Job Listing: Senior Director, Marketing (Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden)

SENIOR DIRECTOR, MARKETING

Garden Overview

Mission

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s mission is connecting people to plants by inspiring communities to explore and conserve nature.

Vision

We are a Virginia garden of international significance leading in horticultural and educational excellence. We cultivate experiences that enhance each person’s relationship with the natural world.

Values

Responsibility, Innovation, Integrity, Hospitality and Inspiration

Founded in 1984, Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden is a non-profit garden located in Richmond, Virginia’s Lakeside neighborhood. The Garden encompasses 82 acres, four lakes, 6,000 unique taxa of plants within 15 distinct outdoor gardens, 11 major buildings including a conservatory and greenhouse, plus an 80-acre branch site, the Lewis Ginter Nature Reserve. Annually, Lewis Ginter welcomes four hundred thousand visitors annually and is fortunate to include over 17,000 member-households.

Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (LGBG) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the ground of race, color, religion, sex, age, disability or national origin in the hiring, retention, or promotion of employees. We support the diversity and inclusion policy adopted by The American Public Gardens Association: to create an equitable, diverse and inclusive culture where the contributions of all community members are valued, respected and appreciated.

Job Description

Under the direction of the Chief Marketing and Experience Officer, the Senior Director of Marketing leads, shapes, and executes the Garden’s marketing and communications strategies. This position is responsible for the development of strategies consistent with LGBG goals and priorities, in consultation with the Garden's leadership and other appropriate individuals and groups. The Senior Director of Marketing is responsible for planning and executing marketing programs that will expand our audience and visitation, drive traffic, achieve budgeted goals, and convey Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden’s mission of connecting people to plants in order to explore and conserve nature.

Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Brand Stewardship

• Develop and own the annual marketing strategy aligned with organizational goals, including establishing and implementing goals, objectives, policies, and operating procedures to ensure success. Guide the marketing and public relations activities for the Garden to ensure members, the public, staff, and volunteers are informed and encouraged to visit and engage with Garden activities.

• Define and protect the brand voice, positioning, and visual identity.
• Serve as marketing representative to executive leadership and board.

Content Oversight and Creation

• Organize marketing calendar for Garden by gathering input from stakeholders across the Garden, and then execute using various communications strategies, including but not limited to advertising, publications, and interactive media.

• Oversee content creation from team, including: Website strategy, UX improvements, and updates; SEO and paid search campaigns; Social media strategy (organic + paid); Email marketing calendar, along with needed assets like photography, videos, storytelling.

Communications and Public Relations

• Manage media relations, cultivating relationships with contacts at media outlets to gain coverage when releasing content (press releases, press kits, and related marketing materials). Manage media events scheduled at the Garden.

• Typical communications activities include: writing or approving press releases, building relationships with local media, serving as the Garden’s spokesperson, crisis communications planning, promoting horticulture experts and exhibitions.
• Partner with the Human Resources and Volunteer departments to develop and execute internal communications for staff and volunteers.

Budget and Metrics

• Develops annual marketing budget for the fiscal year and manages the use of that budget to effectively market and communicate to designated audiences throughout the year.
• Measures key performance indicators and adjust plans as needed to meet and exceed goals.
• Manage day-to-day activities with designated Marketing vendors.
• In addition to managing key marketing campaign metrics, KPIs driving these strategies include visitation data and sales data from revenue centers – Garden Shop, Facility Events, and Garden Café.

Team Leadership

• Manages Marketing team, which includes activities such as hiring, work allocation, coaching and development, promotion, enforcement of internal procedures and controls, and problem resolution; evaluates performance and makes recommendations for personnel actions; motivates employees to achieve peak productivity and performance.

Performs miscellaneous job-related duties as assigned.

Skills and Abilities

• The ideal candidate will have relevant experience with client or agency side marketing teams, and/or public relations agencies. 
• Ability to plan, develop, direct, implement, and evaluate strategic marketing plans, programs and activities
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills. The ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community.

• Able to occasionally work varied hours outside the traditional work week, including weekends, evenings, holidays, and special events, including the annual GardenFest of Lights exhibit.

• Knowledge of marketing concepts, principles, methodology and techniques.
• Knowledge of management principles and practices.
• Employee development and performance management skills.
• Skill in budget preparation and fiscal management.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7-10 years of marketing and communications-related experience.
• Experience recruiting, coaching and managing teams.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently verbally and in writing with a variety of internal and external audiences.

• A team player with emotional intelligence, flexibility and a growth mindset. 
• Excellent project management skills and proven ability to manage a large number of multiple priorities and projects. 
• Fluency in written and spoken Spanish is a plus.

Physical Demands/Working 

• Moderate physical activity like walking across the Garden property is often a daily activity

• Hours are primarily Monday through Friday, but work on nights and weekends may be required during scheduled programming
• Working several nighttime shifts during the GardenFest of Lights and one weekday holiday is required of all employees.

*Note: Duties described above, other duties, and physical demands have been identified as essential functions as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Each Employee of Lewis Ginter

• Must comply with provisions of the current Employee Handbook, all published personnel policies and the requirements of their individual job descriptions

• Must conduct themselves and perform all duties in a manner consistent with a public garden serving multigenerational and multicultural individuals and families, and in accordance with directed practices and procedures
• Must be aware of surroundings, and vigilant to any possible threat to the safety of visitors, volunteers, and staff, or to their property, and ensure that all concerns are reported promptly
• Must report all mishaps, injuries and incidents immediately and ultimately in writing to supervisor(s) and to the leadership team
• Must ensure compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations
• Must perform other duties as assigned by supervisor

Please submit cover letter and resume to hr@lewisginter.org