Senior Director, Marketing & Communications

Responsibilities

• The Senior Director, Marketing and Communications leads The Marine Mammal Center's integrated marketing, communications, growth marketing, and retail function.
• The role turns the Center's rescue, research, and conservation work into stories, campaigns, and experiences that grow awareness, deepen engagement, and drive measurable support for the mission.
• The Senior Director sets MarCom strategy, leads a multidisciplinary team spanning brand, PR, content, digital, growth marketing, and retail, and is accountable for the full marketing funnel: audience growth, conversion, the donor and member pipeline, earned revenue, and conservation action.
• The role also has strategic oversight of the Monterey pilot retail space, launching in spring 2027.
• MarCom Strategy, Measurement & Impact (30%) (Integrated strategy. Own the annual and multi-year integrated marketing and communications plan, aligned with the Center's strategic plan, with defined audiences, priorities, and success metrics.)
• MarCom Strategy, Measurement & Impact (30%) (Full-funnel performance. Own the path from awareness to action: growing audiences and converting and retaining them as subscribers, donors, members, volunteers, and advocates. Set pipeline targets and report on the quantity and quality of MarCom-sourced and MarCom-influenced pipeline.)
• MarCom Strategy, Measurement & Impact (30%) (Measurement and impact. Own a single measurement framework and CRM-linked dashboard, with consistent attribution across channels, that shows MarCom's contribution to the mission: reach, engagement, audience growth, conversion, earned media value, retail revenue, and influence on giving and conservation action. Use results to improve performance and inform the Chief Advancement Officer, Executive Team, and Board.)
• MarCom Strategy, Measurement & Impact (30%) (Issues and crisis communications. Lead reputational, issues, and crisis communications, including high-profile animal cases and public health and environmental events, with the Chief Advancement Officer and Executive Team.)
• Brand, Content, Digital, Growth Marketing & Public Relations (20%) (Sets direction and stays hands-on, regularly writing, editing, and producing core content.)
• Brand, Content, Digital, Growth Marketing & Public Relations (20%) (Brand. Own a consistent, accessible, and recognizable brand across all channels, publications, spaces, and products, supported by guidelines and templates used across the organization.)

Requirements

• Work Environment & Physical Requirements: - This position operates in a professional office, laboratory, and hospital environment, both indoors and outdoors, with access to other parts of the facilities via outdoor pathways. - Routinely uses standard office equipment, requiring repetitive motion in tasks. - Ability to work at a desk for extended periods using a computer. - Ability to drive/operate a vehicle for extensive periods of time. - Ability to move up to 25 pounds occasionally. - Ability to spend extended periods on your feet, walking, standing, crouching, and climbing stairs (potentially in inclement weather conditions). - Limited exposure to allergens and zoonotic diseases. - May involve smells associated with animals and the care of animals. Position Type, Expected Hours of Work, and Travel: - This is a full-time, hybrid position, 2-3 days onsite/2-3 days at home. - In-office requirements are dependent on a moderate internal meeting schedule and donor meetings. - Days and hours of work may vary according to the needs of The Marine Mammal Center. - Evening, weekend, and holiday work may be required as job duties demand. - Travel within California, the Hawai’ian Islands, and other national travel may be expected for this position
• - Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities • Deep commitment to the mission and strategic priorities of The Marine Mammal Center. • Track record of building and executing integrated, multi-channel marketing and communications strategies for a large, complex, mission-driven or consumer-facing organization. • Experience leading growth or performance marketing, and proven ability to measure impact: setting KPIs, building dashboards, interpreting analytics, and connecting marketing to audience growth, pipeline, and revenue. • Experience working within a culture of philanthropy and partnering closely with fundraising teams; familiarity with donor and member journeys, acquisition, and stewardship. • Fluency with the marketing technology stack, including social media management and listening, content and digital asset management, web analytics (e.g., Google Analytics 4), email and marketing automation, and CRM and fundraising databases (e.g., Salesforce, Raiser's Edge NXT). • Working knowledge and responsible use of generative AI tools. • Strong media relations, issues management, and crisis communications experience, including building executive thought leadership programs. • Skilled writer and communicator who translates complex science and conservation topics for diverse audiences and builds strong 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; able to balance long-term planning with fast-moving, real-time needs. • Strong leadership skills, with experience building, leading, and coaching diverse, multidisciplinary teams, including managers who lead their own teams. • Retail or earned-revenue experience preferred, such as e-commerce, point-of-sale systems, merchandising, or launching a new physical location. • Proficient in Microsoft 365 (Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Word, Teams) and collaboration tools (Slack, Zoom). • Willingness to support and participate in The Marine Mammal Center's diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging programs. Certifications and/or Licenses None required. Valid driver’s license required for travel between sites. Preferred Education and Experience A combination of education and/or experience equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, environmental science, or a related field; and 10 years of relevant experience in marketing, communications, public relations, or a related field, including at least 5 years leading teams. Experience with retail or earned-revenue programs and data-driven marketing is strongly preferred