Marketing and Communications Manager

Our outstanding team of professionals seeks someone who shares our passion for public horticulture and organizational excellence. The work will reward their relationship-building and communication skills and their desire to serve our field, growing with the Association as we fulfill its vision of a world where public gardens are indispensable.

The Marketing & Communications Manager is a dynamic strategist, communicator and leader responsible for increasing awareness of, and engagement with American Public Gardens Association’s programs, benefits, and partnership initiatives. They are a passionate ambassador and master storyteller for the Association and its members. They are committed to elevating the Association and its public gardens as leaders, advocates and innovators both to current and prospective members, external media, and public influencers. They scale the Association voice both internally, as well as to a local/national scope by utilizing a variety of communications channels to accomplish objectives.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities:

• Designs and maintains the Association’s overall marketing and communications calendar to achieve strategic objectives
• Develops and pitches thoughtful and targeted stories to external media sources and influencers; writes and distributes releases, and actively cultivates media relations
• Determines timing, layout, and/or structure of websites; writes content for e-newsletters, e-blasts, social media, print, and other messaging strategies (including mobile apps); manages the posting and upkeep of digital content through staff for assigned projects
• Serves as Editor-in-Chief of Public Garden magazine responsible for overall editorial direction and oversight; Editorial Advisory Group participation and facilitation of recruitment
• Engages outside contractors for projects (i.e. graphic artists, website developers, videographers, digital programmers, designers, copyeditors, and print production companies) as necessary and ensures contractual deliverables
• Graphic design execution of support material such as branding elements, Symposia brochures/programs, National Public Gardens Day collateral, and Annual Conference collateral
• Facilitates survey design and dissemination
• Performs analytics to track performance of campaigns, media hits and more to evaluate effectiveness and to satisfy grant reporting requirements
• Prepares or directs creation of board presentations and reports
• Serves as Staff Liaison for Member Professional Sections and supports intiatives and events put forth by sections as appropriate
• Supervises Creative Projects Coordinator and Communications Assistant and coordinates workflow of projects
• Ensures that all internal and external assets follow brand and quality standards

Knowledge and Background:

• Experience developing media strategy, pitching stories, and managing relationships with media
• Experience using social media platforms (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube)
• Proficient knowledge of (and ability to utilize) various Content Management Systems (CMS) including, but not limited to, membership (iMIS/RiSE), marketing & communications (Informz, Qualtrics Survey Software, Paperless Post), web content (Drupal), and mobile applications
• Graphic design proficiency using Adobe Suite products (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)
• Familiarity with MS Office Suite software, including Word, Excel, Publisher and PowerPoint
• Embodies Association’s operations, mission, and values as well as an understanding of the dynamics, needs, and desires of its diverse membership.

Skills and Abilities:

• Incorporates “big-picture” thinking and empirical data to recommend and chart the course to accomplish strategic initiatives
• Displays ease and takes initiative to contact media/external influencers in order to successfully generate and sustain coverage
• Understands the importance of, and has the ability to create, an engaging user experience using both print and digital assets
• Impeccable writing, oral communication, and technical editing skills
• Strong eye for design, brand alignment, and storytelling
• Extremely customer service-oriented
• Well organized, possesses a strong attention to detail, ability to manage multiple projects at one time, and is respectful of deadlines
• Enjoys collaborative work with others to accomplish common goals
• Supervisory skills to motivate and lead a team