Senior Manager Marketing

City of Charlotte•Charlotte, NC

5d•$98,731 - $141,926•Onsite

About The Position

This position is currently employed by CATS, a department of the City of Charlotte. With the passage of the PAVE Act and last year’s sales tax referendum, CATS is preparing to transition from a City department to the newly created Metropolitan Public Transit Authority (MPTA). The MPTA was established to strengthen regional transit governance, improve accountability, and support long‑term investment in mobility. It’s an important and exciting step forward for transit in our region. Employees hired into this role will remain City employees through December 31, 2026, and will transition to MPTA employment on January 1, 2027. Benefits and compensation will follow City provisions through 2026 and shift to MPTA provisions in 2027, with clear information shared in advance. Your core duties, reporting structure, and daily responsibilities will remain consistent, with no break in service. If anything delays the transition, your City employment, including compensation and benefits, will remain in place until the move to the MPTA occurs. The creation of the MPTA positions us for a more modern, sustainable, and efficient transit system, one that can better support the Charlotte region for decades to come. We’re excited about what’s ahead and appreciate your interest in being part of it. The Senior Manager of Marketing serves as the senior leader responsible for the strategy, execution and performance of CATS’ marketing and promotional functions. Reporting to the Director of Marketing and Communications, this role provides leadership for marketing programs supporting ridership growth, fare initiatives, brand awareness and customer engagement across diverse audiences. This position holds accountability for both strategic marketing direction and operational execution, particularly in a phased organizational structure where Manager-level roles may not yet be established. The Senior Director directly oversees marketing staff and program delivery while establishing the systems, processes and performance standards necessary to support future organizational scaling. Operating within a complex public-sector transit environment, the role translates agency priorities into integrated campaigns, partnerships and outreach strategies that expand awareness, improve customer understanding and support service utilization. The Senior Manager also plays a key role in building a sustainable marketing function capable of evolving into a multi-layered organization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, business administration, public administration or related field and ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in marketing, branding, or promotional program management, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Strategic Marketing Leadership: Ability to lead both strategy and execution in a dynamic and evolving organizational structure.
Campaign Architecture and Execution: Ability to design, lead and deliver integrated marketing campaigns with measurable outcomes.
Brand Governance and Public Messaging: Ability to maintain consistent, high-quality brand identity across diverse communication channels.
Organizational Leadership and Scaling: Ability to lead staff directly while building systems for future organizational growth.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Ability to use performance data and analytics to guide strategy and continuous improvement.
Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement: Ability to coordinate effectively across departments and external partners.
Knowledge of: Marketing strategy, branding and integrated campaign development
Knowledge of: Digital and traditional marketing channels and tools
Knowledge of: Public-sector communication requirements and accessibility considerations
Knowledge of: Transit operations factors influencing marketing messaging
Knowledge of: Marketing analytics, engagement metrics and performance evaluation
Knowledge of: Budgeting, procurement and contract administration
Skill in: Developing and executing comprehensive marketing strategies
Skill in: Managing multi-channel marketing campaigns
Skill in: Analyzing marketing data and translating insights into action
Skill in: Supervising staff and coordinating team workflows
Skill in: Building and maintaining strategic partnerships
Skill in: Communicating marketing strategy and results to stakeholders
Skill in: Coordinating marketing with operational and service priorities
Ability to: Exercise independent judgment in balancing strategy and execution
Ability to: Lead both program design and hands-on delivery in a developing organization
Ability to: Manage multiple initiatives and competing priorities
Ability to: Build organizational structure and processes from the ground up
Ability to: Adapt to evolving staffing models and organizational needs
Ability to: Promote accountability, quality and continuous improvement
Ability to: Represent the organization professionally in internal and external settings

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in marketing, business administration or public administration.
Demonstrated experience leading marketing programs with accountability for performance outcomes.
Experience managing staff.
Experience in a public-sector, transit, transportation or regulated environment.
Experience supporting fare programs or employer-based initiatives.
Experience managing marketing vendors or consulting services.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership for all marketing programs supporting ridership growth, fare initiatives and service awareness
Translate organizational priorities into targeted marketing strategies, campaigns and engagement initiatives
Establish long-term marketing plans aligned with agency goals, service delivery priorities and customer experience objectives
Balance strategic planning with direct oversight of program execution in a developing organizational structure
Lead development and execution of integrated marketing campaigns across digital, print, broadcast and community channels
Ensure campaigns align with operational realities, service conditions and organizational priorities
Oversee campaign timelines, deliverables and performance outcomes
Evaluate campaign effectiveness and adjust strategies based on performance data
Assume direct responsibility for campaign execution in the absence of a manager-level role
Assume oversight of Transit Advertising Program
Establish and maintain brand standards, messaging frameworks and visual identity guidelines
Provide oversight of creative direction and content development across all marketing channels
Ensure consistency and quality of marketing materials across the organization
Align brand messaging with customer experience, accessibility considerations and public-sector communication standards
Develop and oversee marketing strategies supporting fare programs, promotions and service initiatives
Support the development of partnerships with employers, institutions and community organizations
Coordinate promotional activities tied to service expansions, policy changes, and special initiatives
Ensure alignment between partnership activities and agency marketing objectives
Establish performance metrics and monitoring frameworks for marketing initiatives
Analyze engagement data, ridership trends and campaign outcomes to guide decision-making
Prepare reports and evaluations supporting leadership visibility and accountability
Identify opportunities to improve marketing effectiveness and return on investment
Provide direct supervision of marketing staff, including specialists, designers and other assigned personnel
Establish accountability structures, performance expectation and operational standards
Build scalable systems and processes supporting future organizational growth
Develop staff capabilities and prepare the organization for transition to a multi-layered structure
Collaborate with Communications, Customer Service, Operations, Planning and Finance teams
Ensure marketing initiatives align with service delivery priorities and operational constraints
Support cross-departmental initiatives and integrated outreach efforts
Facilitate coordination between marketing activities and agency-wide programs
Develop and manage marketing budgets and resource allocations
Oversee procurement and contract administration for marketing services, vendors and consultants
Ensure responsible stewardship of financial resources
Support planning for future resource needs as the marketing function expands