Senior Director of Marketing and Communications

Senior Director of Marketing and Communications Reports to: Chief Marketing Officer Team: Marketing Supervisory: Supervisory Position FLSA Status: Full-Time, Exempt Location: Washington, DC Salary Range: $115,000 to $135,000 Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis beginning March 27, 2026. Who We Are Americans for the Arts (AFTA) strengthens the arts from the ground up – supporting advocacy that empowers communities, develops arts leadership, and produces field-informed research. We shape national arts policy to reflect the realities and aspirations of artists, organizations, businesses, and communities nationwide. We champion the arts as a unifying and essential force in American life. About the Team Led by the Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), our team creates aclear and powerful voicefor AFTA across all platforms. We handle media relations, share the stories of our advocates, manage the organization’s digital outreach, and work alongside our government affairs, programs, research, and development teams and the Arts Action Fund (AAF) tomake the case for the arts. We are a growing team of creators and strategists dedicated to ensuring the arts remain a national priority. The Marketing team is currently comprised of the Chief Marketing Officer, Director of Communications, Web Developer, and external consultants. The Senior Director of Marketing and Communications is a new role to AFTA, helping us to build our capacity, add to our expertise, and push innovation. About the Position The Senior Director of Marketing and Communications is a strategic leader and storyteller whoamplifies AFTA’s mission into a powerful national voice. In this role, you willdrive audience growthand champion the arts as an essential force in American life. You will serve as thestrategic architectbetween high-level vision and creative execution, translating the CMO’s goals into human-centered content and high-impact advocacy campaigns. Success in this role relies on collaborative leadership. The Senior Director will lead a growing team and set the strategic and creative vision for the organization’s marketing and communications efforts, working closely with the Director of Strategic Communications to bring that vision to life. By aligning marketing efforts with advocacy messaging and overseeing the Web Developer and external consultants, the Senior Director will turn complex operations into high-impact content that moves our community to action. Preference will begivento applicants who areproficient in Spanish. This role may occasionally require travel, including some weekend events. Division of Labor between 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) This role is considered a matrixed role, responsible for duties that support both Americans for the Arts (501(c)(3)) and the Arts Action Fund (501(c)(4)), which are legally two separate entities. You will be responsible for tracking your time worked across both organizations, having some responsibility associated with collaborative mission-driven marketing and advocacy communications between AFTA and the AAF (within legal and tax parameters). Approximately 25% of your hours worked will be allocated to the AAF 501(c)(4). Key Responsibilities* Team Leadership & Cross-Department Collaboration Lead adedicated, results-oriented marketing team to execute AFTA’s strategic goals, ensuring our collective work demonstrates every day that the arts are vital to a healthy, thriving society. Partner across divisions of the organization to synthesize complex research and policy prioritiesinto inspiring, accessible stories that resonate with donors, advocates, and the public alike. Manage the resources and creative partners needed to power AFTA’s biggest stages, includingAFTACON, the ArtsVote campaign, and arts advocacy days. Build a culture of curiosity and mentorship where your team feels empowered to experiment, lead, and grow alongside a rapidly changing cultural landscape. Content Strategy & Development Own theAFTA narrative alongside the CMO, ensuring our voice is unmistakable, authoritative, and inspiring across everything from high-level press releases to daily digital content. Guide world-class writers and consultants to produce persuasive marketing and media materials that grab the attention of everyone from local artists to the halls of Congress. Oversee—in partnership with the Director of Strategic Communications—a dynamic content calendar that spotlights AFTA’s leadership and grassroots voicesnationwide, ensuring our advocacy is as heart-centered as it is evidence-based. Ensure our best research and resources aren't just published, but found , by usingsmart digital tacticsto put AFTA’s tools in the hands of those who need them most. Creative Development Modernize and protect theAFTA visual identity, ensuring every image and design reflects an inclusive, professional, and vibrant arts movement. Serve as the creative engine behind ourvideo, photography, and designprojects, collaborating with top-tier agencies to bring our mission to life visually. Lead the creative design formajor national campaigns, using powerful visuals to make complex policy issues feel personal, urgent, and worth fighting for. Set the bar for design excellence, ensuring every piece ofprint or digital collateralis a world-class representation of the American arts community. Digital Strategy & Advocacy Campaigns Design and launch—with our staff and consultants—high-energy digital campaigns that mobilize thousands of advocates to protect arts funding and influence cultural policy at every level of government. Drive the strategy forAFTA’s digital ecosystem—from a dynamic social media presence to high-performing emails—to keep our community engaged and growing. Useclear, simple metricsto track success, constantly refining our digital approach to better find donors, support members, and win advocacy battles. Partner with the Web Developer to experiment with new technologies that improve our digital reach and cut through the noise. Partner with the development team to design and execute digital strategies that drive revenue, expand the donor pipeline, and convert engaged audiences into financial supporters of Americans for the Arts. *This position is expected to perform similar duties in coordination with the Arts Action Fund, our affiliate 501(c)(4) organization. Experience and Skills That Matter Most The ideal candidate will have a strong background in spearheading marketing and communications plans, with a proven track record ofcultivating talent,maximizing budgets, and delivering high-impact results across visual communications,digital engagement, and strategic campaign development, in addition to: A deep commitment to advancing AFTA’s mission, with a demonstrated ability to integratediversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibilityinto all marketing strategies and internal team management. Minimum 6–8 years of experience in non-profit marketing, drivingissue-specific advocacy campaignsand elevating organizational visibility. Expertise in writing and editing compelling materials, includingexecutive talking points, press releases, and position statements, tailored for diverse public and political audiences. Demonstrated ability to work effectively withsenior leadership, board members, and industry stakeholdersacross the political spectrum to align communications with institutional goals. Strategic oversight ofcontent development, editorial calendars, and brand stewardship, ensuring consistent visual and verbal identity across all platforms. Working knowledge ofSEO best practicesand CRM systems, using a data-driven approach to optimizeorganic search performanceand digital marketing engagement. Experience managingvisual communications, including design management and photo/video direction, to produce storytelling assets that highlight the transformative power of the arts. A creative and entrepreneurial spirit, with the ability to flex with rapid change. Proficiency in Spanish(preferred) More About Americans for the Arts The State of AFTA Following a period of significant organizational change, AFTA is continuing to evolve in ways that will increase its effectiveness and build trust within the field. The onboarding of our new CEO in March 2025, a new Chief Programs Officer in June 2025, and our new CMO in November 2025 laid the foundation for steady long-term leadership to meet the needs of our staff, members, stakeholders, and the public. The hiring of the Sr. Director of Marketing and Communications is the next step to equip AFTA with the framework necessary to meet the challenges ahead. This position is essential to establishing AFTA as a leader in the current and future economic, political, and cultural environment of America in 2026 and beyond. Work Hours & In-Office Requirements AFTA is open weekdays, operating on a 37.5-hour work week (7.50-hour day), with the core business hours of 10:00 – 4:00 pm ET. Our in-office policy requires employees to work from the office at least one day per week. Compensation and Benefits The compensation range for this position is $115,000 to $135,000 and will be commensurate with the scale and scope of experience. The total compensation package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance, 403b employer contributions, and a generous time-off package, including paid parental leave. Employees are also eligible to participate in short-and-long-term disability, life insurance, Flexible Spending Account (FSA), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and professional development opportunities.