Superintendent of Marketing & Communications

Itasca Park District•Itasca, IL

17d

About The Position

Itasca Park District is looking to find someone who is innovative, creative, flexible, dynamic, willing to multi-task and work at a fast pace as our Superintendent of Marketing & Communications! You do not need tons of experience, nor be an expert in any given area, but a dedication to parks & recreation, and having fun. The Superintendent of Marketing & Communications is responsible for the administration of the promotion, sponsorships, public relations, public information and marketing of the Park District’s programs, services, facilities, special events and public and private business partners to Itasca and surrounding communities. The position is a full-time salaried employee. Flexible work hours are a minimum of 40 hours a week, with general work hours taking place Monday through Friday, with some evening and weekend hours due to the nature of the meetings and programs. Itasca is a 9,500 resident community, west of Chicago. The District is governed by a 5 member Board of Commissioners and employs 15 Full -Time and over 200 Part-Time Employees, with a $6M annual budget. The District is a 3X Gold Medal Award Winning Agency and boasts 144 acres of parks, 8 playgrounds, nature center, bird sanctuary, athletic fields, softball complex, waterpark, museum and 50,000 sqft, Recreation & Fitness Center. Annually, 76,300 participate in programs and events; 300,000 visit parks; and 370,000 visit the Recreation Center. The District is committed to the future by being innovative, proactive and evolving; while remaining inspired by the communities’ past. This is reflected in district led projects; including, redevelopment of the Itasca Softball Complex and Ray Franzen Bird Sanctuary - 2025; preservation and restoration of the oldest publicly owned building in the community….The Itasca Train Depot; the $4M Itasca Waterpark Redevelopment - 2021; recently re-developed Benson Park - 2025; and the NEW 10,000 sq ft Itasca Gymnastics & Cheer Center addition to the Itasca Recreation & Fitness Center. The district is a leader among local taxing bodies, businesses and community groups; looked to for creative ways to work together for the benefit of the community. Through over 20 intergovernmental agreements and 50 public-private partnerships/sponsorship, the District has provided the community cost and energy savings, improved quality of life and wellness, and improved access to all.

Requirements

Applicant must be 21 years or older.
BA in Marketing/Communications or related field and/or a minimum of five years full-time progressive work experience.
CPRP status or able to attain within one year.
The individual should possess friendly and effective interpersonal, written, verbal and telephone communication skills.
Individual must be familiar with Microsoft Office applications and able to learn other software packages.
The individual will be expected to obtain First Aid/CPR/AED certification.
Have a valid Illinois class D driver’s license.

Nice To Haves

Other certifications may be required as deemed necessary.

Responsibilities

Develops and coordinates distribution of all routine communications materials for the Park District, including but not limited to, press releases, flyers, brochures, calendars or events, etc.
Manages and maintains the Park District web site, social media platforms, On-Hold Marketing, Sign Board requests, etc
Works with staff, designer and printer to produce the 3 seasonal program guides and highlights.
Writes news releases and maintains contact with print and broadcast media via phone, fax, e-mail and written communications
Analyzes the marketing needs of the District, departments, facilities, and/or programs.
Plans and develops market research objectives and conducts market research through surveys, focus groups, needs analyses, attitude surveys and other methods to determine attitudes and needs of the Park District’s populations.
Identifies and pursues opportunities for public and private business partnerships and alternative means of revenue generation for the Park District.
Identifies, develops, and implements sponsorship programs.
Develops, catalogs, and maintains an up-to-date photo and video library for use by District staff
Photographs and videotapes Park District programs, activities, meetings, special events, construction projects and trainings.
Prepares bid specification and solicits quotes for the graphic design and printing of the program guide.
Participates actively in the Communications and Marketing Section of IPRA to stay informed of trends and developments in employees’ area of responsibility.
Prepares annual budget projections and monitors revenue and expenses for applicable areas of responsibility.
Establish good working relationships with patrons, the community and the public.
Prepares and/or directs the preparation of board summaries, monthly reports, and periodic and special reports.