Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Apollo Theater Foundation • New York, NY

15d

About The Position

In December 2024, The Apollo Theater became the first organization honored by the Kennedy Center Awards, emphasizing The Apollo’s impact on the past, present, and future of American culture and the performing arts. From the longest-running talent show in America with Amateur Night at The Apollo, which launched the careers of icons like Ella Fitzgerald and Lauryn Hill, to performances from beloved legends like Smokey Robinson and Lil’ Kim and today’s biggest stars like Drake, The Apollo has always been a home for artists to create and a home for audiences to see incredible music and art from legendary artists. The Apollo is an American cultural treasure. It is a vibrant non-profit organization rooted in the Harlem community that engages people from around New York, the nation, and the world. Since 1934, The Apollo has celebrated, created, and presented work that centers Black artists and voices from across the African Diaspora. It has also been a catalyst for social and civic advocacy. Today, The Apollo is the largest performing arts institution committed to Black culture and creativity.
Description
WHO ARE YOU? Are you passionate and driven, with an entrepreneurial spirit? And are you resourceful, innovative, forward-thinking, and collaborative? Do you have an interest in culture, performing arts, or entertainment? At Apollo Theater Foundation, the Vice President of Marketing and Communications embraces these qualities!
THE JOB
The Vice President of Marketing and Communications is a member of the senior leadership team and reports the Chief Growth Officer. The VP oversees all strategies for marketing and audience development at the Apollo Theater, including media relations, branding, advertising, owned, paid and social media, and ticketing sales operations. As a vital member of the leadership team, the Vice President collaborates in setting annual and long-term organizational goals, enjoys representing The Apollo externally in the community, and advocates for a thriving company culture. This individual values collaboration, artistic integrity, an organizational culture of belonging, and respect, and brings these values into their day-to-day work. This role requires a visionary leader who can drive innovative marketing strategies, enhance brand visibility, lead audience engagement and effectively communicate the organization’s mission to various constituents. The Vice President will work closely with The Apollo’s cross-functional teams to identify and maximize opportunities to raise brand awareness, deepen engagement and broaden reach for The Apollo’s mission and achievements. This should be achieved through a diverse mix of marketing, advertising, media, social and community engagement campaigns using the full range of traditional and digital tools available. This leader brings end-to-end development and implementation of strategic messaging and marketing materials with external audiences, donor constituents and corporate sponsors. The Vice President also leads annual ticket revenue goals and oversees The Apollo’s media agencies of record.

Requirements

• 10+ years of professional experience in marketing and communications, with at least 3 years in a senior leadership role.
• Must possess excellent organizational and planning skills.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills.
• Superior project management and time management skills.
• Must be a confident communicator and presenter to internal and external audiences.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of current trends in digital media/social media and of the power of integrated, multichannel communications to enhance The Apollo’s market presence.
• Self-motivated, decisive, and resourceful with the ability to flex with rapid change, anticipate, and act quickly on opportunities.
• Ability to build productive relationships with internal and external constituents.
• Willingness to do what it takes to get the job done.
• Exemplary team player with a positive and professional approach to management.

Responsibilities

• Team Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement: Lead and mentor a team of marketing and community engagement professionals, fostering a collaborative and innovative work environment. Provide regular feedback, professional development opportunities, and performance evaluations to team members. Manage departmental budgets and allocate resources effectively. Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including members, partners, sponsors, and the media. Collaborate with internal teams to ensure consistent messaging and alignment of marketing efforts with organizational goals.
• Strategic Planning: Develop and implement comprehensive marketing, brand and messaging strategies aligned with The Apollo’s mission and objectives. Conduct market research to identify trends, opportunities, and challenges in the industry. Set measurable goals and KPIs to track the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and initiatives.
• Brand Management and Communications: Enhance and maintain the organization’s brand identity, ensuring consistency across all marketing and communication materials. With graphics designers leading the day-to-day, the Vice President manages development of creative content, including graphics, videos, and written materials that resonate with target audiences. Manage the organization’s visual and verbal brand guidelines. With a PR manager leading the day-to-day, the Vice President manages communications strategies in collaboration with other key stakeholders such as the Board of Trustees, development and operations departments, visiting artists and corporate sponsors, incorporating a holistic approach to the entire guest and donor experience.
• Campaign Development and Execution: In partnership with marketing managers, the Vice President approves, plans, executes, and evaluates integrated brand, programming and development marketing campaigns across multiple channels, including digital, social media, print, and events. Plan, execute, and evaluate integrated marketing campaigns across The Apollo channels on behalf of corporate sponsors and licensing partners. Collaborate with internal teams, and external agencies to produce high-quality marketing materials. Monitor and optimize campaign performance using data-driven insights.
• Digital Marketing: With a content manager leading day-to-day efforts, the Vice President is responsible for the management of content for The Apollo’s website, ensuring it is user-friendly, up-to-date, and optimized for search engines. Manage the team in development and implementation of social media strategies to increase engagement and reach. Partner with Digital Marketing and Tech Director to develop and implement digital marketing strategy, including SEO, SEM, email marketing, and social media.
• Ticketing Operations: Oversee ticketing operations, and promotes alignment with marketing priorities and revenue goals, customer service practices, and part-time personnel management.
• Community Engagement: With a community marketing manager overseeing day-to-day, the Vice President ensures design and implementation of strategies to engage Harlem communities and partners, ensuring they feel valued and connected to the organization. Oversee the team creation and distribution of community-focused communications, including newsletters, event invitations, and updates on organizational activities. Oversee the team’s planning and execution of community-focused events and activities to foster Harlem engagement and encourage active participation.
• Reporting and Analysis: Track, analyze, and report on the performance of marketing and communication initiatives. Utilize data and analytics to inform decision-making and optimize strategies. Prepare regular reports and presentations for executive leadership and the board of directors. Support leadership in developing and creating the annual report.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: No Education Listed