Title:  Director of Marketing and Communications

Department: Marketing

Reports to: Norma Jean Calderwood Director

Role: Exempt, Full-Time

ISGM Core Values

Isabella Stewart Gardner believed that art had the power to change lives and she built a beautiful, personal, and immersive Museum setting to do so. Today the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is a living embodiment of her bold vision: a dynamic place where ideas and creativity in all its forms inspire visitors. Through exhibitions, music, programs, and performances we strive to tell new stories and challenge assumptions through diverse voices and community members.

Our Core Values are: 

• Creativity is our Legacy
• Community is our Purpose
• The Collection is our Catalyst
• Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Inclusion are our Commitments 

Summary

The Director of Marketing and Communications advances the Museum’s mission by setting the strategic direction for all external marketing and communications strategies. As a member of senior management, the Director will lead efforts to tell the Museum’s unique story and provide insights and guidance on how to evolve and adapt messaging to meet—and grow—our diverse and changing audiences. The role is responsible for oversight of all marketing and communication initiatives including brand, advertising, public relations, website, and digital media and direct e-marketing programs.

The Director will develop a deep appreciation and understanding of the history, culture, and core values of the Gardner Museum and drive achievement of our Strategic Plan by engaging thoughtfully with leadership, staff, and external partners. The Gardner Museum delivers Marketing and Communications through outsourcing partners making this role accountable for strategic and operational management of external partners, while cultivating strong relationships with internal stakeholders for the benefit of the Museum’s public.

Responsibilities

• Drives achievement of the Museum’s strategic objectives, guiding and advising Museum leaders in best practices in brand and public relations. Translates these insights and Museum expectations into clear and effective direction to internal departments and our outsourcing partners.
• Identifies key opportunities to position the Museum as a leader in the community and in the arts and culture sector through strategic public relations and marketing initiatives.
• Identifies new audience opportunities based on key projects and programs and works with external partners to understand and implement effective audience outreach strategies.
• Accountable for operational oversight of the marketing and communication function, working through our external agency to ensure the development, assessment, and implementation of the most effective strategic, brand and community positioning for the Museum. Working with leadership, oversees the prioritization of marketing and communications initiatives. 
• Enables and deepens internal and external collaboration and organizational effectiveness, developing and driving effective use of the external outsourcing partners, guiding internal planning teams on Marketing and Communications thinking.
• Nurtures and grows external relationships including city, state, community, and artistic and performer relationships, building Museum capability and insight into engaging and expanding understanding while ensuring the success of the Gardner’s legacy and mission. 
• Drives the effectiveness and builds the knowledge base of external Marketing and Communications partners, serving as an inspirational translator of the Gardner’s current and future marketing and communication needs. Oversees vendor contracts and budgets. 
• Plays a leadership role in developing a relevant, meaningful institutional diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEAI) strategies.
• Supervises the Marketing and Communications staff team.
• Other responsibilities as assigned.

• Accomplished, strategic, innovative, and forward-thinking manager with a minimum of 10 years of experience.  
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and plan tactically with a hands-on approach to develop and execute all marketing and communications initiatives.
• Proven sense for design and visual communications; effective manager of the creative process across all mediums.
• Confident and highly collaborative communicator committed and able to work across all Museum departments to define, articulate, and deliver engaging, creative, and forward-thinking strategies.
• Experience building press relationships locally, nationally, and internationally.
• Positive culture and team-builder able to establish priorities constructively; to communicate with and inspire the department to work skillfully, effectively, and with a shared purpose to serve the museum’s mission.
• Composed, poised relationship-builder effective in identifying and building sustainable, engaging relationships with media, community organizations, board members, employees, and leadership.
• Principled, values-driven, and passionate mission champion who leads, and encourages others to base their decisions and actions on, the Museum’s purpose, legacy, and values.
• Thoughtful problem-solver able to create an environment of shared learning and decision-making.
• Able influencer, with proven experience in advising senior management/high-visibility individuals regarding current and future strategy development.
• Experience with and a successful track record of direct/email marketing.

COVID-19 Protocols

All employees of the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum are required to be vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. If an employee is not vaccinated, they will need to go through an interactive process of requesting a religious or medical accommodation and to submit weekly testing results, in addition to following other federal, state and CDC recommendations.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Diversity, Equity, Access, and Inclusion is one of the core values we hold close to our business practices. ISGM is committed to affording equal opportunities to qualified individuals regardless of race, color, gender, gender identity, genetics, military/veteran status, pregnancy, religion, sexual orientation, age, national origin, ancestry, disability, or any other basis prohibited by applicable laws.

Request an Accommodation

Applicants with disabilities who are unable to fully access ISGM's online application system may contact us at hr@isgm.org for assistance with a reasonable accommodation.