Position Summary:

The Director of Marketing is responsible for shaping and driving Imagine Children’s Museum’s brand strategy, audience development, and communications vision to broaden reach and deepen engagement across all stakeholder groups. As a senior leader, the Director provides strategic oversight of integrated marketing campaigns, digital and traditional media, conduct market research, support donor and community communications, and brand experience, while mentoring a high-performing team. This role works cross-functionally to elevate the Museum’s mission, support internal communications, support fundraising and programmatic goals, and champion inclusivity and innovation. The incumbent will shape the public voice of our institution, grow our audience, and deepen our impact through compelling storytelling, strategic partnerships, and innovative campaigns.

Essential Functions/Major Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and lead a long-term marketing and communications strategy aligned with institutional goals, including audience development, revenue growth, and community impact.

Brand Stewardship: 

• Oversee brand identity and creative direction across all platforms, ensuring consistency, inclusivity, and resonance with diverse audiences.

Team Management: 

• Supervise and mentor a small, collaborative marketing team, and contractors/vendors; build team capacity and foster a culture of innovation, creativity, and accountability. 

Implementation of Marking Plans

• Oversee marketing efforts across digital (social media, email, website), traditional (print, radio, outdoor), and experiential (events, sponsorships) channels; including SEO/SEM, social media, email marketing, and analytics; use data to inform decisions and optimize performance.

Data-Driven Decision-Making

• Monitor and analyze campaign performance, audience engagement, and market trends to inform strategy and improve outcomes.

Public Relations & Media Strategy

• Serve as the Museum’s primary media contact; develop proactive PR strategies, manage crisis communications. 
• Cultivate media relationships and lead public relations efforts, including press releases, media kits, and crisis communications.

Sponsorships & Partnerships

• Identify and manage strategic sponsorships and community partnerships that enhance visibility and mission alignment.

Budget Oversight

• Manage the marketing budget, ensuring efficient use of resources and alignment with strategic priorities.

Cross Departmental Collaboration

• Collaborate with development and programming teams to support institutional goals and storytelling.

Position Requirements:

• Demonstrated success developing integrated marketing campaigns with measurable results.
• Sound comprehension of communications and promotional production processes and project management.
• Strong creative direction and brand management skills.
• Proficiency in digital marketing tools, analytics platforms, and content management systems.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a passion for storytelling; ability to serve as the Museum spokesperson in both internal and external settings, relating the vision, mission and values of the Museum, including those of a highly sensitive nature.
• Strong leadership and mentoring skills; ability to facilitate initiatives in a team environment. 
• Ability to work collaboratively in a mission-driven, resource-conscious environment.

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, or related field required; Master’s degree preferred.
• 10 or more years of progressive experience in marketing and communications, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
• Experience with public relations, sponsorship development, and community engagement preferred.
• Experience in children’s education, arts, or cultural programming preferred.
• Familiarity with DEAI principles in marketing and communications preferred.
• Bilingual or multilingual skills preferred.

Supervisory Responsibility:

Marketing & Communications department staff.

Work Environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee works in a typical interactive exhibit environment with moderate noise levels. 

Physical Demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

• Regularly required to sit for long periods of time and occasionally lift and or move up to 25 pounds.
• Independent body mobility to access a standard office environment with shelves and drawers of varying heights.
• Vision sufficient to read a computer screen, 12 point and finer printed text, and handwritten documents.
• Manual dexterity to operate a computer keyboard on a daily basis.
• Speak and hear sufficiently to communicate clearly in person, over the telephone, and in small groups.
• Mental stamina for problem solving and dealing with stressful situations; prioritizing multiple tasks; interpreting and applying oral/written instructions.
• No ongoing and consistent extraordinary physical effort or strain involved in this position.

This is a full-time position, onsite (not remote) in Everett, WA. The pay is $105,000-120,000 per year depending on experience. Please include a cover letter with your application. Review of applications will begin on Monday, August 11th, and the position will remain open until filled. Candidates must submit their application by August 10th.

Benefits: All full-time employees receive accrued sick time, vacation time, anniversary appreciation day, medical/vision/dental insurance, Life AD&D, FSA, IRA, EAP, free museum membership, discounts, and other museum perks!