The Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications serves as a strategic advisor to the Director of Development and the Executive Team and is responsible for managing and implementing integrated marketing and communications strategies that drive awareness, engagement, and revenue growth. Success in this role is defined by performance against KPIs tied to fundraising and audience engagement. In partnership with the Director of Development, the Manager leads the design and execution of marketing and fundraising campaigns that elevate the Shelter and its programs, grow its audience, and secure support from community members, volunteers, and donors. The manager provides strategic leadership for all social media strategy and content. 

FUNCTIONS 

Thought Leadership 

• Develops and implements the Shelter’s integrated marketing and communications strategy in alignment with organizational priorities, revenue goals, and long-term sustainability. 
• Stays abreast of current trends in marketing, communications, and philanthropy, as well as animal welfare. 
• Partners cross-functionally with operations, programs, and philanthropy to translate organizational priorities and audience insights into effective marketing strategies. 
• Serves as a strategic partner to the Director of Development and Executive Team to shape, communicate and evolve the Shelter’s brand and messaging across all audiences.

Develop creative work product 

• Sets creative direction, establishes priorities, and ensures timely delivery of high-quality content for digital platforms and printed materials. 
• Leads and holds the Marketing & Communications staff accountable for the execution of annual campaigns and fundraising initiatives, ensuring alignment with strategic goals, timelines, and budgets. 
• Evaluates the effectiveness of campaigns and creative outputs, using performance data to inform future strategy and investment. 
• Ensures brand consistency, quality standards, and messaging alignment across all internal and external channels. 
• Pursues Shelter-related stories for creative content. 
• Oversees the filming, editing, and production of high-quality promotional videos.
• Oversees the development and production of marketing materials such as brochures, annual reports, newsletters, and other printed.
• Ensures that all internal and external promotional platforms are current and managed effectively. 
• Other duties as assigned. 

People Leadership 

• Builds, develops, and leads a high-performing Marketing & Communications team, setting clear expectations, fostering accountability, and supporting professional growth and leadership development. Current roles reporting to the Manager include a Social Media Coordinator and Brand Manager with possible future expansion and/or reorganization.
• Strategically allocates work and resources to maximize team strengths, efficiency, and impact while balancing organizational priorities. 
• Contributes to workforce planning, hiring decisions, and role development within the Marketing & Communications function. 
• Models and reinforces SFAS values, collaboration, and a culture of curiosity and continuous improvement. 

Relationships 

As a member of the SFAS Leadership Team, the Senior Manager of Marketing & Communications establishes, cultivates, and maintains positive, collaborative internal and external relationships that elevate transparent and consistent messaging and amplify awareness and support of the Shelter’s mission and programs. The Manager represents SFAS in the community and builds mutually beneficial partnerships with media, local businesses, and other animal welfare organizations. This role represents SFAS as a senior leader in media relations, community partnerships, and public-facing communications, and approaches all interactions with compassion, professionalism, and sound judgment—particularly in complex or sensitive situations. 

QUALIFICATIONS 

Education, Skills and Work Experience 

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, design, or related field of study is preferred. 
• Demonstrated experience leading strategy, teams, and complex projects.
• Experience aligning marketing efforts to revenue growth, fundraising or business outcomes. 
• Well-rounded knowledge of graphic design, photography, video production, PR communications, social media and marketing. 
• Strong storytelling ability and instinct for understanding what moves/inspires people. 
• An eye for visually clean, beautiful, powerful imagery. 
• Attention to detail. 
• Excellent verbal and written communication. 
• Demonstrated expertise in developing and executing social media strategies across platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, with the ability to evaluate, adopt, and sunset platforms based on audience behavior, performance data, and organizational goals. 
• Excellent people and EQ skills. 

Physical Demands 

The physical demands noted are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with physical limitations to perform the essential functions: 

• Consistently required to transition from seated to standing; moving, and kneeling or crouching. 
• Constantly required to speak and hear. 
• Requires use of hands for grasping, reaching and other operative tasks. 
• Required to lift and/or carry an animate or stationary object of up to 50 pounds. 
• The work environment exposes the employee to a noise level that is moderate to loud. 
• The employee must be able to handle exposure to working conditions such as poor ventilation, heat, cold, sudden temperature changes, wet quarters, noise, medical and surgical odors as well as animal odors and dander. 
• An understanding that SFAS is a managed admissions facility and the euthanasia and cremation of animals are regular functions of the shelter. 
• Potential for exposure to zoonotic diseases, dangerous and fractious animals, hazardous chemicals, anesthetics, and sharp objects. 
• The employee should be comfortable interacting with animals of various size, breed, and temperament. 
• A valid New Mexico Driver’s license is required. 

Disclaimer: The preceding job description indicates the general nature and level of work performed. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required.