POSITION SUMMARY

The Marketing Director provides vision, strategy, and leadership for all association-wide branding, marketing, and communications initiatives. This role sets the overall marketing roadmap and translates organizational goals into integrated, results-driven strategies across digital, print, web, email, social media, and earned media.

The Marketing Director is responsible for driving measurable outcomes in brand awareness, membership and program engagement, fundraising revenue, and volunteer and staff recruitment. This leader oversees the development and execution of compelling campaigns, ensures consistency of message and visual identity, and elevates the YMCA’s reputation as a trusted, mission-driven community nonprofit. 

The Marketing Director mentors and manages a high-performing team, partners closely with Association leadership and cross-functional teams, leverages research and analytics to inform decision-making, and ensures operational excellence through effective planning, budgeting, and performance measurement.

On-site position: This role is based at our Association office in Grand Rapids, MI and requires regular in-person attendance, Monday - Friday, with some evenings and weekends for events.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and own association-wide marketing strategies that support short- and long-term objectives.
• Establish, direct, and oversee integrated brand and marketing strategies.
• Benchmark current activities and develop improvement roadmaps.

Brand Strategy & Creative

• Lead brand stewardship and ensure brand-compliant messaging and visuals.
• Lead creation of inspiring design, content, and campaigns.
• Strengthen brand reputation and community perception.

Digital, Web & Content

• Build a best-in-class web presence.
• Lead innovative social media campaigns.
• Oversee email marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and content development.

Communications & Media Relations

• Maintain media relationships and serve as spokesperson.
• Train staff for media readiness.
• Oversee copywriting and editorial standards.

Insights, Analytics & Continuous Improvement

• Use research and market dynamics to inform strategy.
• Use analytics to measure and optimize performance.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Mentor and motivate the marketing team.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to support organizational goals.

Budget & Operational Excellence

• Lead annual departmental budget development
• Monitor monthly and year-end financial performance for the marketing department.
• Ensure execution of annual marketing calendar.

Perform additional duties as assigned to ensure the success of the YMCA and its mission-driven work.

COMPENSATION

$85,000 - $105,000 ; Salary, Exempt 

BENEFITS

• Free YMCA Family Membership – Enjoy full access to facilities & program discounts for you and your family!
• 20% Childcare Discount – Discount is off the regular rate for each child enrolled in a YMCA childcare program, excluding the infant room.
• Comprehensive Medical Coverage – Up to 93% employer paid plan options through Blue Care Network.
• Dental and Vision Insurance – low-cost coverage options.
• Health Savings Account (HSA) – Receive up to $1,040 in employer contributions each year to help cover qualified medical expenses.
• Generous Paid Time Off – Beginning with 4 weeks of PTO per year, plus 9 paid holidays.
• Paid Parental Leave - Dedicated time off to support you during the arrival or adoption of a child.
• Retirement Savings – 12% employer retirement contribution, no match requirement (upon eligibility) and a 403(b) savings plan.
• Paid Disability Leave – short & long term disability coverage.
• Life Insurance – employer paid life insurance, plus voluntary coverage for the entire family.
• Optional Insurance – Customize your coverage with options like accident, hospital, pet, and legal insurance, plus more to fit your lifestyle and needs.
• Pay on Demand – Access your earned wages before payday.
• Professional Growth – Access to ongoing training, development programs, and career advancement opportunities.
• Loan Forgiveness - Eligible employees can also take advantage of Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – Free, confidential resources and counseling for you and your family.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) in communication, business, marketing, or related field required.
• Experience: A minimum of 5 years of relevant progressive marketing experience, including leadership and supervision experience.
• Proven Expertise: Strong written and oral communication skills and experience managing multi-channel campaigns for a multi-location company or organization. Demonstrate understanding of SEO and web traffic metrics. Demonstrate success implementing email campaigns that maximize sales conversion and engagement through design, delivery and analytics. Strong creativity, human relation skills, and a strong sense of time management. Expertise in digital marketing, brand strategy, and content development
• Mission-Driven Leadership: Ability to interact with people of all ethnic backgrounds, ages, and lifestyles. Ability to react quickly in emergency situations.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATION

• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and First Aid Certification required within the first 60 days
• Blood Borne Pathogen training
• State of Michigan criminal background clearance (ICHAT)

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The work environment and 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.

• Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. 
• Ability to communicate effectively to all levels of the organization. 
• Ability to apply critical thinking skills to troubleshoot and perform root cause analysis. 
• Ability to present data and concepts to large groups of people and be understood. 
• Ability to add and subtract two-digit numbers and to multiply and divide with 10's and 100's. 
• Ability to apply common sense understanding in order to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. 
• Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand. The employee is occasionally required to walk, climb, or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.