental issues and policies.
Strong strategic thinking, prioritization, and project management skills, including the ability to balance long-term planning with fast-moving needs.
Experience building, leading, and coaching diverse, multidisciplinary teams, including managers who lead their own teams.
Proficiency in Microsoft 365, including Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Word, and Teams, and collaboration tools such as Slack and Zoom.
Willingness to support and participate in the Center’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging programs.
Education and/or experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, environmental science, or a related field.
At least 10 years of relevant experience in marketing, communications, public relations, or a related field, including at least 5 years leading teams.
Valid driver’s license; travel between sites is required.

Nice To Haves

Retail or earned-revenue experience, such as e-commerce, point-of-sale systems, merchandising, or launching a new physical location.
Experience with retail or earned-revenue programs and data-driven marketing is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Own the annual and multi-year integrated marketing and communications plan, aligned with the Center’s strategic plan, audiences, priorities, and success metrics.
Manage the full marketing funnel, including audience growth and conversion and retention of subscribers, donors, members, volunteers, and advocates; set pipeline targets and report on MarCom-sourced and influenced pipeline.
Establish a unified measurement framework and CRM-linked dashboard with consistent channel attribution, and use results to improve performance and inform the Chief Advancement Officer, Executive Team, and Board.
Lead reputational, issues, and crisis communications, including communications concerning high-profile animal cases and public health and environmental events.
Set brand direction and maintain a consistent, accessible, recognizable brand across channels, publications, spaces, and products; develop guidelines and templates.
Own the cross-departmental editorial calendar and year-round storytelling across video, photography, social, and print; write signature content such as the annual impact report and supporter newsletters.
Through the Director of Growth Marketing, oversee marketing technology, website optimization and testing, online forms, email and SMS automation, digital fundraising, and web analytics.
Oversee the website, email program, and social channels to strengthen relationships, support conversion, and build engaged communities across organic, paid, and emerging platforms.
Own paid media strategy, channel mix, and budget to grow awareness, fundraising, retail, and visitation measurably.
Build the Center’s standing as a source for media and policymakers, develop its leaders as trusted conservation voices, lead advocacy campaigns, and draft high-visibility communications such as press releases, remarks, and bylines.
Ensure that major gifts, partnerships, and grant-funded programs receive public recognition that honors supporters and encourages further giving.
Lead responsible adoption of generative AI and creative tools, setting standards for accuracy, attribution, image authenticity, privacy, and brand voice.
Oversee onsite, online, and event retail as a brand extension and an earned-revenue and engagement channel, ensuring products and in-store storytelling reflect the Center’s sustainability values.
Lead planning and the spring 2027 launch of the Monterey, California pilot retail space with the Retail Manager, Finance, Operations, and Facilities, from business plan through opening.
Set and monitor retail sales, margin, inventory-turn, conversion, and visitor-to-donor/donor-capture targets; use pilot results to recommend whether and how to scale.
Coordinate with Development on integrated fundraising campaigns, year-end and giving-day appeals, stewardship content, and event marketing using shared calendars, audience segments, and reporting.
Partner with conservation program leads to translate animal care, science, education, and conservation work into accurate stories, advocacy, and communications plans.
Partner with senior staff on marketing-related decisions, serve on leadership committees, and attend Board meetings as assigned.
Set the department’s vision; hire, coach, develop, and evaluate staff; and build a high-performing, inclusive team.
Own and continuously improve team workflows, intake, and prioritization to meet demand across the Center; strengthen communication within the department and organization.
Own MarCom and retail budgets, including growth marketing and marketing technology, retail revenue and cost-of-goods targets, and the Monterey pilot; track marketing return on investment, reallocate resources toward high-performing channels, and report progress, budget, and revenue.
Support and integrate the Center’s diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging objectives, and perform special projects, research, and other duties as assigned.