Director of Marketing and Communications

Overview: PAWS Chicago is seeking an experienced, animal-loving Director with a background in creative agency, corporate or non-profit marketing. The ideal candidate loves both the art and science of content and words, and understands how to move people, both emotionally through the heart and intellectually through the head. The Director is also a people-person and enjoys managing a talented a cross-functional team in a matrixed organizational structure. This role is onsite in Lincoln Park five days a week.

The Director will oversee marketing and content initiatives, drive the organization’s storytelling and content strategy for all digital, print, and mission marketing, tailored to a wide array of audiences. This individual will be responsible for managing a diverse team of marketing professionals and driving strategic and tactical initiatives, and ensuring alignment between content, brand, and organization objectives.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in content marketing, strategic marketing plans, management, and experience working within complex, matrixed teams. The Director will work closely with the Head of Program Communications and Engagement to refine and execute PAWS Chicago’s overarching marketing and communications strategy while handling the day-to-day tactical details needed to bring campaigns to life and keep the robust organization moving forward.

This role is central to PAWS Chicago’s mission of inspiring and mobilizing animal advocates to take concrete action and join the movement to build a No Kill Chicago. Mission-driven work will include:

• Program Marketing:
  You’ll oversee the development of marketing materials across multiple platforms, ensuring they reflect PAWS Chicago’s brand, mission, and values. You’ll ensure our messaging resonates with the public, increases engagement, and drives action.
• Adoption Campaigns:
  You will create and implement marketing strategies to not only attract potential adopters but attract specific adopters who are a match for long-term animals who have been looked over. This includes leveraging digital channels and creative content to raise awareness and connect with individuals ready to adopt. Additionally, you'll enhance marketing efforts to expand our foster network.
• Spay/Neuter Awareness:
  You will develop targeted marketing campaigns to raise awareness of the importance of spaying and neutering. By identifying and reaching key demographics—pet owners whose pets are most likely to breed and contribute to pet overpopulation at the city impoundment facility—you'll help ensure the right people are receiving free and subsidized services at our Lurie Spay/Neuter Clinic, having a direct impact on reducing the overpopulation of pets most at-risk in our Chicago community.
• Volunteer Recruitment & Engagement:
  Volunteers are integral to PAWS Chicago’s success, and you will design and execute marketing strategies to recruit, engage, develop, and retain volunteers. Your efforts will help communicate the impact of volunteer work, inspiring individuals to get involved and support our mission.
• Supporter Prospecting, Renewals and Retention:
  Supporters and donors are what enable PAWS programs to continue saving lives; they are also what enable continued growth of our mission. By developing and managing strategies and tactics to prospect new supporters, reinspire lapsed supporters, and retain and grow current supporters, the Director will magnify lifesaving.
• Event Marketing Prospecting, Renewals and Retention:
  Ensure PAWS special events, from adoption events to fundraising events, have collateral and promotion required for success.

Responsibilities:

• Content Strategy Leadership:
  • Design and implement marketing programs that drive donations and include messaging, competitive analysis, content marketing, events, sponsorships, direct marketing, digital campaigns and account-based marketing.
  • Oversee end-to-end campaign workflows, including creative briefings, execution and evaluation to increase donor/lead quantity and quality among key channel segments.
  • Spearhead integration and alignment with broader marketing campaigns and tactics by driving collaboration on initiatives such as editorial, event, campaign and content calendars.
  • Serve as a storyteller leading a team to successfully promote PAWS’ key messages and differentiators to constituencies.
  • Serve as a brand ambassador, ensuring all marketing materials adhere to PAWS Chicago’s brand identity standards and values. Ensure all PAWS Chicago content is on brand, consistent in style, quality and voice.
• Team Management:
  • Lead and mentor a medium-sized, cross-functional team of content creators, marketers, designers, and communications, fostering collaboration and a culture of high performance.
  • Ensure clear communication, workflow management, and accountability within a matrixed organizational structure, collaborating with other departments to achieve shared objectives.
  • Recruit, develop, and retain top talent for the content team, conducting regular performance reviews, feedback sessions, and providing growth opportunities.
• Strategic planning and development:
  • Learn, manage and iterate the robust annual calendar, plan and campaigns to drive more engagement and impact. Develop and implement content calendars, ensuring alignment with giving launches, seasonal campaigns, events and organization initiatives.
  • Develop standards, systems, and best practices for content creation, distribution, maintenance, content retrieval and content repurposing, including the real-time implementation of content strategies.
  • Operationalize team workflows, budget system practices, metric reporting and analysis.
  • Further build out a robust thought leadership program.
  • Track key performance metrics; monitor, measure and communicate results of marketing and communication tactics via dashboard. Use metrics analysis to drive future results.
  • Review campaign materials to ensure consistency, quality, and brand alignment.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Passion for animal welfare and commitment to PAWS Chicago’s No Kill model.
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7 years of marketing experience, preferably within a corporate, agency or non-profit environment.
• Experience managing and mentoring diverse team.
• Experience working in heavily matrixed environments and leading by influence.
• Must be a compelling and proficient writer with demonstrated experience in crafting stories that inspire and drive action.
• Excellent verbal and written communication across multiple platforms, including print, digital, video, and other related platforms with experience in crafting stories that engage and inspire.
• Proven project management skills, detail-oriented with the ability to manage competing priorities, allocation of resources, projects.
• Must possess a keen understanding of a broad array of marketing communications, social media, content marketing and digital marketing.
• Familiarity with digital marketing and project management tools, social media, and content management systems. Proficient in email marketing tools, preferably Mailchimp.
• Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Role may at times require minimal lifting, as well as ability to provide event support